Re: Let's OBJECTIVELY look at this Naturopathic "WAR" for a moment

Posted by Micah on 07/15/00 at 03:13 AM

I am not a Naturopath student but a humble future D.C.(Doctor of Chiropractic) to be. At one time I considered Naturopathy but my criticism of the "accredited" schools is a different one than what has been expressed on this board. First of all in some respects--BOTH sides are simultaneously right as well as wrong at the same time. Learning anatomy,physiology,pathology and yes even pharmacology does NOT mean that a person is going to be an Allopathic Physician. Let me explain..Drugs change around the way the body's physiology and anatomy functions. If a person is on drugs for condition "A" and a side effect of those drugs means that the patients muscles become hyper-spaztic or hyper rigid--as a professional clinician I have to take this into account when adjusting a patient on the chiropractic table. Does that mean that I am going to PRESCRIBE drugs? NO!! It's not what is LEARNED...it's HOW you intend to USE that knowledge. People on certain medications like blood thinners,etc. in some cases cannot be adjusted since the medication contraindicates being adjusted. Again..having this knowledge can prevent me from being TAKEN TO COURT and SUED!! On the OTHER hand--Naturopathy IS STILL a drugLESS profession(but so is Chiropractic). My main criticism of the 4 year schools is that they are trying to include the "everything but the kitchen sink" in their curriculum. ORIGINAL Naturopathy was based on : HYDROTHERAPY,APPLIED NUTRITION,EXERCISE AND to a LESSER extent Herbology. Look at the curriculums of National,Bastyr,etc. They give one MAYBE two courses in HYDROTHERAPY. Everything else is split up between Homeopathy,Chineese Medicine,Ayurveda,Acupuncture,etc.! THESE ARE SEPARATE PROFESSIONS!! Does an ND graduating from one of the 4 year schools have the knowledge of Chineese Medicine as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine/Acupuncture? NO!! There is only so many clock hours that a school-accredited or not can devote towards a particular discipline. The IDEAL school would have a strong basic grounding in the sciences-anatomy,physiology,pathology,biochemistry,etc.--BUT STILL teach the Naturopathic Theraputics the way Naturopathy was DESIGNED and let the Doc's of Oriental Medicine do their thing,Licenced Homeopaths do theirs,etc.-etc. THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE THE CNME-the accrediting body for the 4 year schools was REFUSED their status as an accrediting body recently due to NEGATIVE REVIEWS from their evaluating board by the Federal Government!!! So a person saying that they went to an "accredited" school means really NOTHING right now!!

Replies	Posted By	#	Date & Time
Let's OBJECTIVELY look at this Naturopathic	stephen	3	07/17/00 06:08 PM
Re: One more thing about Licensure	Micah	1	07/15/00 03:26 PM