Clover

Rich and green, clover is the epitome of fresh, natural beauty.

You don’t have to pay many visits to my blog to know that I love nature.  When friends began talking about natural medicine, however, I felt a certain level of discomfort.   Although I really didn’t know much about it, I thought of naturopathic medicine as quite unconventional and something not accepted by stand medical practice.  I decided to take a bit of time and learn more.

Naturopathic medicine is not new.  It had a formal start in the late nineteenth century and despite some ups and downs, naturopaths  are now licensed in about one-third of U.S. states and services are covered by some health insurance providers.  Currently, they are not covered by Medicare and Medicaid.   Practitioners may receive training through naturopathic schools; but may also be M.D.s, who incorporate naturopathic principles into a conventional medical practice.    

One of the most attractive features of naturopathic practice is the amount of time spent with patients.    New patient visits may take an hour or more to complete.    If you’ve ever had a doctor whiz in and out of an exam room in less than 30 seconds, you’ll understand why many people are choosing this alternative approach to health care.