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The History of Naturopathic Medicine
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, 2005, fourteen of
fifty states had naturopathic licensing laws (Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Hawaii, Idaho, 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 five accredited
institutions: Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington; National College of Naturopathic
Medicine, Portland, Oregon; Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe,
Arizona; University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine, Bridgeport,
Connecticut; and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Ontario, Canada.
Thereare two institutions that have candidacy for accreditation status: National
University of Health Sciences, Lombard, Illinois; and the Boucher Institute of
Naturopathic Medicine, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. 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 2008.