Naturopathy

Naturopathy

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  

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