A Comprehensive Guide to Naturopathy: Finding the Best Care for Your Body

If you want to explore an alternative healthcare approach that blends modern treatments with holistic methods, naturopathy could offer you a comprehensive way to find the best care for your body.

Incorporating these methods into a career in healthcare, such as through an online FNP program, could broaden your ability to support patients with integrative and individualized care plans.

What is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy isn’t just a single form of therapy, it’s an alternative therapy that incorporates a wide range of treatments and practices such as homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture.

The aim is to treat the person as a whole rather than focusing solely on the symptoms. This holistic approach emphasizes illness prevention and overall well-being rather than just treating the condition.

How Does Naturopathy Work?

Naturopathy follows six essential principles for healing and maintaining good health. Your naturopathic practitioner will ask you questions based on these principles so they can develop and provide you with an individual treatment plan.

These are the six naturopathic principles of healing:

The Healing Power of Nature – vis medicatrix naturae: The body has the natural ability to heal itself. Naturopathy supports this natural healing ability through gentle and non-invasive treatments. A naturopath’s job is to help this process by removing any barriers to health and healing and creating a healthy living environment both inside and outside the body.

Identify and treat the cause – tolle causam: To fully recover from any illness, it’s essential to find and address the underlying cause rather than just treating the symptoms. Symptoms show the body is trying to heal itself, but they aren’t the root cause of the illness. Naturopathy focuses on these root causes, which can be physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual, to provide treatment that not only relieves symptoms but also finds and eliminates the underlying issues.

First do no harm – primum no nocere: Treatments should support the natural healing process and naturopathic doctors avoid methods that hide symptoms without addressing the real issues as this can be harmful. Naturopaths focus on gentle treatments and choose methods and medicines that are safe whilst always considering the patient’s overall health.

Treat the whole person – in perturbato animo sicut in corpore sanitas esse non potest: The principles of naturopathy are based on treating the person as a whole, so the treatment must consider all aspects to find balance. The key to recovery and preventing illness requires a unique and thorough approach for each person. This means the treatment is customized for each individual, rather than using a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone with the same condition.

The physician as teacher – docere: The principle of the physician as a teacher emphasizes the importance of building a healthy and empathetic relationship between the naturopathic practitioner and the patient. Education stands at the heart of naturopathy. It’s about teaching patients to make informed lifestyle choices and engage in self-care. Ultimately, it’s the patient who plays the key role in their healing process.

Prevention – principiis obsta: sero medicina curatur: Naturopathy focuses on preventing illness before it starts. The main aim is to teach people how to live healthier lives and make choices that boost their health. Naturopathic doctors look at things that could make someone more likely to get sick, like family health history, and work to reduce these risks. By focusing on prevention, understanding risk factors, and avoiding diseases through a healthy lifestyle, naturopathy helps people stay well and avoid getting sick in the first place.

What are the Benefits of Naturopathy?

Because the whole person is taken into account, there are many benefits of naturopathy such as:

• Holistic Approach – Naturopaths look at your physical, mental, emotional, and sometimes spiritual health to create an effective treatment plan.
• Personalized Care – Every treatment is tailored to meet your unique needs, leading to a deeper understanding of your health.
• Complimentary Care – naturopathic treatment can work alongside conventional medicine aiming to provide integrative care which combines the strengths of both approaches.
• Focus on Prevention – By emphasizing preventive measures, naturopathy helps you adopt a healthier lifestyle that can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. This includes guidance on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and other lifestyle factors.
• Natural Remedies – Naturopathy uses natural remedies which generally have fewer side effects.
• Stress Reduction and Mental Health – With stress management techniques and counseling, naturopathy supports mental health and emotional well-being, essential for overall health.

Why Would You Visit a Naturopath?

A naturopath can offer support for various health and wellness goals. Here are some of the more common conditions that a naturopath might treat:

• Allergies: Find natural ways to manage and reduce allergic reactions.
• Chronic Pain: Explore holistic approaches to pain management.
• Digestive Problems: Get help for issues like bloating, IBS, and indigestion.
• Respiratory Conditions: Seek alternative treatments for asthma and other respiratory issues.
• Heart Disease: Support heart health with lifestyle and dietary changes.
• Fertility Issues: Naturopathy for women’s health includes support for fertility challenges.
• Menopause: Manage symptoms naturally without relying solely on hormone therapy.
• Adrenal Fatigue: Discover methods to rejuvenate energy levels and reduce stress.
• Cancer Support: Complement conventional cancer treatments with naturopathic care.
• Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Find relief through a comprehensive wellness approach.

If you use naturopathy methods alongside more conventional treatment, it’s important to tell all your health providers so they can work as a team to provide you with the best personalized and effective health plan for you.

Is Naturopathy Safe?

Naturopathy is generally considered safe when practiced by qualified practitioners, especially when used alongside conventional medicine.

Because it is guided by the principles of disease prevention and self-healing using natural methods, this holistic approach is an effective treatment in many situations.

However, like any medical treatment, naturopathy may have side effects based on your health condition and the treatment used.

Possible side effects include allergies to herbal remedies, reactions to vitamins and minerals when combined with other medications, or complications from spinal manipulations if there are underlying spinal or joint issues.

Can You Do Naturopathy at Home?

Although you can practice some aspects of naturopathy at home, like improving your lifestyle, eating healthier, and using herbal remedies, it should always be under the guidance of a qualified practitioner who can advise you on how to do it safely and effectively.

There are three types of naturopathic practitioners:

• Naturopathic doctors – naturopathic doctors are not physicians but complete four years of naturopathic medical training before they receive their license.
• Traditional naturopaths – naturopaths don’t have a license and have trained in various other ways with different organizations.
• Other health care providers – Some doctors or nurses take training in naturopathy to offer additional non-conventional treatments.

When choosing a naturopath, you should do some thorough research beforehand and find someone you’re comfortable with and trust.

By following these simple steps, you can bring naturopathic practices into your daily routine safely:

• Eat Well: Follow a healthy, nutrient-rich diet by adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your meal plan.
• Stay Active: Make exercise a regular part of your day. Choose an activity you enjoy that contributes to your overall health.
• Reduce Stress: Techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help lower stress and boost mental well-being.
• Sleep Well: Stick to a consistent sleep schedule in a calm environment, and avoid screens before bedtime.

Katrina Cox MS, RD, LDN

Katrina is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian who specializes in IBS low FODMAP diet, women's health, non-diet weight loss, and famil... [Read Full Bio]