Naturopathic Medicine
© Mary & Michael Morton
(Excerpted from Five Steps to Selecting the Best Alternative Medicine)

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

• In 1983 the World Health Organization recommended the integration of naturopathic medicine into conventional health care systems.
• In 1994 Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, a naturopathic medical school was awarded almost $1 million in research funds from the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine to research alternative therapies for patients with HIV and AIDS.
• Graduates of accredited naturopathic medical colleges are required to have more hours of study in basic sciences and clinical sciences than graduates of Yale or Stanford medical schools.
• The "anti-cancer" diet recognized by the National Cancer Institute was first published in a naturopathic medical textbook in the 1940s.
• Graduates of accredited naturopathic medical colleges receive more formal training in therapeutic nutrition than M.D.'s, osteopathic physicians, or registered dietitians.
• The government of Germany now requires conventional doctors and pharmacists to receive training in naturopathic techniques because they have been found to be so cost-effective.
• Today there are over one thousand licensed practicing naturopathic physicians (Naturopaths) in the United States.
• As of August 1996, twelve states in the U.S. and five provinces of Canada now license naturopathic doctors as primary-care physicians. (It is projected that all fifty states will license naturopathic physicians by the year 2010.)
• Three accredited colleges educate and train naturopathic doctors in North America.
• The County Council in Seattle, Washington, established the nation's first government-subsidized naturopathic medical clinic.
• The origin of naturopathy can be traced back to the ancient healing arts of a variety of cultures. Still, as a formal system of medicine and healing, it was developed in the United States nearly one hundred years ago by Benjamin Lust.

To heal in harmony with the natural functions of the body -without harm - is the underlying principle of the naturopathic system of medicine. The intent is to support the natural healing potential of the human body as validated by modern scientific research. It is this combination of the healing power of nature and scientific methods that makes naturopathic medicine an important system of medicine for today's health care.

Naturopathic medicine's basic principles are:

1. Utilize the healing power of nature
2. First, do no harm
3. Find the cause
4. Treat the whole person
5. Preventative medicine

The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) more fully describes these tenets as:

Utilize the Healing Power of Nature: Nature acts powerfully through the healing mechanisms of the body and mind to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic physicians work to restore and support these inherent healing systems when they have broken down, by using methods, medicines, and techniques that are in harmony with natural processes.

First Do No Harm: Naturopathic physicians prefer noninvasive treatments, which minimize the risks of harmful side effects. They are trained to know which patients they can treat safely, and which ones they need to refer to other health care practitioners.

Find the Cause: Every illness has an underlying cause, often an aspect of the lifestyle, diet, or habits of the individual. A naturopathic physician is trained to find and remove the underlying cause of a disease.

Treat the Whole Person: Health or disease results from a complex interaction of physical, emotional, dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other factors. Naturopathic physicians treat the whole person, taking these factors into account.

Preventative Medicine: The naturopathic approach to health care can prevent minor illnesses from developing into more serious, chronic, or degenerative diseases. Patients are taught the principles with which to live a healthy life; by following these principles, they can prevent major illnesses.

Above all, naturopathic physicians respect the natural healing power present in all systems of the human body and they attempt to focus and mobilize that power in their treatment process. natutopaths have found that this natural healing power, if effectively mobilized, can destroy invading organisms, cast off toxins, as well as rebuild strength and vitality. Dr. Stephen Speidel, a natutopath practicing in Washington, says, "A good example of how we in naturopathic medicine use the healing force in the body is what we do or don't do when a child has a fever. Often times a fever is a way that the body rids itself of a bacteria that only grows in certain temperatures.

"Most parents say, 'My God, my child has a fever. We have to stop that fever. Give him aspirin or Tylenol.' I tell them, 'Imagine that your child has a helper, which is the immune system.' If you take the aspirin, it's like taking a sledge hammer to your child's immune system and saying, 'Be quiet and sit down!' Thats exactly what the immune system will do. Your child will stay sicker longer. There are a number of studies that show antihistamines prolong the course of a cold. But if the fever or cold is allowed to run its course, the body eliminates the problem and the child gets hea1thy.

