In the words of Ronald M. Deutsch, author of the book "Realities of Nutrition", "one might say that the study of nutrition unravels the mystery of how food becomes you". In other words, we grow, think, feel, walk, breath, heal our wounds, reproduce ourselves — perform virtually every act of living — by making life chemicals.  Certain raw materials are required in order to manufacture these life chemicals.  These materials are called nutrients.

Natural Medicine and Nutrition

The most important factor in natural medicine is to provide the optimal environment for an individual in order to prevent the onset of disease.  In contrast to the allopathic method of treatment where the physician relies on the detection of disease followed by therapy that might include toxic and invasive methods such as drugs, surgery or radiation, the naturopathic physician emphasizes the detection and modification of risk factors and the use of non-toxic agents which support physiological function.  To quote Dr. John Bastyr: "The basic difference is that in naturopathy, it is not the doctor who does the curing.  It is the patient." To assist the patient in establishing a healthy lifestyle and nutritional balance is one of the primary and essential therapies of the naturopathic physician

The Practice Of Nutrition From A Natural Medicine Point Of View

The idea that nutrition is a major factor in healing and can be used medicinally to cure disease is not widely accepted within mainstream medicine. However, clinical nutrition, or the use of diet as therapy, serves as the foundation of naturopathic medicine. The use of whole foods and nutritional supplements in the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease is gaining more and more support from an increasing body of scientific knowledge. Many common conditions can be treated effectively by dietary measures. Some of these diseases include acne, arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, depression, diabetes (type II), eczema, gout, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, and ulcerative colitis, just to name a few.  As we begin a new century this culture is discovering that naturopathic medicine is a viable alternative to mainstream medicine. The further we examine the scientific validity of nutrition as an integral and fundamental part of the healing process, the more we will influence the way nutritional science looks at food.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." — Thomas A. Edison