Naturopathic Doctors

The most important thing to know about Naturopathic Doctors is that they are real doctors, trained with all the same classes as an M.D., EXCEPT for the fact that they receive somewhat less training in Pharmacology (although they do have a lot and are well versed in the different drugs out there because they have to be). Some naturopathic doctors are even able to prescribe antibiotics and other drugs in certain states that allow this, like Arizona. The difference is that they want to try the approach of preventative health care and the use of more natural therapies before resorting to pharmaceuticals, though they can and do support their usage when necessary. They also understand their scope of practice completely, and will send a patient to an M.D. for care they cannot provide. M.D.'s are also now working alongside Naturopaths and sending patients to N.D.s. This will begin to happen more and more as the two systems of medicine become integrated.

Thus licenced Naturopaths study in addition to the standard medical science curriculum of medical schools, holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. Naturopathic Doctors are therefore physicians with specialty training, giving them skills that a general family practitioner (M.D.) does not have.

In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling (to encourage people to make lifestyle changes in support of their personal health). A naturopathic physician takes rigorous professional board exams so that he or she may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician.

Currently, 15 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from a four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass and extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license.

Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and will have a specific scope of practice defined by their state's law. The states that currently have licensing laws for naturopathic physicians are:

*Effective July 2, 2009.

To find Naturopathic Doctors nearest you, visit the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) website. They are the national professional society representing licensed or licensable naturopathic physicians who are graduates of four-year, residential graduates programs. They have an incredibly noble vision: "To transform the healthcare system from a disease management system to a comprehensive health program incorporating the principles of naturopathic medicine. We believe that every American has the right to choose a naturopathic doctor and every naturopathic doctor has the opportunity to be a successful practitioner."

I have had incredibly positive experiences with Naturopthic Physicians, and hope that more and more people get to experience their incredible expertise.

While most Naturopathic Doctors are not trained in living foods, a person who has adopted the lifestyle can however find the most support and understanding from a Naturopthic Physician because they understand the Hippocrates sentiment of "Let Food Be Thy Medicine, and Medicine Be Thy Food." Some will know more about the lifestyle then others, but all are much more trained in nutrition then an M.D., and if you're lucky, you can even find a few that practice a living food lifestyle!

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