The role of a fever as a healing process may seem strange to many health care consumers who are used to using medications to eliminate its presence. Yet, many systems of healing and medicine throughout the world since ancient times have recognized the healing wisdom of letting a fever run its course.

Clearly the principles of naturopathic medicine differ significantly from conventional medicine's. In conventional medicine, relieving symptoms is the primary focus. For example, in conventional medical treatment, in the aforementioned case, the fever would be controlled or stopped by drugs. Actually in most health care situations, the elimination of symptoms is achieved through the use of drugs and, in some cases, surgery.

It may surprise some people to know that natutopaths and medical doctors have some areas of common ground, namely their education. M.D.'s are schooled in basic sciences and clinical sciences to prepare them for the various illnesses and emergencies they will face during their practice. Natutopaths are also well trained in all these sciences in their education. But, unlike M.D.'s, they are also trained in a variety of traditional natural therapeutics, including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapies.

Natutopaths learn how to integrate this diverse knowledge by combining their conventional medical education with the goal of providing superior health care in their practices. They weave their conventional medical knowledge with the principles of naturopathic medicine and its treatments to create a natural health care program tailored for each individual patient.

In the past few years, naturopathic medicine has won the respect of federal and state government bodies, members of the conventional medical community, educators, celebrities, the media, and an ever-increasing number of American health care consumers. A main reason for naturopathic medicine's rise in popularity is its common-sense use of simple yet tremendously effective natural treatments. These treatments include:

Clinical Nutrition
Clinical nutrition has been one of the main cornerstones of naturopathic medicine since its inception. Studies from around the world, in a variety of medical traditions, have validated the benefits of naturopathic's nutritional principles. A vast number of documented cases of physical problems, including heart disease and diabetes, have been helped by nutrition, without unpleasant side effects or complications.

Naturopathic theory suggests that most illnesses are caused by digestive disturbances, which have led to a toxic environment in the body. As the body is overwhelmed by toxins it cannot eliminate, the health or strength of the body breaks down, and symptoms of various illnesses surface. Nutritional changes are a main component to changing the diseased situation because today's processed foods and poor eating habits are the source of many of the body's toxins.

To treat chronic illnesses, many times nutritional changes are the first step toward healing in naturopathic medicine. For example, simple vegetable soups are often recommended because, as they are easy to digest and assimilate, they provide the body with vitamin and mineral nutrients without adding toxins to the body.

Homeopathy
Homeopathy is used by many naturopaths and is a primary treatment in their practices. Based on the "law of similars," it uses minuscule doses of naturally occurring substances to treat illness. Naturopaths have found that homeopathy fits well into their philosophical principles, since it stimulates the body's own immune system without producing unpleasant side effects. It is also documented to be effective for many illnesses, including migraines, headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, acute diarrhea, flu, and allergies.

The history of homeopathy's use spans two hundred years. Many countries embrace it as a viable healing treatment, including England, whose Royal family retains the services of a homeopath for their personal health care.

Herbs
Herbs are used by naturopathic physicians as medicine. As such, they can be extremely powerful and beneficial when used in the right dosage and in the correct combination with other herbs.

Though herbs are the main ingredient for some of the drugs used in conventional medicine, natutopaths use herbs in a different manner than M.D.'s use them. Most drugs prescribed by M.D.'s are intended to impose an external order on the body. For example, a medicine prescribed to lower blood pressure forces the body to lower the pressure but doesn't correct the reason why the body has increased the pressure in the first place. Therefore, many patients taking blood pressure medicine as prescribed by a conventional medical doctor must continue to take blood pressure medication for the rest of their lives. Regrettably, the patient also endures the probable side effects: impotency, sexual dysfunction, and nervousness.

