Learn more about naturopathy | Letters to the Editor – Billings Gazette
This week marks National Naturopathic Medicine Week, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about this amazing field. Naturopathic medicine is a distinct practice of medicine focusing on disease prevention, the maintenance of health, and the use of treatments with the least amount of adverse effects to create the desired response. Naturopathic physicians often work alongside other health care providers and with patients to navigate available health care choices to provide the best outcomes.
People seek naturopathic medicine for a variety of reasons, most often because the principles line up with their own beliefs, or they want to add to their current treatments. No matter the reason, as naturopathic physicians, we follow six core principles: first, do no harm; use the healing power of nature; identify and treat the cause; the doctor as a teacher; treat the whole person; and prevention.
This isn’t a new field. In 1900, Dr. Benedict Lust established the first naturopathic educational institution in New York City. Despite its long history, the profession is relatively small, with roughly 6,000 naturopathic physicians licensed nationally. In creating National Naturopathic Medicine Week in 2012, Congress recognized the ability of naturopathic physicians to “provide safe, effective, and affordable health care.” Today, Montana is one of 23 U.S. states with legislation granting licensure to naturopathic physicians.
I urge you to learn more about naturopathic medicine. As one of the naturopathic physicians fortunate enough to call Montana home, I appreciate the beauty of our state and am grateful to serve its citizens.
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