Healthcare, Health & Fitness Resources

A Discussion of Research Supporting Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine

Whether you are for or against naturopathy, complimentary medicine and holistic healing practices, there is certainly a strong case to be made for both sides. Supporters of naturopathy frequently argue that the mind and soul are just as important to physical health as the body. Therefore, holistic medicine (definition of holistic) is the only way to complete health. On the other hand, mainstream doctors argue that without the help of drugs and modern day technology, naturopathy can not possibly cure all of the diseases that plague our population. Furthermore, some traditional medicine doctors consider naturopathy to be dangerous because it can keep sick people from seeking medical help. So who is right and who is wrong? The truth of the matter is, things are not black and white, and evidence supports and negates some of each argument.

Those supporting naturopathy will often use examples of diet and chiropractics to their advantage. There is more and more information being published daily that says having healthy eating habits is the key to being healthy throughout life, and even if you become ill at any point, a healthy diet could be the thing that helps you recover quickly and completely. Chiropractics is also considered a part of naturopathy, and there are many case studies available to show how chiropractic treatment affects many different diseases and disorders, though there are very few published research studies on the subject.

For traditional doctors, naturopathy may serve as a nice compliment to a more conventional cure, but the possibility that naturopathy can be considered a cure-all is often denied. It is logical that taking care of your body through healthy eating and living a healthy life will make it harder for you to become ill, and easier for you to recover if you do. There is a lot of research that supports this basic idea. However, the notion that such things as cancer can be cured using holistic medicines is promptly dismissed by many physicians, regardless of any evidence to the contrary.

Most of the research available concerning holistic healing methods does not actually tell us anything new. Instead it simply reassures what we already know about the nature of the human body and its abilities to heal itself. That is not to say that holistic medicine is not useful as a field of study, because without the basic principals of naturopathy we could not have evolved the types of medicines we have today, but at the same time naturopathy is a very primitive science compared to today’s technological advancement. The research available for naturopathy is very limited and does not give us a very clear picture of whether or not it can really be considered a cure, especially since much of the information is case study based.

Taking a look at all of the information available on naturopathy can give you an idea of whether or not it can work in general, but it will probably not present you with a real answer to any specific health problem. Most of the research available on the subject suggests that naturopathy is most effective as complimentary medicine. That is, as a compliment to conventional medicine, and not as effective on its own. If you intend to go see a naturopath make sure to ask for references to traditional doctors if you do not see any changes in your health. Furthermore, we would suggest seeing a traditional western medical doctor prior to seeking the help of a naturopath if the illness is serious.

* Note: It is interesting that while writing I find myself mentioning "traditional doctor" as if someone with a white jacket writing prescriptions and leaving all the details (like blood pressure, heart rate, etc.) for the nurse or assistant is or should be considered "traditional". After all, such a doctor is a relatively recent development in the field of medicine. Shouldn't they be considered the "alternative"?

Below are some great resources for researching complimentary medicine, such as naturopathy, herbology, holistic healing, etcetera:

www.naturopathy.com
A website offering articles on specific disorders treated by naturopathy.

www.naturopathy.nl
A website detailing the basic principals of naturopathy and offering testimonials in support of holistic medicine.

HerbMed
An interactive, electronic database of herbs, providing access to scientific data underlying the effective use of herbs for health.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
A division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a U.S. government website providing health-related information to patients and healthcare professionals.

Dartmouth University Biomedical Library
The Alternative and Complementary Medicine Resources page at Dartmouth, regarding all types of complementary and alternative medicine, including naturopathy, chiropractic, herbals and more.