Naturopathicmedicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientificknowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. It is based on thehealing power of nature and it supports and stimulates the bodys ability toheal itself. Naturopathic medicine is the art and science of disease diagnosis,treatment and prevention using natural therapies including: botanical medicine,clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation,traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, lifestyle counselling and healthpromotion and disease prevention. Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors
Naturopathyis a cornucopia of almost every quackery you can think of. Be it homeopathy,traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, applied kinesiology,anthroposophical medicine, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, Bowen Technique,and pretty much any other form of unscientific or prescientific medicine thatyou can imagine, its hard to think of a single form of pseudoscientificmedicine and quackery that naturopathy doesnt embrace or at least tolerate. Dr. DavidGorski
Naturopaths claim that they practice based on scientificprinciples. Yet examinations of naturopathic literature, practices andstatements suggest a more ambivalent attitude. NDhealthfacts.org neatlyillustrates the problem with naturopathy itself: Open antagonism toscience-based medicine, and the risk of harm from integrating these practicesinto the practice of medicine. Unfortunately, the trend towards integratingnaturopathy into medicine is both real and frightening. Because good medicineisnt based on invented facts and pre-scientific beliefs it must be groundedin science. And naturopathy, despite the claims, is anything but scientific. Scott Gavura (Science-Based Medicine)
Naturopathic training does not prepare them to be primary care physicians.Their profession is not science-based, does not have a science-based standardof care, and is largely a collection of pseudoscience and dangerous nonsenseloosely held together by a vague nature is always best philosophy.
This is one of those situations where most people will not believe that thesituation can be as bad as it really is. This is similar to when I describe topeople, who are hearing it for the first time, what homeopathy actually is.They usually dont believe it, because they cannot accept that something sononsensical can be so widespread and apparently accepted in our society. Thesame is true when I tell people about the core chiropractic philosophy of lifeenergy (at least for those chiropractors who have not rejected their roots), orabout what Scientologists actually believe.
One common reaction is the no true Scotsman logical fallacy. Defenderswill insist that what we are describing is the exception, and that a realnaturopath is not like that. Obviously there will be a range of practice(especially since there is no standard), but the pseudoscientific treatmentsthat make up naturopathy are not the exception. They are at the core of theireducation and their philosophy. Dr. Steven Novella
Naturopathic medicine is an eclectic assortment ofpseudoscientific, fanciful, and unethical practices. Implausible naturopathicclaims are still prevalent and are no more valid now than they were in 1968. Kimball C. Atwood
Naturopathic medical school is not a medical school inanything but the appropriation of the word medical. Naturopathy is not a branchof medicine. It is a combination of nutritional advice, home remedies anddiscredited treatments Naturopathic practices are unchanged by research andremain a large assortment of erroneous and potentially dangerous claims mixedwith a sprinkling of non-controversial dietary and lifestyle advice. The Massachusetts Medical Society
Naturopathy[1]is, and always has been, a declaration of pseudoscience and pseudomedicinemixed together with truism dressed-up in cheap makeup to appear legitimate,respectable, even advanced and modern, and real, as per the first statement atthe top in contrast to reliable and respected voices following it. Ignorance ina tutu is still ignorance.
Its notan alternative way of knowing, a different form of medicine, or a novel line ofthought. Its not cheaper than medicine because real medicine works on thecases needing it and, therefore, utilize the finances of patients properly,i.e., effectively.
Naturopathsare not doctors, medical doctors, or real MDs. By peddling nonsense assensible, they harm the public good and, thus, become a negative force insociety, as purveyors of illegitimate practice. Why deal a light critique toindividuals harming public in the most important areas of life, for example,medical care or health?
In turn,as self-proposed practitioners for the betterment of the health of the public,they detract attention and legitimacy away from real medical doctors, realmedicine, in addition to the finances of the public. If alternative medicinebecame effective, then it would become non-alternative medicine, also known asmedicine. So, whats the point of it, in the first place?
As notedin Freethought for the Small Towns: Case Study,Canadians and Others Convictions to DivineInterventionism in the Matters of the Origins and Evolution, Making a Buck as a Mountebank Astrologers, Mediums,and Psychics, The Message of William Marrion Branham: ResponsesCommentary, The Fantastic Capacity for Believing the Incredible,religious fundamentalism, pseudoscience, and pseudomedicine, play off oneanother, as gullibility in the pulpit informs gullibility in the wellnessmarketplace, and vice versa.
