CNME's Central Textbook ISBN 1897025254 - Naturopathy's Homeopathic-TCM Vitalism:

here, I quote from THE textbook for CNME-type ND programs in North America which details naturopathy's essential homeopathic-TCM vitalism [see 001, below];

001. Smith, F. (ND CCNM), "Assistant Dean of Naturopathic Medicine at National University of Health Sciences" [as per my blog mission, truly "from the inside"], states in:

001.a. "An Introduction to Principles and Practices of Naturopathic Medicine" (ISBN 1897025254; 2008):

"homeopathy [...its founder] Hahnemann taught that disease was due to the 'untunement' of the vital force, the part of the organism that allowed it to respond and adapt to life. Whether that meant shivering in response to cold or experiencing fear in response to a threat, the vital force was a dynamic aspect of the human being [p.095...] disease began when that dynamic principle became stuck [p.096...{lest we think all this past-tense verbiage means that naturopathy has discarded this science-ejected idea, NOWADAYS}] naturopathic medicine [...] is a primary healthcare system using therapies that support the person's self-healing potential [...it is] 'vitalistic' [...] the vitalistic tradition is based on the premise that the body has an inherent ability to heal, a premise referred to in Latin as vis medicatrix naturae (healing power of nature), and that the human being is a dynamic creation of body, and and spirit [{naturopathy's requisite supernaturalism, which is bound-up with vitalism}...per] the self-healing ability of the whole being [p.018...] the vis is the core focus of the Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine [{see that vitalism there, too}...] the discernment of the necessity of working with the vis medicatrix naturae is what makes naturopathic medicine a distinctive field [p.019...naturopathy's] protocol for treatment can be simplified into three stages [...#2] stimulate the vital force [...with] vitalistic therapies including homeopathy, hydrotherapy, and traditional Chinese medicine [{TCM} p.037...e.g.] promote self-healing processes by using a homeopathic medicine to stimulate the vital force [p.039...] TCM is founded in the principle that energy in the body flows along specific pathways called meridians. This energy is known as qi. Qi enters the body at conception and remains the vital force in the body [p.100...{and lest we forget how dangerous naturopathy is}] homeopathic treatment of children is valuable for both prevention and treatment of many conditions [p.319]."

Note: this textbook is published by CCNM Press. This is 'the essentially naturopathic' / 'their foundation'. It states on its back cover "this is the first textbook published for use in introductory courses in naturopathic medicine [...at] naturopathic colleges affiliated with the Council of Naturopathic [Medical] Education (CNME) [{yes, they forgot a word in that title}...and it] provides a strong foundation for required upper-year courses [...that include] homeopathy [and] traditional Chinese medicine."

002. the vitalism of naturopathy:

poses an "energy", "force" or "power" responsible for health and disease, and life itself. It is not merely acknowledging that a human being can repair / heal, and it is not merely descriptions of the phenotype. Boil it down, and what you get is a belief in a 'purposeful life spirit' animating the human organism. This is a combination of supernaturalism, teleology, and vitalism. And it is pure superstition falsely claimed as within science. All three facets of the naturopathic belief amalgam are exterior to science / what science bases. They are articles of faith claimed as something they are not: scientific fact.

When I was in ND school, I was told that that vital force was also "the god power within you." This is after I was told it was science-based and not a belief system. So, in terms of belief, I've labeled that autoentheism: the belief that god is within oneself.

Their homepage states: "the FNM Project has its academic home at NCNM in Portland." And NCNM is in the ridiculous position of claiming that which is nonscience is science.

Same old naturopaTHICK.