Naturopathic Remedies

Naturopathic remedies are employed by naturopathic practitioners to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of acute and chronic conditions and diseases. Remedies are intended to treat the underlying cause of the disease rather than its symptoms alone. Treatments are usually chosen to match the individual patient and may include botanical medicine, manipulation, nutrition and other methods.

Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine provides an alternative to conventional medical treatments. Naturopathic doctors and practitioners use the body's intrinsic ability to heal and maintain itself. Rather than focusing on the symptoms, the naturopathic doctor treats the patient as an entire system and will look at lifestyle, relationships, diet, exercise and other factors as part of a treatment. The treatments prescribed draw from a range of alternative medical treatments such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, botanic medicine, manipulation and counseling. In some states and provinces, naturopathic doctors must train at an accredited schools of naturopathic medicine and pass comprehensive board exams set by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) to use the designation of NMD (doctor of naturopathic medicine) or ND (naturopathic doctor).

Clinical Nutrition

A key practice in naturopathic medicine is diet and nutrition. Food is considered a type of medicine and many medical conditions can be treated with food and nutritional supplements. In addition to regulating diet, fasting might also be used as part of this process. In general, the use of processed foods, refined carbohydrates and stimulants are reduced, while natural and organic produce are emphasized.

Botanical Medicine

The naturopathic doctor uses plant and substances derived from plants to treat problems. Plants are organic and compatible with body chemistry. They generally have few toxic side effects. A few common botanic medicines are echinacea, ginseng, ginger, ginkgo and Saint-John's-wort.

Homeopathic Medicine

Homeopathic medicine is based on the principle that like cures like. Small doses of a substance, often diluted, ready the body for defending itself against larger doses of it. The body's healing and immune response are strengthened by exposure to low doses of substances that are harmful in larger doses.

Manipulation

Much like osteopathy, the naturopathic doctor will manipulate the muscles, bones and spine. This can be done through touch therapy, massage, water, heat and cold, air and gentle pulses. Also, ultrasound and diathermy can be used as well.

Oriental Medicine

Theories of acupuncture and meridian theory explain the body in a unified manner. These approaches are complementary to naturopathic medicine and many practitioners study and use Oriental philosophies and treatments. The principle goal of traditional Chinese medicine is balance, which is obtained when chi (vital force) flows smoothly through the body meridians and the yin and yang are balanced in the body.

Counseling

Naturopathic doctors recognize the importance of mental health. Part of a treatment includes counseling and other techniques such as Nia, stress management, hypnotherapy, biofeedback and other therapies to address the mental and psychological component of a disease or illness.