Oneignorance feeds into another. Whether in the local Township of Langley or inthe wider province of British Columbia, even in small towns including FortLangley, this is the nature of the pseudoscience and pseudomedicine landscape.Bad people, even thinking themselves good, bilk the public earning good money,even bad money or minimum wage income.
Theseindividuals and, more fundamentally, fraudulent practices, should be combatteddirectly, even at the legislative level as they have been enforced in countrieslike the United States largely through legislative efforts. Why such a directedeffort at legislation rather than randomized double-blind trials? Let me knowhow those homeopathic studies turn out.
InBritish Columbia, widely, when you do a search, you can find more than 100places, so associations, colleges, clinics, centres, integrative clinics, medicalcentres, practitioners, and so on. All devoted to a pseudoscientific practice withinone province. All either harming the bank accounts through fraudulentpractices, or, potentially, harming the public.
Personally,they should not be able to operate in British Columbia generally, or in theTownship of Langley in particular. Its easily viewable as a wide range ofpseudomedicine postulated as real medicine while without proper medical credentials,only fake qualifications, as in real to the fake medicine while faketo the real medicine.
Theresa large number of practitioners and clinics of naturopathy, includingassociations, colleges, and institutes, such as the College Of NaturopathicPhysicians Of British Columbia and the BC Naturopathic Association/BCNA.
Its a literal zoo with the number of them. In a general search of the Canadianprovince of British Columbia, one set includes Dr. Janine Mackenzie ND, AbbyNaturopathic Clinic: Dr. Cristina Coloma ND, Horizons Holistic Health Clinic,Edgemont Naturopathic Clinic, Boucher Naturopathic Medical Clinic, Dr. AggieMatusik, Integrative Naturopatic Medical Centre, Dr. Marisa Marciano, ND, Dr.Melanie DesChatelets ND, Vitalia Naturopathic Doctors Vancouver, Dr. Grodski White Rock Naturopathic, Dr. Lindsey Jesswein, ND, Noble Naturopathic, LocalHealth Integrative Clinic, Dr. Carlson-Rink C., Dr. Andrea Gansner NaturopathicPhysician, Dr. Lorne Swetlikoff, BSc.,, ND, Polo Health + Longevity Centre, ANew Leaf Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. E. DSouza-Carey, ND Family Health Clinic.
Another,second set includes Family Health Clinic: Naturopathic Medicine and MidwiferyCare, Integrated Health Clinic, Dr. Jiwani, Naturopathic Physician SurreyClinic (Not Vancouver) Autoimmune Weight Loss, Dr Andrew Eberding NaturopathicDoctor, Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, Meditrine NaturopathicClinic, Vancouver Naturopathic Clinic, Selkirk Naturopathic Clinic, Cross RoadsNaturopathic clinic, OZONE THERAPY BC: Dr. Walter Fernyhough, Dr. Allana PoloN.D Polo Health + Longevity Centre, Pangaea Clinic of Naturopathic MedicineInc, Dr Eric Chan, Dr Tawnya Ward, Dr. Rory Gibbons, Naturopathic Physician,Dr. Caroline Coombs Naturopathci Doctor, Dr. Brian Gluvic, KitsilanoNaturpathic Clinic, Agency Health, and Richmond Alternative Medical Clinic.
There theres the third set with Arc Integrated Medicine Delta & Surrey Naturopathic Doctors, Dr. Kali MacIsaac, Naturopathic Doctor, Aspire Naturopathic Health Centre Naturopath North Vancouver Dr. Emily Habert, ND, Dr. Hal Brown, Red Cedar Health Ray Clinic, Lonsdale Naturopathic Clinic, Metrotown Naturopathic and Acupuncture, Yaletown Naturopathic Clinic, Flourish Naturopathic, Northshore Naturopathic Clinic, and Dr. Jonathon F. Berghamer.
Thefourth set includes Dr. Scarlet Cooper, ND., Dr. Terrie Van Alystyne,Naturopathic Physician Whistler, Butterfly Naturopathic, Dr. Jason Marr, ND:Naturopathic Doctor, Peninsula Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Karen Fraser, YaletownIntegrative Clinic, Serenity Aberdour ND Horizon Naturopathic Inc, Dr.Tasneem Pirani-Sheriff, ND, Avisio Naturopathic Clinic & VitaminDispensary, Dr. Robyn Land, Naturopathic Physician, Springs Eternal NaturalHealth, Dr. Alaina Overton, Cornerstone Health Centre: Maryam Ferdosian, ND,Dr. Kim McQueen, BSc, ND, Dr. Safia Kassam, and Restorative Health.
