The History of Naturopathic Medicine
Many people seem a bit confused about not only what naturopathic medicine is, but also the history of naturopathic medicine. I often get questions like: “Wait, so that’s just homeopathy, right?”, or “You are not the same as oriental medicine?”, or “Europe and America have a system of medicine that is natural?”. The FAQ page of The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians website has a lot of information about what naturopathic medicine is and is not, but I thought I’d write very briefly about the history of naturopathic medicine, and how that history influences how naturopathic doctors practice today!
Current naturopathic medicine has its roots in 19th century Germany, where Nature Cure was (and to some extent is still) practiced widely. Nature Cure is a “system for treating diseases with natural agents such as water, air, diet, herbs and sunshine”. There were numerous healers and doctors in 19th century Germany that helped to propagate Nature Cure such as Vincent Priessnitz, J.H. Rausse, Theodor Hahn, and Sebastian Kneipp, among many others. These healers used hydrotherapy (healing with water), dietary protocols and exposing their patients to fresh air and sunshine as their main medicines.
Sebastian Kneipp (1824 – 1897) has been dubbed “The World’s Most Famous Nature Doctor”. Kneipp, a Bavarian priest, spent his life healing thousands of sick people with natural remedies, teaching millions of others about Nature Cure, and speaking and writing about natural medicine. Many believe that Kneipp was able to be so effective as a healer due to his individualization of treatment plans and his gentleness. After intently observing and examining his patients, he would come up with a treatment plan just for them. He wrote, “Patients are too often treated in a stereotyped fashion, and far too little stress is laid on the peculiarities of each separate case”. Father Kneipp was also the first to introduce herbalism to Nature Cure. His mother was an experienced herbalist, and as a child she would take him to the local meadows, teaching him how to use herbs to treat various conditions.
Father Sebastian Kneipp
One of Sebastian Kneipp’s students, Dr. Benedict Lust, helped bring Nature Cure to North America. Dr. Benedict Lust (1872 – 1945) is “The Father of Naturopathy”, and used the term naturopathy to describe the integrated practice of nature cure, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, nutritional and lifestyle counseling, manipulative therapy, and massage. Dr. Lust helped assemble various natural medicine practices under one umbrella, stating, “the Naturopath rightly employs the combination that is best adapted to each individual case…Naturopathy is the mother, all-inclusive, of natural therapy. It is the basic platform for all methods of healing; without it any healing art will be a failure”. Dr. Lust used the best aspects from the past and present of different schools of medicine; so long as those methods enhanced the patient’s own natural healing ability. Another one of Dr. Lust’s accomplishments for naturopathic medicine was the legal status that naturopathy achieved as a result of his work. The medico-political climate in 20th century America was tumultuous for many professions that were at odds with the American Medical Association such as chiropractors, osteopaths, herbalists, and naturopaths. Licensure was naturopathy’s only chance for endurance. Many of the current laws in the northwestern United States that preserve the full practice of naturopathic medicine were passed under Dr. Lust’s influence.
Dr. Benedict Lust
Naturopathic medicine experienced a decline in the 1940s and ‘50s due to the rise of technological medicine, pharmaceutical drugs, and the idea that those drugs could eliminate all disease. Throughout the rest of the early and mid-20th century, naturopathic medicine was practiced and preserved in America by doctors such as Louise Lust, Henry Lindlahr, Otis G. Carroll, and John Bastyr. The National University of Natural Medicine (previously National College of Natural Medicine), was established in 1956 in order to help keep naturopathic medicine alive, making it the oldest accredited naturopathic medical university in North America. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians was founded in 1985 to unify and speak for the large majority of naturopathic physicians. In the 21st century, the profession has experienced a resurgence, as more people are becoming health-conscious, and are seeking alternatives for conditions that conventional medicine has not adequately addressed.
Currently, naturopathic doctors are trained in the art and science of natural health care at accredited medical colleges. Accredited naturopathic medical schools are 4-year, graduate-level programs that consist of a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training. During naturopathic medical school, students are educated in biomedical sciences, including its latest advances, as well as natural approaches to healing. This means that naturopathic medical students not only have the same basic science training as conventional doctors (such as anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, histology, clinical-physical diagnosis, etc.), but also get in-class and clinical training in botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, mind-body medicine, physical medicine, parenteral therapy (such as IV-therapy), hydrotherapy and more! Today, naturopathic doctors use advanced diagnostics and natural medicine to prevent disease, treat acute illnesses, and permanently reverse chronic health conditions.
I fully embrace my “old-school” naturopathic roots, while balancing that history with current advances in medicine. I frequently give my patients hydrotherapy treatments and therapeutic diets, as well as herbal remedies in the form of dried herbs and tinctures. I also keep up with the latest developments in modern medicine through continuing education, and have access to state-of-the-art laboratory testing. I like to think that I offer the best of both nature cure, and modern medicine.
Want to be a part of the natural medicine resurgence? Call today: (952) 377-8450
Sources:
Kirchfeld, Friedhelm, and Wade Boyle. Nature Doctors: Pioneers in Naturopathic Medicine. NCNM Press, 2005.
“Established in 1956, NUNM Is a Highly Respected Trainer of Natural Medicine Practitioners.” National University of Natural Medicine, 2018, nunm.edu/about-naturopathic-medicine/.
