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Native American healing A spirituality-based
approach, also called traditional North American
medicine, that incorporates ceremony, ritual, and
symbolism. In the Native American tradition,
intent is as important as action and there are no
distinctions between body, mind, and spirit. The
illness or health of one affects the well-being of
the whole. As well, traditional Native American
medicine holds that HEALINGtakes place within the
body’s sense of time and timing, and efforts to
rush or otherwise influence this timing extend
rather than shorten the healing process.
Traditional Native American healing practices
made use of the sweat lodge, a small enclosed
structure in which a fire burned hot. The heat
would flush the cause of the ailment to the sur-
face, where it would manifest in the form of a
vision. People stayed in the sweat lodge until the
heat initiated within them the vision necessary for
healing. The person might then go into the forest,
desert, or mountains to be with the vision and
allow the natural environment to reveal its mean-
ings. The experience also restores the balance
between the individual and the natural environ-
ment, an essential component of the healing
process from the traditional perspective.
Some hospitals in areas where there are Native
American populations are beginning to incorpo-
rate Native American healers among the comple-
mentary providers available to patients, notably in
the American Southwest. Drumming, chanting,
smudging, and dancing may be among the ele-
ments of healing rituals. One of the most common
ceremonies is the medicine wheel, a form of ritual
MEDITATIONor prayer similar to a LABYRINTH. The
circle of the wheel represents the continuous har-
mony of the universe, with the four spokes repre-
senting the four directions and their correlations

to body (north), spirit (south), mind (east), and

inner peace (west).

See also AYURVEDA; MIND–BODY INTERACTIONS;

PRAYER AND SPIRITUALITY; TRADITIONALCHINESE MEDI-

CINE(TCM).

naturopathy A system of medicine that uses

methods and substances found in nature to main-

tain and restore health. The philosophical founda-

tion of naturopathy rejects interventions such as

major surgery, RADIATION THERAPY, and drugs other

than elements, minerals, and other natural com-

pounds. Naturopathy incorporates or supports

therapeutic approaches such as ACUPUNCTURE,

energy medicine, NUTRITIONAL THERAPYusing diag-

nostic testing through functional medicine,

hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, MEDICINAL HERBS AND

BOTANICALS, HOMEOPATHY, and manipulative thera-

pies (such as CHIROPRACTIC, MASSAGE THERAPY, and

OSTEOPATHIC MANIPULATIVE TREATMENT[OMT]).

Naturopathic Diagnosis and Treatment

The naturopathic physician assesses symptoms

and examines patients in much the same fashion

as a conventional doctor, though spends consider-

ably more time addressing lifestyle factors such as

nutrition, activity, relationships, stress, and emo-

tional well-being. The naturopathic physician may

function as a consultant for botanical or nutri-

tional therapies, or as a primary-care provider

who works collaboratively with other health-care

professionals and refers people for specialty care as

needed, as would a conventional doctor (MD or

DO). The naturopathic approach considers the

person holistically and incorporates therapeutic

methods that both treat symptoms and restore

overall health and well-being. Naturopathic physi-

cians spend much time educating people about

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