| | Definition: | | Medical practice that uses herbs and various methods to return the body to a healthy state by stimulating innate defenses, never supplanting them with drugs. In early years, many naturopathic physicians were ill-prepared to practice a healing profession. Many received mail-order degrees and had little training. However by the 1950s, some degree of academic acceptability returned. Several accredited schools award degrees for training, and many states now require examinations and licensure to ensure competence. |
Medical Dictionary