Medical opinion by John F. Ruhland, ND

Do you have health-related questions for Dr. John, the Naturopathic Doctor? Send them to the Free Press at 1463 E Republican #178, Seattle WA 98112, or email to WAfreepress@gmail.com. Please keep questions short. The opinions expressed below are on general issues of health. They should not be construed as personal medical advice. Readers should seek a variety of information about any health concern before deciding on a treatment from a personal physician.

Dear Dr. John: What exactly is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic Medicine is a comprehensive body of knowledge derived from the latest scientific understanding of the human body and from long-standing traditional systems of healing. Over thousands of years, successful treatments have been improved, and unsuccessful treatments have been discontinued. Naturopathy blends the experience of thousands of years, current science and the art of healing.

Five Guiding Principles

1. First, do no harm.

2. Treat the whole person.

3. Identify and treat the cause of illness.

4. Remove obstacles to healing and health, and allow the healing power of nature to act.

5. The word doctor means teacher; the physician should educate the patient, emphasizing self-responsibility.

Naturopathic physicians are trained as general medical practitioners with the ability to provide comprehensive primary care. Naturopathic universities are four-year postgraduate schools which train students in the medical sciences including immunology, pharmacology, cardiology, dermatology, neurology, gynecology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, psychology, oncology, clinical nutrition and physical and clinical diagnosis.

Naturopathic education includes two years of clinical training and additional training in specialized natural therapies including: homeopathy, botanical medicine, therapeutic nutrition, counseling, stress management, hydrotherapy and soft-tissue therapies. Thus, our background is similar to a conventional medical doctor, with the addition of all of the above therapies, and with much less emphasis on pharmaceutical drugs and the most invasive therapies such as radiation therapy and surgery.

Seattle has one of four nationally accredited colleges or universities of Naturopathic Medicine. Oregon, Arizona, and Connecticut also have accredited naturopathic colleges.