In contrast, an natutopaths goal is not to impose an outside order but to correct the underlying problem. In the case of a weakened heart, an Naturopath would accomplish this by using herbs that nourish and strengthen the heart, such as hawthorne berry, or herbs that disperse congestion or toxins in the body, such as dandelion root. When strengthening and detoxification occur, a patient's vitality becomes stronger, the root cause of the illness is addressed, and a permanent recovery becomes possible.

Consider the following story of a woman unable to move from the neck down: She sought the help of Dr. Zeff for an unusual type of arthritis called CNS Sjogrens Syndrome. Her symptoms included severe joint pain as well as an autoimmune lesion on the brain stem. She had the use of many of her muscles but was too weak to make them work for her. One day, several months ago, she was able to walk, but for only three hours. This one fact indicated to Dr. Zeff that, unlike patients with multiple sclerosis, she didn't have nerve damage, and therefore had the possibility of recovery.

During Dr. Zeff's examination, he found that her temperature was consistently 94 degrees, which he considered to be the key to her recovery. Dr. Zeff concluded that in order for her to heal, her body temperature must go up. So he prescribed for her a combination of herbs that were warming and improved blood flow. After a couple of weeks, her temperature had risen to 96 and some days to 97 degrees. The rise in temperature has resulted in more control of her hands, greater ability to move her knees, and twice she has been able to drive her own wheelchair. Dr. Zeffs goal with this patient is to maintain a higher temperature to support her body's ability to correct the under-lying causes of her condition.

Chinese Medicine
The treatments and diagnostic techniques as well as the fundamentals of Chinese medicine are a part of all naturopathic physician's training at the accredited medical colleges. Some naturopaths do advanced training and become licensed practitioners of Chinese medicine, using Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and acupressure in their practice.

For example, Dr. Zeff is also a licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine, and recently used acupuncture to help in a difficult case. A man came to Dr. Zeff with significant pain in his abdomen, which was the site of a "bathrobe fire" ten years before. The man had been through a number of conventional medical diagnostic regimens to find out why he was still in pain. No matter what they tried, the M.D.'s could not determine what exactly was causing his pain. Dr. Zeff talked with this man for about an hour and, from his conversation and examinations, surmised that the scarring from the burn had disrupted the flow of chi along the meridians in the area. As a result of this diagnosis, Dr. Zeff treated the man with acupuncture in order to normalize the flow of chi in the affected area.

Once the man had reclined on the treatment table, Dr. Zeff inserted five acupuncture needles, two in each foot and one in a point on the abdomen. After the insertion of the needles, the man first reported that the needle in the abdomen hurt. Then he said he felt movement and activity in the area. Then, after ten minutes, he said that he felt no pain -the first time in ten years.

The techniques of Chinese medicine can bring impressive and surprising results to many health care challenges and is considered an exceptional treatment for acute and chronic pain.

Counseling and Stress Management
Naturopathic physicians believe the patient's emotional and psychological makeup can greatly influence the patient's ability to heal. Therefore, they are trained in many psychological techniques, including counseling, stress management, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and nutritional balancing.

Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of holistic medicine and healing from India. Its focus is on treating the whole person with diet, nutrition, and lifestyle recommendations. One of the key components of this system of healing is an appreciation of the role that one's vital energy, called "prana," plays in the healing process. Bastyr University now offers a specialization in this ancient system of medicine. As a result, some natutopaths have earned specialty degrees in ayuwedic medicine and have incorporated it into their practices.

Physical Medicine
Naturopathic physicians use a combination of manipulative therapies, which move soft tissue as well as skeletal bones. These are collectively called naturopathic manipulative therapy and in some ways are similar to the techniques used by osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, massage therapists, and body workers in that structure is realigned to support the innate healing process of the body.

Not all naturopathic doctors use this as a major component of their practice. However, when other treatments fail to bring the desired response, then manipulative therapies can be helpful.

