What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care system founded on the honored medical principle that "Nature Heals". It embraces the following principles:

• First Do No Harm
• Restore and Support Your Inherent Healing Systems
• Find the Underlying Cause/s of Illness
• Treat the Whole Person
• Adopt Prevention
• Emphasize Wellness

Our bodies have the inherent ability to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic medicine uses natural medicines and therapies that are in harmony with natural processes, preferring non-invasive treatments that minimize the risks of harmful side effects.

Naturopathic medicine tends to focus on the following to facilitate the healing process: supporting the immune system function, detoxification, identification of food allergies, restoring optimal gastrointestinal function, balancing the endocrine system, enhancing mental/emotional health and improving ones nutrition and lifestyle overall. Naturopathic physicians cooperate with all other branches of medical science referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis and/or treatment when appropriate.

Training and Education

Naturopathic doctors must attend a four-year post-graduate naturopathic medical school and pass rigorous examinations to earn a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine degree and become eligible for licensure.

The first two years of their education is very similar to that of a medical doctor’s. In Utah, Naturopathic Doctors are required to complete one-year post-graduate medical residency to become licensed. We now have 14 states who grant licensure to four-year educated naturopaths with several more states in the licensure process: Washington, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Alaska, Kansas, California and Hawaii. Each of the licensed states has different regulations for how naturopaths can practice.

In Utah, Naturopathic Doctors are licensed as primary care physicians and can prescribe certain medications such as antibiotics, hormones, and anti-fungal medications if necessary (not a complete list). Lab work is often ordered to further assess the health condition.