The education of naturopathic physicians is extensive and similar to conventional
medical education. Four years of medical school follow a college degree in a biologi-
cal science. The first two years of medical school include courses in anatomy, cell
biology, nutrition, physiology, pathology, neurosciences, histology, pharmacology,
biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health as well as alternative therapies. Some
differences are significant, however. For example, conventional medical students
may have only four course hours of nutritional education, while naturopathic med-
ical students have 138 course hours in nutrition. The third and fourth years of med-
ical school are oriented toward clinical experience in diagnosis and treatment.
Today’s naturopathic doctor is an extensively educated, primary care physician able
to utilize a broad range of conventional and alternative therapies.
How Does Naturopathy Work?.
Naturopathic medicine holds the same view of human physiology, bodily functions,
and disease process as conventional medicine. While many alternative health care
professions are defined by the therapies used, naturopathy is defined more by its
basic concepts.
Healing Power of Nature
Naturopathic theory holds that the body innately knows how to maintain health
and heal itself. Natural laws of life operate inside and outside the body and the
physician’s job is to support and restore them by using techniques and medicines
that are in harmony with the natural processes. These natural methods are geared
to strengthen the body’s own healing ability. Faith, hope, and beliefs may be the
most significant aspects of any treatment. Many studies have documented the abil-
ity of the mind to affect the process of disease, either positively or negatively.
Physicians consider issues such as “What does it mean, for this person, to be in bal-
ance?” and “What are the healing powers available for this person?”
First, Do No Harm
Iatrogenic illness, the creation of additional illness as a result of medical treatment, is
a major health problem in the United States. A 1981 study found that at least one-
third of all inpatients suffered some ill effect from the medical treatment plan. Nine
percent of the patients experienced a life threatening or permanently disabling com-
plication, and two percent of patients died from the iatrogenic disorder. Recent stud-
ies have found that adverse drug reactions appear to be between the fourth and
sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, drug-related injuries
occur in almost seven percent of hospitalized patients.
CHAPTER 7 NATUROPATHY 101
