Naturopathy's Essential Vitalism in NDNR 2009-11 - Misak, D. (ND NCNM 2000):

here, I highlight naturopathy's fundamental sectarian belief as recently stated by an NCNM ND in the publication Naturopathic Doctor News and Review [a.k.a. NDNR (or Naturopathic Doctors Are Not Rational!); see 001., below]; and then, I quote from NCNM's quite irrational web page concerning the essentially naturopathic [see 002., below]:

001. Misak, D. (ND NCNM 2000) states in "Holding on to Our Truths: Let's Keep Our Focus on the Patient" [NDNR 2009-11, p.010]:

"[in] our profession [...] we all [NDs] hold to vis medicatrix naturae [VMN] with the recognition that each person has an individual vital force [VF...and we're also told] iridology [is] a science [...and] as we hold to the natural laws inherent in our principles, I think our profession should use science to prove and validate our theories."

Note: so, there's the "profession" claim, and obviously naturopathy's VMN=VF.  Now, such vitalism is not anything like science's laws of nature, or science's idea of what a theory is.  Vitalism is not in any way evidence-supported, and nor is iridology.

002. if you go online to NCNM [National College of Nonsense Medicine!], Misak's alma mater, you are told in "Principles of Healing":

"the practice of naturopathic medicine emerges from six principles of healing [...which] are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease and are examined continually in light of scientific analysis [these principles are claimed able to survive scientific scrutiny...#1] the healing power of nature -- vis medicatrix naturae [HPN=VMN...] the healing process is ordered and intelligent [purposeful]; nature heals through the response of the life force [LF...] the process of healing includes the generation of symptoms, which are, in fact, expressions of the life force [LF] attempting to heal itself [...naturopathy is] the practice of promoting health through stimulation of the vital force and the rational use of natural agents."

Note: obviously, naturopathy is centered upon vitalism and claims that such in fact survives scientific scrutiny.  But, that is not so.

Therein, naturopathy is hugely irrational / absurd / false, at its foundation.

Nobels in Physiology or Medicine For 3 Americans - But Where is ND Pizzorno & NCNM's?

here, I ponder a great mystery. Three Americans have been awarded Nobels today for their work in genetics [see 001., below]; but, why haven't ND Joseph E. Pizzorno (NCNM 1975) [JEP] & his ND-granting alma mater National College of Natural Medicine [NCNM] similarly been awarded Nobels in physiology or medicine for HUMONGOUS discoveries that are MUCH MORE Earth-shaking? [see 002., below]; oh [see 003., below]:

001. the New York Times reports in "Three Americans Share Nobel Prize for Medicine" (2009-10-05):

"the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded this year to three American scientists who solved a problem of cell biology with deep relevance to cancer and aging [...] the three winners are Elizabeth H. Blackburn of the University of California, San Francisco, Carol W. Greider of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Jack W. Szostak of Massachusetts General Hospital."

Note: kudos.

002. the hugely science-ejected decreed as science by JEP and NCNM:

002.a. naturopathy is labeled overall as science by both:

002.a1. JEP on this 2007 archived WebMD blog post per:

"my basic beliefs [...#4] health care decisions should be made on the basis of good scientific evidence [...] when starting Bastyr University in Seattle, WA, in 1978, I coined and implemented the concept of science-based natural medicine. I knew that for this medicine [naturopathy, natural medicine] to be accepted, it had to have a strong scientific foundation [...I] coauthored the Textbook of Natural Medicine, the most widely read definitive work on science-based natural medicine."

Note: so, science-science-science!

002.a2. and NCNM in their 2009-2010 catalog:

"[the] principles of naturopathic medicine. 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. These principles stand as the distinguishing marks of the profession ['professional ethical status' claim]: [#1] the healing power of nature, vis medicatrix naturae [VMN]. The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent [teleological!]; nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician’s role is to facilitate and augment this process [p.024...#2] respect and cooperate with the vis medicatrix naturae in diagnosis, treatment and counseling [p.025]."

