Naturopathy

Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy, was first used in the United States just over 100 years ago. However, the therapies and philosophy upon which naturopathy is based have been used since ancient times. Naturopathic medicine makes use of herbs, foods, water, fasting, and tissue manipulation that works with the body instead of masking its natural healing ability. Naturopaths also make use of biochemical research involving nutrition, botanicals, homeopathy, and other holistic treatments. Naturopaths treat several diseases and conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, asthma, menopause, flu, and obesity. However, they also refer their patients to other doctors as needed, operating within a medical framework that allows patients the best overall care and treatment possible.

The income of naturopathic doctors usually falls in the low to middle income range for physicians, an average of $90,000 or more per year. Those wishing to become naturopathic practitioners must have a bachelor’s degree including a minimum of 20 semester hours of chemistry, botany, biology, anatomy/physiology, or other science. Many applicants have a pre-med degree, but recent statistics show that a popular degree for applicants is psychology. The program for becoming a naturopath is usually four years, but it can take five or more to complete.

Naturopaths work in clinics and medical offices, operating much like a primary care physician. Those employed in this occupation continue to increase in numbers, and are only held back because at this time not all states license naturopathic practitioners. Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington are the only states that license the practice of naturopathic practitioners, along with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. However, more states are considering naturopathic legislation, and legal provisions allow for practice of naturopathy in several of the unlicensed states as natural health counselors, apart from their physicians’ practice.

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