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A system of treatment of disease that avoids drugs and surgery and emphasizes the use of natural agents (as air, water, and herbs) and physical means (as tissue manipulation and electrotherapy)

A healing philosophy founded in the US in 1902 by Benedict Lust, which attributes disease to a violation of naturallaws and uses the forces of nature as therapeutic modalities. Naturopaths believe that disease is caused by the body’s attempt to purifyitself, and treatment requires that the body’s vital force be enhanced by ridding the body of toxins. Naturopathy encompasses a gamut ofalternative therapies, and is not bound by any particular orthodoxy; modalities used in naturopathy include “natural food” diets, vitamins,herbs, teas, tissue mineral salts, live cell therapies, manipulation, massage, use of natural forces (i.e., earth, wind, fire, light, heat, cold, air;referred to by some as physiotherapy), exercise, acupressure, acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, autogenic training, biofeedback training,Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractic, herbal remedies, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, jin shin do, Jungian psychotherapy, massage therapy,minor surgery, moxibustion and cupping, ortho-bionomy, osteopathy, reflexology, tui na and other natural modalities.

Some naturopaths may believe that the treatment of virtually all diseases is within their scope of practice, since their role is to free the bodyof toxins (e.g., conventional drugs, food preservatives, pesticides etc.) and allow it to heal itself; anecdotal reports suggest that naturopathymay be effective in treating abscesses, acidity, acne, addiction disorders (e.g., alcoholism, smoking), adenoids, anaemia, angina pectoris,anorexia, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, bites and stings, blisters, bronchitis, bruises, bunions, burns, bursitis, candidiasis,cataracts, chickenpox, chronic fatigue syndrome, circulatory defects, the common cold, conjunctivitis, corns, cough, cramps, cystitis,dandruff, depression, eczema, emphysema, eyestrain, fainting, fatigue, fever, fissures, flatulence, flu, fluid retention, food poisoning, frozenshoulder, gallstones, GI problems (e.g.,anal changes, gastritis, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea and irritable bowlsyndrome), gout, halitosis, hangover, hay fever, headaches, haemorrhoids, herpes (genital and oral), hives, hypertension, hypoglycaemia,hypotension, hypothermia, infertility, insomnia, itching, laryngitis, low back pain, measles, menopausal disorders, menstrual defects,migraines, mineral deficiencies, mood swings, morning sickness, mumps, muscle weakness, neuralgia, neurologic complaints, obesity,osteoporosis, panic attacks, parasites, periodontal disease, phobias, postpartum depression, premenstrual syndrome, prostate disease,rheumatic disease, psychosomatic disease, sciatica, seizures, sexual problems, shortness of breath, sinusitis, sleep disorders, sportsinjuries, stasis (decubitus) and gastric ulcers, stress, tension, tics, tinnitus, urinary incontinence, varicose veins, vertigo, warts, wheezing,whooping cough and other conditions.

Naturopathy’s six principles :