Note: the [absurd] claim is that VMN [& supernaturalism & teleology] survives scientific scrutiny, and since science is self-testing and self-correcting, what is implied is that this set of principles are not DOGMA / CREED, but continuously and especially current scientifically supported fact.

002.b. both JEP and NCNM also describe how, within that science, are the naturopathic concepts of:

002.b1. vitalism (for JEP, see "Homeopathy: Where Less is More?" in Vegetarian Times, 1992-03 {books.google.com has it for free}). E.g. specifically for NCNM [in addition to what I've cited in 002.a2.], by way of p.035 in that catalog, fused into an ND is:

"homeopathic medicine [...per the course] HOM 510 – Introduction to Homeopathy (2 lecture credits). This course introduces students to the principles and philosophy of classical homeopathy. Students will learn about vitalistic medicine [VMN aka 'the essentially naturopathic'], the history of vitalism, the vital force in health and disease, the nature of medicines, and ways to affect the vital force. Prerequisites: NPH 410 [Naturopathic Med History & Phil & Ther I]."

Note: interesting how this supposed "science" area called naturopathy doesn't mention that several decades ago vitalism was thumped to death by science.

002.b2. supernatural spiritism (JEP). E.g. specifically for NCNM, we're told in that same catalog:

"[homeopathy] promotes the return to health on physical, mental and spiritual levels [p.027]."

Note: interesting how this supposed "science" area called naturopathy doesn't mention that supernaturalism was thumped to death by science a few centuries ago.

002.c. and here are some aggregations of these naturopathic claims:

their science claim, their vitalism reality, their supernaturalism reality.

Note: the obvious absurdity is naturopathy's claim that science and nonscience are the same thing.

002.c1. SO, naturopathy is claiming itself collectively science, vitalistic, and supernaturalistic.

003. these discoveries by naturopathy are EARTH-SHAKING:

wait. Oh. My bad. Turns out that vitalism is hugely science-ejected; supernaturalism is hugely science-ejected; and naturopathy is indeed considered a cultic pseudoscience.

Note: you see, naturopathy is false and they are making a lot of money off of false labels. Labeling what is hugely not science as a science degree is ethically and morally repugnant. And so on. JEP had said that health care decisions should be made using good science. Hmmm.

004. a Venn diagram, of my creation, that entails much of this:

Ad Hominem Defamatory Blather In My Direction - A Portland Business Journal Commenter:

recently, NCNM put up a listing in the Portland Business Journal [see 001., below]; and I commented, and somebody commented upon my comment [see 002., below]; and I share some ACTUAL FACTS [see 003., below]:

001. NCNM states in "National College of Natural Medicine":

"NCNM offers two exceptional degree programs [including the] Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) [...] established in 1956, NCNM represents the heart of natural medicine [...] natural health care [...] NCNM meets or exceeds all pertinent regulatory standards [...] the content of this listing was provided by a representative of National College of Natural Medicine."

Note: the claims of being exceptional / exceeding, & being central per "heart" within the ND [mis]educational world. I do agree with the latter.

002. my comment, and a response:

002.a. I commented:

"isn't NCNM the HEIGHT of pseudointellectual absurdity [naturopathy]? E.g., labeling as 'scientific fact' the IN FACT science-ejected vitalistic, supernatural, teleological & kind! naturocrit.blogspot.com."

002.b. someone anonymously responded:

"Rob Cullen, face it, you were asked to leave Bridgeport because you're a horrible clinician and now that you're bitter, you're continuing to burn more bridges. Get a life! With all this hate a [and?] negativity, no wonder you couldn't cut it. Naturoapthic [sp.] medicine is about positivity and optimism. You clearly did not belong. NCNM is the top Naturopathic school, working hand-in-hand with MD's, DO's, DC's and LAc's in the community providing preventive primary care at the highest levels... It's a 4-5 yr doctorate program with the highest standards of any other naturopathic program in the entire world. NCNM rocks! :)."

