What is Naturopathic Medicine and Functional Medicine?

What is Naturopathic Medicine? Is it the same as Functional Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine and functional medicine are two different health care practices with the shared goal of improving overall wellness. What this means is that both focus on improving the function of our organs and systems, rather than solely treating symptoms. This is accomplished in a comprehensive and systematic way that takes into account the mental, emotional, and physical aspects that determine our health.

Naturopathic medicine is a branch of medicine that bridges the gap between traditional and modern medicine and seeks to determine root causes of health issues. This is done using primarily (but not exclusively) natural remedies such as diet and nutrition, homeopathy, herbals, supplements, manual therapies, and sometimes pharmaceuticals. Those who practice naturopathic medicine are called Naturopathic Doctors (N.D.) if they graduated from a 4-year, accredited naturopathic medical school, or Naturopaths if they did not.

Functional medicine is a philosophy that health professionals use to understand the causes of illness or disease combined with a great understanding for how different body systems work together.

Who benefits from these types of medicine? Truly, anyone. It is especially useful for chronic and autoimmune conditions, fatigue, pain, optimizing performance, and preventative health. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease and Prevention, about 60% of Americans have at least 1 chronic condition, which they describe as ongoing health problems that limit daily activities. Often, these chronic diseases have multiple causes and need multiple types of treatments which is why using naturopathic or functional medicine is effective for treating these conditions.

Whether someone practices naturopathic or functional medicine, the goal is to take an individualized, comprehensive, and holistic approach to optimize healing.