What is Naturopathy?

The word Naturopathy comes from the Latin ‘natura’ and the Greek ‘pathos’ or suffering, so can be thought of as the use of innate or natural approaches to contrast suffering. A ‘natural approach’ however, doesn’t mean simply swapping modern drugs for herbs and supplements in order to relieve symptoms and cure disease but instead working to improve an individual’s health by bringing attention to and resolving root causes and restoring the body’s ability to self regulate. The focus is not on natural products but instead on natural processes: on considering symptoms as messengers that inform us about underlying issues that need attention.

Are Naturopaths medical doctors?

In Italy, Naturopaths are not medical doctors and not part of the healthcare system, unless of course they have gone through official medical training, in which case they can be both. Treating diseases is reserved for medical professionals only, so naturopaths instead focus on helping people improve their health through root cause analysis and general education around a healthy lifestyle.

If Naturopaths don’t treat disease, what do they do?

A state of good health is not only defined as the absence of disease but also the ability to be in good physical and mental shape, to maintain good relationships with the people in our lives and the environment that surrounds us, and to make the most of our innate talents both for ourselves and the greater good. When health deteriorates, it eventually results in overt disease, and at this point it is right to seek medical attention, but before we arrive at this end stage, there is much that we can do to slow or invert the trend. The naturopath’s role is to evaluate a person’s state of health, working with the client to uncover root causes and educate on a generally healthy lifestyle as well as helping clients transform health issues into opportunities for personal growth. 

What kind of treatments do Naturopaths suggest?

Naturopaths might make suggestions about sleep, exercise, nutrition, circadian rhythms, stress management and other lifestyle changes as well as exercises aimed at working on behavioural and relational aspects. Beyond this, they may also suggest using herbs, supplements, flower remedies and essential oils as well as treatments such as aromatherapy, reflexology and other massage techniques aimed at supporting the body through change and bringing awareness to underlying root causes. These approaches are often guided by ancient traditions such as Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurvedic theory with the goal of increasing the body’s own capacity for self-regulation and healing. 

When should I see a Naturopath?

A naturopathic visit benefits anyone looking to improve their health and understand themselves on a deeper level, and as such naturopaths can give individualised recommendations on a wide range of behavioural and lifestyle issues with the aim of empowering their clients to achieve a better state of health. Naturopaths do not, however, deal with diseases or psychological disorders, which must be followed by a doctor or psychologist/psychotherapist respectively. In terms of nutrition, naturopaths are limited to giving generalised advice. For specific diets and nutritional profiles, a nutritionist should be sought out.

How is Naturopathy regulated in Italy?

In Italy, the naturopathic profession is a freelance profession not governed by a central board or state association. This means that anyone can call themselves a naturopath. There is however a regulatory framework to follow for those who choose to adhere, which came into force in 2013 with the introduction of the ‘legge 4/2013’ This law doesn’t govern naturopathy directly, but instead governs all professions which don’t have a board or state licensing, and dictates that each profession has the possibility to define itself using standards set out by UNI (Italian standards body), which in the case of naturopathy refers to the standard UNI 11491. This is optional, but guarantees that certified naturopaths have chosen to undertake training with a school that adheres to the standard as well as going through independent certification with ongoing professional training updates.