Decoding Naturopathy's Essential Vitalism - Hudson, T. (ND NCNM 1984) in Prevention 2007, ISBN 0879837888 1999:

here, I perform a typical service for the public / 'those interested' who may believe that naturopaths are 'above-board'. Well, they're not. Here's how NDs disguise their 'sectarian essential principle' [see 001., below] -- 'the science-ejected concept of vitalism' [see 002. & 003., below] -- through 'incomplete journalism' [001.a.] and 'incomplete descriptions' that NDs write in their books & web pages [001.b. & 001.c.]. Beware citizens:

001. Dr. Tori Hudson [not MD but ND], on the main ND principle:

001.a. Hudson is paraphrased in Prevention Magazine's article "World's Best Natural Cures" (2007-11):

"[per article author Wallace, H. (? ?)] one of the main principles of naturopathic medicine is the vis medicatrix naturae [VMN] -- usually interpreted as the ability of botanicals (herbs, food, etc.) to heal [p.185]."

Note: that's all that is provided regarding this MAIN ND principle!

001.b. Hudson writes in "Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine" (ISBN 0879837888; 1999):

"the following seven principles are the foundation for naturopathic medicine [...#1] the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae) [HPN-VMN]. The body has the ability to establish, maintain and restore health."

Note: that's essentially all that is provided regarding this FOUNDATION ND principle. Are you starting to notice a pattern? Nowhere in the index of this book are the terms: life force, vital force, vitalism, vitalistic or aliases like qi / chi, prana, spirit etc.

001.c. finally, at Hudson's Oregon ND practice -- where she practices with fellow NDs MacDonald, Kaplan, Lewis, Vannoy, Speirs, & Skinner -- naturopathy's PRIMARY / MAIN principle is MERELY described as:

"naturopathic medicine is founded on six principles which distinguish it from all other medical approaches. [#1] The healing power of nature."

Note: and, you guessed it, that's ALL that is said about HPN there.

002. also at that practice, Hudson's biography states her affiliations:

"Dr. Hudson graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1984 where she has since served in many capacities: Professor, Medical Director, Associate Academic Dean, and Academic Dean. In 1990, she was awarded the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians' President's Award, and in 1999, Naturopathic Physician of the Year, and in 2003 the NCNM Pioneer award [...] she is author of the book, 'Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine'."

Note: she practices in Oregon [OBNE oversight], she graduated from NCNM. She is quite the ND luminary, having taught at the oldest FNPLA / CNME school, and having been awarded more than once by the AANP - including ND of the year. I will now decode 'naturopathy's essential science-ejected vitalism premise' using these overarching ND organizations' own definitions of naturopathy!

003. the science-ejected sectarian vitalism that dare not speak its name, spoken otherwheres within naturopathy and falsely claimed by naturopathy as able to survive scientific scrutiny:

003.a. Oregon's OBNE states in "Naturopathy":

"naturopathic physicians (N.D.) [...] are educated in conventional medical sciences [!!!...] naturopathic medicine emerges from six underlying principles of healing. These principles are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in light of scientific analysis [...] the healing power of nature. Vis medicatrix naturae. The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force [...this is] in fact."

Note: this is the .gov regulatory body that SUPPOSEDLY oversees Oregon NDs such as those listed above -- including Dr. Hudson & co. -- to SUPPOSEDLY protect the public.

003.b. the National College of Natural Medicine states in "Principles of Healing":

"the practice of naturopathic medicine emerges from six principles of healing. These principles are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease and are examined continually in light of scientific analysis [!!!...#1] the healing power of nature -- vis medicatrix naturae. The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force [...this is] in fact."

Note: vitalism is again claimed by naturopathy's core North American school, just as it was by the State of Oregon in 003.a., as "in fact" & able to survive scientific scrutiny. This is Dr. Hudson's ND alma mater.

003.c. the Federation of Naturopathic Licensing Authorities states in "Philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine":

"naturopathic medicine emphasizes the treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the person [IHCP]. Methods of treatments are chosen to work with the patient's vital force [VF], respecting the intelligence of the natural healing process [INHP...#1] the healing power of nature. Vis medicatrix naturae [HPN-VMN]. The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force [LF...#3] first do no harm. Primum no nocere. Illness is a purposeful process of the organism. The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms which are, in fact, an expression of the life force [LF] attempting to heal itself."

Note: IHCP = VF = INHP = HPN-VMN = LF. This is North American naturopathy's 'umbrella consortia' which includes NCNM, OBNE, AANP and CNME etc. stating naturopathy's collectively agreed upon central premise -- vitalism.

003.d. keep in mind this ACTUAL context, when you consider naturopathy [government entities' fraud-enabling endorsements included!]:

falsely claimed as 'in fact scientific', naturopathy's essential vitalism is PROFOUNDLY science-ejected, while actual medicine ethically obligates an actual physician to scientific integrity and honesty.