Note: first, my criticisms were substantively addressed. This is likely because they are true, and therefore unassailable. Instead, my character is attacked with falsehood and name-calling. This is not relevant to my criticism. I've no idea who wrote this, but I'd like to remind all that naturocrit is open to commentary and I'd only edit comments that are grossly without merit in regards to the blogpost commented upon.

003. some actual facts:

003.a. it is an actual fact that NCNM claims that that which is profoundly science-ejected in fact survives scientific scrutiny

- which is ABSURD, insane, & academically and professionally impossible to adhere to. That is what I specifically mean by "pseudointellectual absurdity". I don't see how such "exceeds" and is "exceptional". I would say that such thinking is typical of naturopathy: dumb-assed. I don't see how the rigorous standards of professionalism can be accomplished from a basis of falsehood: the scientific science-ejected. I don't see how the rather easier standards of fair trade can be accomplished when the trade occurs from a position of falsehood. In other words, caveat emptor isn't even being met, never mind credat emptor.

003.b. it is an actual fact, as regards UB:

003.a. I was not asked to leave Bridgeport by ANYONE. I left due to the unethical position I found myself in: being an ND, if I had stayed and graduated. One necessary hoop I'd have had to have jumped through was to treat patients with homeopathy, and complete required homeopathy courses, and then have to take board exams that include such CRAP.

Giving people NOTHING, and telling them it is medicine is REPUGNANT.

003.b. I am not a clinician of any kind. I am an educator and autodidact.

003.c. the rest, well, is blather and I don't care to comment further on it. I'll guess that this is a current NCNM student, but that's just a guess.

Commentary is invited.

***update 01: all of a sudden [7:20 pm EST], the web page is no longer active:

***update 02: all of a sudden [1:21 am EST] it's back up.

Naturopathy's "Conventionally Trained Medical Professional" Claim - Fox, S. (ND NCNM):

here, I quote an ND who recently stated an ND is a "conventionally trained medical professional" [see 001., below]; and, I elucidate NDs' "philosophical grounding" in vitalism claimed as scientific when HUGELY not -- YES, that's how ABSURD naturopathy is!!! [see 002., below]:

001. naturopath Fox, S. (ND NCNM) states in "Naturopathic Physicians: Up and Coming Partners in Diabetes Care" (2009-07-24):

"although they [NDs] are conventionally trained medical professionals, naturopathic physicians are distinguished by their extensive post-graduate outpatient and clinical experience, and deep trust [faith!] in the body’s ability to heal itself [BATHI...] naturopathic medicine differs from conventional Western medicine in its deep grounding in a set of philosophical tenets [...] their philosophical grounding [...] foremost among them a profound trust [faith!] in the body's ability to heal itself [BATHI...per] the body's innate self-healing design [BISHD...] the body's self-healing mechanisms [...per] the self-healing mechanisms [SHM...NDs are] a licensed medical professional [s...] primary care physicians [...and] medical experts [...] trained in four-year accredited postgraduate medical programs [...] naturopathic physicians are well-trained [...with a goal of] empowerment of people to make beneficial choices for themselves, naturopathic physicians are often an excellent choice [...] accredited programs in naturopathic medicine are currently offered at National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR, Bastyr University near Seattle, WA, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Phoenix, AZ, and the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, CT."

002. now, what MUST the specific context of BATHI-BISHD-SHM premise be to particularly an NCNM graduate such as Fox? Vitalism claimed a scientific when hugely not [a.k.a. ABSURDITY]:

002.a. the vitalism that dare not speak its name [coded]:

002.a1a. [as spoken at the source / alma mater, NCNM] NCNM 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 [SS]. These principles stand as the distinguishing marks of the profession: 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...] symptoms [...] in fact [are] expressions of the life force [LF] attempting to heal itself [...we're all about] the practice of promoting health through stimulation of the vital force [VF]."

