Post Series: Global Traditional Medicine Systems
In order to spread awareness about the rich living herbal traditions from around the world, this post series is intended to introduce some of the characteristics of the herbal or traditional medicine systems to which plants belong.
Naturopathy is a holistic system of healthcare that focuses on the use of natural therapies to promote healing and prevent illness. Naturopathy draws from various traditional medicine systems, including ancient Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian (Ayurvedic) practices.
A key principle of Naturopathy is the belief in the body’s ability to heal itself. Practitioners are focused on supporting and stimulating natural processes of the body to harness this power. Common practices in Naturopathy include nutrition and diet therapy, use of herbal medicine, hydrotherapy, embracing of physical techniques (such as massage, chiropractic, and exercise) to support musculoskeletal health, homeopathy, detoxification and lifestyle counseling.
There are different kinds of training and licensing available for Naturopaths. In many regions, Doctors in Naturopathy (ND), also called Naturopathic Physicians, undergo extensive training in a four-year medical school program and are licensed healthcare providers that can diagnose and treat medical conditions, order lab testing and prescribe medications. On the other hand, there are “Traditional Naturopaths” that have training which can vary in length and content and are not usually eligible for licensing (at least in the US). Other health care providers may offer naturopathic therapies as additional tools.
Organizations such as the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF) help set standards, promote research, and advocate for the profession.
#ethnobotany #medicinalplants #biodiversity #traditionalmedicine #Naturopathy