A naturopath is someone who practices naturopathy − a practice that takes a holistic approach to wellness. A naturopath helps patients to live healthier livesso they reduce health problems caused by their old lifestyle. A big part of naturopathy is having a healthy diet, doing regular exercise and living with less stress.
How to Become a Naturopath
Before delving into what a naturopath can and can’t do, it can be helpful to learnthe ways you can become an accredited naturopath. The first way is by completing a degree in naturopathy, and the second is by association membership.
- By education − A professional naturopath will have completed a diploma or bachelor in naturopathy. These courses take up to 4 years and include subjects in pharmacology, psychology, herbal medicine, nutrition, pathology and biology, among others.
- By association membership − These are professionals who completed a tertiary education that’s associated with or close to naturopathy. These members are required to complete certifications and training to stay updated with information and knowledge necessary to practice naturopathy.
What a Naturopath Can Do
A naturopath can do the following:
- Carry out an evaluation to find the root cause of your health issue
- Order diagnostic tests as needed
- Administer therapies and treatments that aim to stimulate the body
- Prescribe healthy foods and botanical extracts that can aid the healing process
- Interview patients for documentation purposes
- Educate patientson health problems, potential root causes and possible options to reverse the problems
- Provide a diagnosis based on the result of interviews and diagnostic tests
What a Naturopath Can’t Do
A naturopath shouldn’t intervene with a current treatment that a patient is receivingfrom a medical doctor. If the patient is taking a pharmaceutical prescription, a naturopath must not advise a patient to stop taking it. Just like medical doctors, naturopaths should also maintain the privacy of their patients at all times and neverdiscuss their case with other people.
Can You Rely on Naturopathy Alone for Your Treatment?
The principle of naturopathy is based on the fact that the body can heal itself. Naturopathscan help you obtain a healthy bodythat’s better able to fight your disease and heal itself. However, not all conditions can be treated with naturopathy.There are certain conditions that might still require conventional treatment, such as life-threatening diseases. In addition, naturopathy is still considered a complementary therapy, meaning it can be used with other therapeutic techniques for the best result.
Misconceptions About Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a fairly new discipline in the medical world, and not everyone in the medical community is accepting of it. One common misconception that people have about naturopathy is that naturopaths are working to make their patients stop taking their prescription medicines. This is not true unless the naturopath identifies it as a cause of a patient’s poor health.
Another misconception is that naturopaths are just taking their patients’ money without improving their health and wellbeing. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Naturopathy is all about becoming healthy and staying healthy. It’s the role of anaturopath to help their patientsand encourage a healthier lifestyle.