One gentleman who had tried a wide range of treatments to correct the weakness and pain he felt in his own right arm went to his natutopath for manipulative treatments. The natutopath found that the man had a combination of muscle spasm from stress and spinal misalignment. As a result, the nerve flow necessary for normal muscular activity was being blocked. The natutopath treated this man with manipulative therapy. The result: the gentleman felt better than he had in six months.

Misalignment of the spinal vertebrae as well as other skeletal structures can be the cause of pain or even illness in some cases. The return of vertebrae, bones, and joints to their optimal position can eliminate pain in as little as one treatment.

Traditional medical schools do not teach nontoxic, noninvasive treatments. As a result, most M.D.'s are unaware of effective options like the herbal lotions. Naturopathic physicians, are experts in nontoxic, noninvasive treatments and when I have a health care problem, I call them first.

Health Condition that Respond Well to Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is beneficial for a wide range of physical illnesses and conditions. Naturopaths claim that their ability to determine the underlying cause of the illness and to stimulate the body's own healing ability is why their medicine can be so effective where other systems of medicine are not.

One area where modern naturopathic medicine has been very effective is in the natural treatment of women's health problems. One series of clinical research studies for women suffering from cervical dysplasia (abnormal Pap smears) produced results in which of the forty-three women in the study, thirty-eight returned to normal Pap smears and normal tissue biopsy by using naturopathic medical treatments. Naturopathic medical formulas are also effectively being used as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy for women.

Another area where naturopathic medicine has proven to be effective is in preventative medicine and health maintenance. "I think the best position for Naturopaths is in the family practice," Dr. Kail says. "Naturopaths are the only physicians who have primary skills in health/risk analysis and disease prevention. We find that people do want more time with their physician, to be educated, to be given less toxic therapies. Most people are as yet unaware that naturopaths provide just those things." Kail says some of the benefits of using a naturopathic doctor are safer medicine, quicker recovery time, and, especially, prevention of future illness. "I tell my patients what they can do at home to keep themselves healthy," he says. "If we do our job right, then they don't have to see a [conventional] doctor as much. That saves money."

Also, given that naturopaths are trained in natural childbirth, with their noninvasive and natural treatments, Naturopaths are able to avoid many of the complications associated with childbirth. The result is that births overseen by Naturopaths require far fewer cesarean sections than with conventional medical care.

Naturopathic medicine, although effective, does have its limitations. "The areas of expertise and efficacy of naturopathic medicine are not the same as conventional medicine," Dr. Zeff explains. "Conventional medicine excels in acute trauma care. We do not. If I were in an automobile accident, I'd want them to take me to a hospital where they can patch me up. The areas where I would not go to a naturopath are acute trauma, childbirth emergency and orthopedic problems that require orthopedic surgery."

Naturopathic medicine has been shown to be an effective approach for the treatment of ear inflammations, infections, and respiratory illnesses, as well as degenerative illnesses. Recently the National Institutes of Health took note of naturopathic medicine's success with terminal diseases and granted Bastyr University almost $1 million to research the effects of alternative therapies on HIV and AIDS patients. Leanna Standish, Naturopath, Ph.D., research director at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences and advisor to the Office of Alternative Medicine, states that initial research has found enhanced immune response and a decline in the progression of AIDS, when compared to the control study who only received conventional medical therapy.

Whether patients need help in health maintenance or a reversal of a devastating disease, naturopathic medicine is a viable option worthy of consideration. If you decide to try the skills and expertise of a naturopathic physician, use the following questions to help you make your decision.

What to Expect During a Naturopathic Medical Appointment
Naturopathic physicians use specific treatment(s) that can include homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Chinese medicine, or the traditional naturopathic approach of nutrition, herbology, and hydrotherapy in their practices. These "specialties," in addition to the specific health condition of the patient, make a session with each naturopath a unique experience. However, there are some standard procedures that all naturopathic physicians use.