Thefifth set of them include Dr. Esha Singh, ND, Dr. Bobby Parmar NaturopathicDoctor, Lansdowne Naturopathic Centre, West Kelowna Integrative Health Centre,Dr. Shalini Hitkari, ND, Dr. Jolene Kennett, Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. KarinaWickland, ND, Dr. Phoebe Chow Lumicel Health Clinic, Dr. Maltais Lise,Vitality Wellness Centre, Dr. Lisa Good, ND, Dr. Heidi Lescanec, ND, Dr. RodSantos, ND, Inc., West Vancouver Wellness Centre, Dr. Kully Sraw, NaturopathicPhysician, Juniper Family Health, Dr. Peter Liu, ND, Garibaldi Health Clinic,Dr. Kayla Springer, ND, and Dr. Donna Ogden, ND, MSc, Naturopathic Doctor.
Thesixth yes, theres more set includes Dr. Cortney Boer, ND, Burnaby HeightsIntegrative HealthCare Inc., Dr. Amelia Patillo, ND, Jamie Sculley, Dr. EwingRobert J., Central Park Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Kira Frketich, Living WellnessCentre, Dr. Jennifer Brown, ND, Dr. Randi Brown Naturopathic Doctor, WestShore Family Naturopathic Ltd., Rejuv-Innate Naturopathic Clinic-Dr. JamieGallant, Dr. Tonia Winchester, Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor TonicNaturopathic, NaturopathicVictoria.net, Fourth and Alma Naturopathic MedicalCentre, Cheam Wellness Group, Maureen Williams, Dr. Meghan Dougan, ND, Dr.Brittany Schamerhorn, ND, and Dr. Jenna Waddy.
Theseventh almost there set includes Inner Garden Health, Dr. Brit Watters,ND, Dr. Laruen Tomkins, ND, The Natural Path Clinic Inc., Elizabeth Miller, Dr.Jennifer Moss Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Penny Seth-Smith, Seeded Nutrition,Northern Centre for Integrative Medicine, Aqua Terra Health, Dr. Kelsea Parker,ND, Maple Ridge Naturopathic Clinic, Newleaf Total Wellness Centre, VitalityIntegrative Health, Dr. Orissa Forest, BSc, ND, Acacia Health Dockside, Dr.Megan Kimberley, Naturopath, Dr. Landon McLean Healthcare, Back to Our RootsIndigenous Medicine, and N.A. Hemorrhoids Centre.
Theeighth set is Legacies Health Centre, Kelowna Naturopathic Clinic, MarseillesRemedy Traditional Oil Blend, Lani NYkilchuk, ND, Dr. Heather van der Geest,ND, Hummingbird Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Elli Reilander, ND, BodaHealth, TheNatural Family Health Clinic, Dr. Chelsea Gronick, Naturopathic Doctor, Dr.Carla Cashin, ND, Dr. Karen McGree, Saffron Pixie Yoga & Naturopathy, WildHeart Therapies and Farmacy, Dr. Andrea Whelan, Well+Able Integrated HealthLTD., Dr. Kim Hine, ND, Dr. Graham Kathy, Dr. Emily Freistatter, NaturopathicDoctor, Inner Garden Health.
The ninth set is Dr. Emily Pratt, BSc, ND, Inc., Life Integrative, Dr. Michael Tassone, ND, Harbour Health: Massage Therapy, Physiotherapy, Chiropractor, Naturopath, Broadway Wellness, Spokes Clinical Naturopathy, Dr. Fulton Lynne, Electra Health, Dr. Macdonald Deidre, Ray Lendvai Naturopathic Physicians, Dr. Maryam Ferdosian, ND, Yinstill Reproductive Wellness, Prajna Wellness, Fountain Wellness & Physiotherapy, Qi Integrated Health, Paradigm Naturopathic Medicine, Apex Chiropractic Coquitlam, Kamloops Naturopathic Clinic, Dr. Carmen Anne Luterbach, and Dr. Mar Christopher.
