What exactly is a naturopath?

First things first: What exactly is a naturopath?

Naturopathic doctors (by the way, they prefer to be called “naturopathic doctors”) focus on the body’s own healing powers and work with the body’s own healing powers, rather than just treating or alleviating symptoms. Focus and address the root cause of the disease, says the Naturopathic Council. Naturopathic medical education.

“We are essentially general practitioners who use a combination of natural therapies and more conventional therapies,” says Margot Gregory, MD, naturopathic physician at Tuscon Wave Med.

Natural remedies can help the body heal itself and include things like nutrition, botanical medicine (also known as herbal medicine), and acupuncture, Gregory says.

“But it really takes training to understand if you need something more traditional,” she says.

But before you get too excited: 20 U.S. states plus Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, there are laws that allow naturopathic doctors to legally practice.

Additionally, there is a wide range of things that naturopathic doctors can do for their patients. Some states, like Arizona, where Gregory practices, allow naturopathic doctors to prescribe a variety of medications, including injections and IV therapy. Meanwhile, other states, such as Connecticut, do not allow NDs to prescribe at all.

Oh yeah…do naturopathic doctors go to medical school?

Naturopathic doctors still need extended education to obtain licensure. That means, like traditional physicians, they must attend four years of medical school at an accredited school and pass a board exam to obtain their medical license.

Currently, there are only five naturopathic medical schools in the country recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.

However, postdoctoral training programs are optional for physicians but mandatory for physicians. This means that doctors must undergo an additional three to seven years of training before receiving their medical license.

Although naturopathic physicians may choose to continue their education with postdoctoral training, they work with clinical patients during their studies and begin practicing immediately after graduation.

So, are natural remedies actually effective?

Most naturopathic doctors will say, “Yes, of course naturopathic medicine works.” However, conventional doctors are often a bit skeptical. “I think it depends on what you’re treating,” says Holly Phillips, MD, a women’s health physician and author of her book. Breakthrough from exhaustion.

However, she is also a big fan of the fundamental idea that natural medicine treats the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. “Many people have the perception that Western medicine only focuses on the body and not the mind or spirit, but I believe it is really important to balance all three. “I’m thinking about it,” Phillips said.

She also embraces the idea of ​​naturopathic medicine, which focuses on prevention as well as treatment itself, and supports many of the treatments prescribed by naturopathic doctors.

“We know that acupuncture works. It’s been around for 5,000 years, and if it didn’t work in some way, we wouldn’t use it anymore. As with nutritional counseling, massage… is also important,” she says.

But where she starts to draw the line is when patients shun proven medical treatments in favor of natural remedies.

“If there is evidence that a treatment for breast cancer is effective and lifesaving, I would take that treatment over a more natural treatment that is simply unproven,” she says. says.

So, should you try natural remedies?

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between naturopathic medicine and conventional medicine. There is definitely a middle ground.

“Many naturopathic doctors want to work side-by-side with physicians, and vice versa. In fact, the most successful patients are those who can marry the two and exist in both worlds. “That’s what we found,” Phillips said.

In fact, she did it herself. “I had an example where a patient of mine visited a naturopathic doctor who raised concerns about prediabetes based on the PH balance in his saliva. He then screened for the condition using traditional laboratory tests. “I did,” she explains.

One more thing: Many naturopathic doctors actually accept insurance (but not all, so be sure to check with your provider). If he is interested, he removes one potential barrier to seeing a naturopathic doctor.

To find a naturopathic doctor, use the search tool provided by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Alternatively, ask your doctor for a recommendation. There may be other naturopathic doctors in that person’s network that they have worked with in the past.

Annie Daly is a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and author specializing in wellness, travel, and culture.she is the author of destination wellness (2021), and co-authors island wisdom (2022). A former editor of SELF, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed Travel, Yahoo Travel, and Good Housekeeping, she also writes for a variety of publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, InStyle, and AFAR. To follow her work, find her on IG @anniemdaly and subscribe to her Destination Wellness on Substack.