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Naturopathic medicine, sometimes called "naturopathy," is as old as healing itself and as
new as the latest discoveries in biochemical sciences. In the United States, the
naturopathic medical profession's infrastructure is based on accredited educational
institutions, professional licensing by a growing number of states, national standards of
practice and care, peer review, and an ongoing commitment to state-of-the-art scientific
research. American naturopathic physicians (NDs) receive extensive training in and use of
therapies that are primarily natural (hence the name naturopathic) and nontoxic,
including clinical nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, physical
medicine, and counseling. Some NDs have additional training and certification in
acupuncture and midwifery. These contemporary NDs, who have attended naturopathic
medical colleges recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, practice medicine as
primary health care providers and are increasingly acknowledged as leaders in bringing
about progressive changes in the nation's medical system.

The word "naturopathy" was first used in the U.S. a little over 100 years ago. But the natural
therapies and the philosophy on which naturopathy is based have been effectively used
to treat diseases since ancient times. As Rene Dubos noted in The Mirage of Health (1959),
the word "physician" is from the Greek root meaning "nature." Hippocrates, a physician
who lived 2400 years ago, is often considered the earliest predecessor of naturopathic
physicians, particularly in terms of his teaching that "nature is healer of all diseases" and his
formulation of the concept *vis medicatrix naturae*-"the healing power of nature." This
concept has long been at the core of indigenous medicine in many cultures around the
world and remains one of the central themes of naturopathic philosophy to this day.

The earliest doctors and healers worked with herbs, foods, water, fasting, and tissue
manipulation-gentle treatments that do not obscure the body's own healing powers.
Today's naturopathic physicians continue to use these therapies as their main tools and to
advocate a healthy dose of primary prevention. In addition, modern NDs conduct and
make practical use of the latest biochemical research involving nutrition, botanicals,
homeopathy, and other natural treatments.
For many diseases and conditions (a few examples are ulcerative colitis, asthma,
menopause, flu, obesity, and chronic fatigue), treatments used by naturopathic physicians
can be primary and curative. Naturopathic physicians also function within an integrated
framework, for example referring patients to an appropriate medical specialist such as an
oncologist or a surgeon. Naturopathic therapies can be employed within that context to
complement the treatments used by conventionally trained medical doctors. The result is
a team-care approach that recognizes the needs of the patient to receive the best
overall treatment most appropriate to his or her specific medical condition.

Recent history
Naturopathic medicine was popular and widely available throughout the U.S. well into
the early part of the 20th century. Around 1920, from coast to coast, there were a number
of naturopathic medical schools, thousands of naturopathic physicians, and scores of
thousands of patients using naturopathic therapies. But the rise of "scientific medicine," the
discovery and increasing use of "miracle drugs" like antibiotics, the institutionalization of a
large medical system primarily based (both clinically and economically) on high-tech and
pharmaceutical treatments-all of these were associated by mid-century with the
temporary decline of naturopathic medicine and most other methods of natural healing.
By the 1970s, however, the American public was becoming increasingly disenchanted with
conventional medicine. The profound clinical limitations of conventional medicine and its
out-of-control costs were becoming obvious, and millions of Americans were inspired to
look for "new" options and alternatives. Naturopathy and all of complementary
alternative medicine began to enter a new era of rejuvenation.

Looking to the future
Today, licensed naturopathic physicians are experiencing noteworthy clinical successes,
providing leadership in innovative natural medical research, enjoying increasing political
influence, and looking forward to an unlimited future potential. Both the American public
and policy makers are recognizing and contributing to the resurgence of the
comprehensive system of health care practiced by NDs. In 1992, the National Institutes of
Health's (NIH) Office of Alternative Medicine, created by an act of Congress, invited
leading naturopathic physicians (educators, researchers, and clinical practitioners) to serve
on key federal advisory panels and to help define priorities and design protocols for
state-of-the-art alternative medical research. In 1994, the NIH selected Bastyr University as
the national center for research on alternative treatments for HIV/AIDS. At a
one-million-dollar level of funding, this action represented the formal recognition by the
federal government of the legitimacy and significance of naturopathic medicine. In 2000,
Joseph Pizzorno Jr., ND, president emeritus of Bastyr University, was appointed to the White
House Commission on CAM Policy. The following year, Bastyr graduate Heather Greenlee,
ND, was the first naturopathic physician to receive a postdoctoral fellowship from the
National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM/NIH). In 2002,
another Bastyr graduate, Wendy Weber, ND, became the first naturopathic physician to
receive an NIH/NCCAM career development award. Further evidence of the recognition
of naturopathic medicine's contributions was marked by two key events in 2003. Drs.
Joseph Pizzorno and Pamela Snider become the first naturopathic physicians appointed to
the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. Additionally, the North American Medical
Research Agenda working group was funded by NIH/NCCAM to set a naturopathic
research agenda.

Meanwhile, the number of new NDs is steadily increasing, and licensure of naturopathic
physicians is expanding into new states. As of October, 2003, thirteen of fifty states had
naturopathic licensing laws (Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas,
Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington), along with
the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. A number of other states are likely
to enact naturopathic licensing in the near future.

Naturopathic medical education is also growing. At this time, there are four accredited
institutions: Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington; National College of Naturopathic
Medicine, Portland, Oregon; Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe, Arizona
and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Ontario, Canada. There is one
institution that has candidacy for accreditation status: the University of Bridgeport College
of Naturopathic Medicine, Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 2002, the American Association of
Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) was established to actively support the
academic efforts of accredited and recognized schools of naturopathic medicine.

Early in this new millennium, about one century after it put down roots in North America,
naturopathic medicine is finally enjoying a well-deserved renaissance.

Copyright � American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Reprinted and revised with permission in
2004.