The final and tenth set is Dr. Lawrence Brkich, The Phoenix Centre, Cave Cure & Therapies, Twisted Oak Holistic Health, Coast Therapy Maple Ridge, Balance Natural Health Clinic, Dr. Theresa Camozzi, ND, BC Pulse Therapy, Naramata Lifestyle Wellness-Best Naturopathy, Meditation, Weight Management Centre Okanagan, Acubalance Wellness Centre, Ltd., Dr. Milanovich David, Catalyst Kinetics Group, and Dr. Kimberly Ostero, BSc., ND, and Kontinuum Naturopathic Medicine, Inc.
Theobvious benefit in these titles compared to the astrologers, mediums, andpsychics, is the appearance of professionalism, while, in a mysterious manner,acquiring an entire reputation based on a fallacious premise, pseudomedicine,in addition to a false title.
Itsless turtles, turtles, turtles, all the way down, and more falsehoods all theway down, and to the top. People with all the accoutrement of theprofessional and medical world while, in fact, lacking the substance, thecontent, and so mimicking, or parroting, the forms and stylings of them.
A shame, a scandal in the province, a waste of the publics dime, a tax on the wellbeing of the province as a whole because real medicine exists, and ignorance without proper medical bases, while idiotic in its proposition and imbibing by the general public. Everyones to blame here; while, some are more culpable than others.
Thisshows both a failure in critical thinking on the part of the public, individualsentering into the schools for training, and a firm action on the part of theproper authorities to regulate public health in such a manner as todelegitimize failed philosophies from the 1800s proposed as modern medicine.
Asstipulated, succinctly, by the skeptic Wiki, RationalWiki, the titles of ND inBritish Columbia naturopaths and naturopathic physicians, self-proclaimed, asin Naturopathic Doctor, does not mean a doctor, a physician, or a medicaldoctor.
Thesetitles, ND, remain false proclamations of credentials and qualifications, byand large, rejected by both mainstream medicine and mainstream science. Theseare a manner in which to attempt to co-opt the earned legitimate legacy ofmodern medical science and modern science, as per credentials, e.g., MD, withillegitimate pseudoscience and pseudomedicine.
In fact,the issue in North America is widespread, as stated by RationalWiki, in Alternative Medicine Education, thereare actually 7accreditedinstitutionsin North America that award this degree (as of 2012), 5 in theUnited States(Bastyr University, National College ofNatural Medicine, National University of Health Sciences,SouthwestCollege of Naturopathic Medicineand University of BridgeportCollege of Naturopathic Medicine) and 2 inCanada(Boucher Institute ofNaturopathic Medicine, and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine).Forthose who want a shorter route, it is also widely available fromdiploma mills.
Theseindividuals will use the title of Dr. If you dont believe me, then I wouldpropose looking at the ten sets above. How often does the use of the term Dr.get used in the public face of the institutions?
Next, wecan ask about the private face. How many? How often? It is probably more, andmore forcefully, because Dr., rightfully, earned the title because theeducation is more difficult and the positive effects on society far more great.
That which was known as health fraud in prior generations through consistent efforts continues to be regarded more as medicine rather than medicine.
It should be halted, deconstructed, and shown for its farcical foundations and direct, and indirect, harms on the public.
[1] Even Wikipedia, as a minor resource, itstates:
Naturopathyornaturopathicmedicineis a form ofalternativemedicinethat employs an array ofpseudoscientificpractices branded asnatural, non-invasive, or promotingself-healing. The ideology and methods of naturopathy are basedonvitalismandfolk medicine, rather thanevidence-basedmedicine(EBM).Naturopathic practitioners generallyrecommend against followingmodern medical practices, including but notlimited tomedical testing,drugs,vaccinations, andsurgery.Instead, naturopathic practicerelies on unscientific notions, often leading naturopaths to diagnoses andtreatments that have no factual merit.
Naturopathy is considered by themedical professionto be ineffective and harmful, raisingethicalissues about its practice.In addition to condemnations and criticism from the medical community, such as theAmerican Cancer Society,naturopaths have repeatedly been denounced as and accused of beingcharlatansand practicingquackery.
Assistant Editor, News Intervention,Human Rights Activist.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Founder of In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal and In-Sight Publishing. He focuses on North America for News Intervention. Jacobsen works for science and human rights, especially womens and childrens rights. He considers the modern scientific and technological world the foundation for the provision of the basics of human life throughout the world and advancement of human rights as the universal movement among peoples everywhere. You can contact Scott via email.
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Naturopathy - How Not to be a Doctor and Harm the Public Good - News Intervention