Note: vitalism [HPN-VMN, LF, VF] is claimed as able to survive SS, in fact. But, vitalism is PROFOUNDLY science-ejected, in fact. Now, NCNM is the trunk of the tree of the this sectarian movement. As NCNM recently stated in "National College of Natural Medicine":

"National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) is the oldest accredited naturopathic college in North America. Its graduates have gone on to establish all of the accredited naturopathic colleges now operating in North America [...] NCNM meets or exceeds all pertinent regulatory standards."

Bastyr NDs Burnett x2 a testament to this 'trunk of naturopathy' fact, as they employ NCNM's language in "Naturopathic Medicine":

"naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles which underlie and determine its practice. These principles are based upon the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in the light of scientific advances."

I will state this as simply as possible: engaging in commerce under the guise of legitimacy [science as a marketing label] when actually nonsensical [calling the nonscientific science] MUST violate basic strictures of commerce regulatory standards [we don't even have to go to the even higher strictures of professionalism regulation, which cannot be met until lower, easier strictures are met].

002.a.1b. vitalism at two of NCNM's other branchings, UBCNM and SCNM:

UB states explicitly in "UB Spotlight: Health Sciences Programs":

"health science programs [...] the University's professionally accredited health sciences programs [...include] the College of Naturopathic Medicine."

Note: the claim of professionalism and science per the naturopathic.

But, also at UB is "Six Guiding Principles: Guiding Principle #1" which states:

"the healing power of nature, viz 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. The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process."

Just like NCNM, the nonscientific is stated as scientific.

SCNM states in "What is A Naturopathic Physician?":

"the principles of naturopathic medicine are based upon objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually re-examined in the light of scientific advances [...] the degree of doctor of naturopathic medicine requires four years of graduate level study in the medical sciences [...] the major belief is in the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae)."

And SCNM states in "2004 SCNM Fall Newsletter":

"this therapy fits well with one of the basic principles of naturopathic medicine: 'the healing power of nature'. The healing power of nature or vis medicatrix naturae is based on the principle that the body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health [IATEMARH]. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process."

Again, vitalism [IATEMARH-LF] claimed as science, but also acknowledged as belief.

00.2b. do NDs sound:

002.b1. conventionally trained?

when the profoundly science-ejected is STRANGELY labeled science, I don't think so.

002.b2. professional?

when does a professional disguise and manipulate, and when is a profession based upon the completely false?

002.b3. extensive post-graduate & medical?

how are sectarian concepts that for several decades have been science-ejected [NDs' vitalistic belief amalgam], portrayed falsely as science, of post-graduate caliber education and medical?

003. overall note:

crazy like a Fox ND? [irresistible].

Also note, NCNM, Bastyr and SCNM were part of the 'education robbers science not belief' AANP-Alliance BIG LIE that I've discussed elsewhere.

Naturopathy's "Firmly Science-Based" Bullshit: Roxas, M. (ND NCNM) 2009:

here, I cite the words of an ND who claims that naturopathy is firmly scientific [see 001., below]; while naturopathy, as defined by that ND's own alma mater, is clearly based upon vitalism, teleology, and supernaturalism [see 002., below]; which ALL are PROFOUNDLY NOT SCIENCE [see 003., below]; and I give the Irish salute to all these rogues [see 004., below]:

001. Roxas, M. (ND NCNM) states in "What is Naturopathic Medicine?":

"while firmly science-based, modern naturopathic medicine [etc.]."

Note: the claim is that 'the naturopathic' is quite science-established.