Cost
According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians [AANP], sessions with naturopathic physicians are about half the cost of visiting an M.D. Because naturopaths primarily rely on their own diagnostic skills, costs for extensive tests are usually minimal. This can substantially reduce the cost of naturopathic health care.

Also, naturopathic physicians are well trained in preventative medicine. Many insurance companies are realizing the long-term savings of keeping their plan members healthy. Naturopathic physicians excel at preventative medical techniques and can pass those long-term savings on to you.

Initial office visits are usually between $75 and $200 and follow-ups are in the range of $50 - $100. The prescribed supplements are usually vitamin, mineral, herbal, and/or homeopathic. Each of these supplements are far less expensive than prescriptions filled at the pharmacy. However, in the states of Arizona, Oregon, and Washington, Naturopaths are licensed to prescribe antibiotics, thyroid medicine, progesterone, as well as other drugs that may end up costing you more.

Insurance
There are about 70 insurance companies that cover natuopathic services. A growing number of insurance companies have recognized the value of preventative health care, a specialty of naturopathic medicine. For this reason, naturopathic medicine is being covered by more and more insurance plans. If you are fortunate enough to live in the states of Connecticut or Washington, naturopathic medical coverage is mandatory by law from all health insurance companies.

For a list of insurance carriers that cover naturopathic medicine, call the AANP or your local naturopathic physician's office.

One insurance plan that has given special attention to naturopathic coverage is American Western Life Insurance Company of Foster City, California. Their 'Wellness" medical director, Marcel Hernandez, is an Naturopath American Western Life provides a twenty-four-hour hot line where you can talk directly to a licensed naturopathic physician at any time, day or night. In addition, they cover all naturopathic treatments, including homeopathy, nutritional counseling, Ayurveda, massage, and physical therapy.

Education, Training and Licensing

Education and Training
Naturopathic physicians are well educated in the basic clinical sciences as well as natural and alternative diagnostic and treatment methods. According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, "Naturopathic physicians are general practitioners trained as specialists in natural medicine. They are educated in the conventional medical sciences, but they are not orthodox medical doctors (M.D.'s). Naturopathic physicians treat disease and restore health using therapies from the sciences of clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, exercise therapy, counseling, acupuncture, natural childbirth, and hydrotherapy. They tailor these approaches to the needs of an individual patient."

Graduates of accredited four-year naturopathic medical schools are justifiably proud of their education. "Essentially, naturopathic medical training is similar to conventional medical training," Dr. Zeff explains. "The first two years are virtually the same as any medical school: anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, etc. They are taught at the same level as any other medical school. If you look at the number of hours in our classroom situation, you'll find in most cases the number of hours we spend exceeds most medical schools." He adds, "'We are required fifteen hundred hours of clinical education as a minimum to graduate from the school. This is under the supervision of naturopathic doctors." Medical educators and legislators have been impressed with the high standard of education required of naturopathic physicians.

Licensing
There are currently twelve states in the U.S. and five provinces in Canada that license naturopathic doctors as primary care physicians: Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. All other states in the U.S. have licensable, trained naturopaths practicing. In these states, many Naturopaths who graduated from an accredited four-year college opt to apply for licenses in other health care modalities, such as acupuncture or chiropractic, in order to stay protected by law. Others choose to practice without protection of the law. In most states, naturopathic medicine is "alegal" (neither "legal" nor "illegal"). In these states, naturopathic medicine is neither protected nor regulated. Regrettably, this can be somewhat confusing for the health care consumer. It is believed that by the year 2010, all fifty states will license naturopathic physicians.

Closing Thoughts

Licensed naturopathic physicians are filling an important need as primary health care providers who are experts in nontoxic, noninvasive treatments. As highly skilled and well educated about the human body as graduates of Stanford or Yale medical schools, they bring the best of ancient natural treatments and scientific research to their medicine. Naturopathic medicine could serve you as well as the growing number of Americans who are calling their naturopathic physician first for their health care needs.