SGU's Novella: "A Naturopath [BCNA's Swetlikoff] On Water," and UBCNM:

some 'right on the money' excerpted comments regarding naturopathy by Dr. Novella from the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe podcast blogpage, "The Rogues Gallery" [see 01. below]. Being quite familiar with the University of Bridgeport's naturopathy pseudoscience [I am one of the snookered!], I've provided an immediate example of UB naturopathic nonsensical 'scientific nonscience' [see 02. below], and some related -- rather coded -- material from Dr. Swetlikoff's own site [see 03. below], and the BCNA site [see 04. below]:

01. Novella, S. (MD ?) states in "A Naturopath On Water"{08-10-2008}:

"[truly] it is a menace to the public when governments license nonsense. It is a betrayal of the public trust, it diminishes all professionalism, and it generally propagates confusion in an area where licensure is meant to provide clarity. One egregious example is naturopathy [...] naturopaths are health care pseudoscientists [...] essentially, they are what happens when medicine is completely disconnected from science, evidence, and even common sense [...you get] pure pseudoscience - complete with superficial medical jargon but delightfully devoid of any evidence or scientific rationale [...e.g. Canada's] Lorne Swetlikoff [ND Bastyr 1988] is the current president of the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia [BCNA]. To a non-critical thinker the pseudoscience spewed by Swetlikoff and other naturopaths may sound compelling and 'sciencey.' But on close examination it is pure pseudoscience."

Note: one of the best definitions of pseudoscience I've ever come across is at Wikipedia:

"pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice that is claimed to be scientific or made to appear scientific, but does not adhere to the scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, or otherwise lacks scientific status."

02. UBCNM's irrationality / 'epistemic fraud:'

02.a. UB states that naturopathy is science;

visit this compilation.

02.b. UB states naturopathy's essential vitalism;

visit this compilation.

02.c. vitalism is HUGELY science-ejected;

visit this compilation.

Note: obviously, UB's label upon naturopathy as scientific is completely misleading.

03. what Dr. Swetlikoff says:

03.a. in "About Dr. Swetlikoff" we're told:

"naturopathic medicine [...is] science-based holistic health care."

03.b. in "About Naturopathic Medicine" we're told:

"naturopathic medicine is a distinct healing science and philosophy [...] the art and science of supporting the natural healing processes of the patient [...] the naturopathic physician will practice the art, science and spirit of the profession to the best of his/her ability and judgment following these principles of naturopathic medicine [...#1, the primary principle] vis medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature). The naturopathic physician shall [must!] recognize, respect and promote the self-healing power of nature inherent in each individual human being [vitalism; for more such essential, mandatory naturopathic vitalism {so often, as here, coded}, click here]."

Note: the great irrationality of naturopathy can bee seen in these Swetlikoff examples -- placing the label science upon that which is preponderantly HUGELY nonscience [vitalism, supernaturalism & kind].

04. the British Columbia Naturopathic Association states in "The Nature of Naturopathic Medicine":

"[per Cassie, G. (MA ?), BCNA Executive Director] naturopathic medicine is science based natural medicine. The third major difference is the philosophy of naturopathic treatment [..with #1, the primary principle] vis medicatrix naturae [VMN]: the body has the inherent capacity to heal [...] embracing these tenets [like VMN], on a science-based platform, is at the heart of naturopathic medical care [...NDs have studied] all the basic sciences any general practitioner receives [...NDs have] 'a comprehensive foundation in the biological and biomedical sciences' [...and] 'the commission believes that the division between alternative and orthodox medicine is not of a scientific nature' [huh?!?!]."

Note: the coding, the coding!!! The vitalism that dare not speak its name. Visit the Federation of Naturopathic Physician Licensing Authorities to see that the expression VMN is truly, contextually, a representation of naturopathy's overarching vitalism figmentation.

UK Homeopathy, AANP's NPLEX II, and the "Current of Science and Reason":

Andy Lewis points out the nonsense known as homeopathy. Meanwhile, NDs -- who must do mandatory homeopathy coursework, homeopathy patient contact quotas, and a national exam that includes homeopathy -- claim that such nonsense is a clinical science. Fascinating:

01. Andy Lewis of The Quackometer points out in his excellent "Desperate Remedies"post {2008-08-03}:

"homeopathy on the NHS has nearly vanished [...it is] the last vestigial remnants of nineteenth century quackery [... it's a] fabulously constructed fantasy world [...] the Faculty of Homeopaths [...they] are swimming against the current of science and reason [...homeopathy is] an entirely placebo based therapy [...] that is what all the science and evidence says homeopathy is [...homeopathy's disappearance] is the natural result of an increasing awareness of the need to adopt evidence based practices."

02. meanwhile, in North America:

02.a. the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations [NPLEX], by way of Bastyr University, states that homeopathy is a clinical science:

"NPLEX Part II - Clinical Science Examinations: Blueprints & Preparation Guide [...] the NPLEX Board designed this guide to give general information to anyone taking the NPLEX Part II – Clinical Science Examinations [...including] homeopathy."

02.b. but, this should not be surprising since AANP-FNPLA-NPLEX naturopathy ignores the parameters whereby actual science is conducted, claiming instead -- merely by fiat, against quite a preponderance of historic precedent -- that the following either nonscientific or science-ejected concepts / sectic premises are in fact science / science-based / scientific:

vitalism, supernaturalism, autoentheism & kind.

03. obviously, the "current of science and reason" has:

profoundly ejected vitalism and ejected supernaturalism from the realm of science.