002. National College of Natural Medicine [NCNM] 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 [{science claim}...] these principles stand as the distinguishing marks of the profession: [professions claim; #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 [{teleology claim}]; nature heals through the response of the life force [{vitalism}]. The physician’s role is to facilitate and augment this process [...#3] first do no harm -- primum no nocere. The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms, which are, in fact [fact claim], expressions of the life force [vitalism claim] attempting to heal itself. Therapeutic actions should be complementary to and synergistic with this healing process. The physician’s actions can support or antagonize the actions of vis medicatrix naturae [vitalism...#2] causes may occur on many levels, including physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual [supernatural claim...#4] health and disease are conditions of the whole organism, involving a complex interaction of physical, spiritual [supernatural claim...#5] the physician must also make a commitment to her/his personal and spiritual development [supernatural claim...] homeopathic medicine [...] promote[s] healing on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels [supernatural claim]."

Note: NDs claim that within 'objective scientific fact' is the teleological, vitalistic, and supernatural - obviously!

003. what science says:

003.a. teleology is HUGELY science-ejected, and so is vitalism [see 003., here].

003.b. supernaturalism is HUGELY science-ejected.

004. when is a 'firmly scientific fact' simultaneously HUGELY science-ejected...

naturopathy. Beware. They are the education robbers. When is a profession completely absurd...

naturopathy [therefore not a profession at all].

I want to thank all those involved for visiting this upon me as a consumer and citizen of the modern era:

the AANMC ND colleges and universities, the State oversight apparati [particularly CT], the Federal Dept.s of Education and of Trade.

As this whole consortia demand $ from me I answer:

pogue mahone.

Decoding Naturopathy's Essential Science-Mislabeled Vitalism - Godby, D. (NMD NCNM):

here, I parse ND Godby's claim -- as recently stated in Rocklin & Roseville Today and on his own web pages -- that naturopathy is "science based" [see 001.a. and 001.b., below]; while, a little web research and third-grade-level thinking reveals that naturopathy is actually obligated to and centered around the science-ejected falsely labeled as able to survive scientific scrutiny [see 002., where I decode this ND's occult vitalism]:

001. Godby, D. (NMD NCNM) writes in

001.a. "California Threatens Naturopathic Care" [also hosted on his own web page] (2009-06-30):

"naturopathic medicine is based on the belief [!!!] that the human body has an innate healing ability [IHA...we use] cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their [patients'] bodies’ ability to combat disease [BATCD...] naturopathic doctors craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches to treat disease and restore health [...] a licensed naturopathic doctor (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate-level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D. [...] a naturopathic doctor takes rigorous professional board exams [...] naturopathic physicians base their practice on six timeless principles founded on medical tradition and scientific evidence: let nature heal [LNH] by removing the obstacles to cure, identify and treat causes, first do no harm, educate patients, treat the whole person, prevent illness."

001.b. in "Naturopathy":

"as professional leaders and pioneers in science-based natural medicine, naturopathic physicians [...] integrate scientific research with the healing powers of nature [HPN]."

Note: NDs claim that HPN is science-based.

001.c. in 'homepage':

"Sacramento naturopathic doctor, Dennis Godby, has helped hundreds of patients from Redding to Fresno, Placerville to the Bay Area to heal complex, chronic diseases that most medicine can’t touch [{quite a promise!!!}...service at] Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center [...] is always done in light of the powerful principles of naturopathic medicine: 1) first do no harm, use the most natural least invasive and least toxic therapies first, 2) identify and treat the underlying causes of illness and remove the obstacles to cure rather than merely treating symptoms, 3) use the healing power of nature [HPN], 4) treat the whole person, 5) prevent when possible."

002. overall note:

naturopathy is belief-based. IHA-BATCD-LNH-HPN are codings for naturopathy's 'purposeful life spirit bioagency' sectarian article of faith aka vitalism, which is not cutting edge, not scientific, and is supernatural archaic superstitious figmentation. Blending science with 'the traditional' is another way of saying that overarching any scientific content that naturopathy may resemble is a sectarian belief-based context. Yet, NDs absurdly claim 'we are of the same kind of science, rigor, and professionalism' as other healthcare science doctorates! Vitalism [and supernaturalism] is in no way based upon scientific evidence. In fact, vitalism is science-ejected. To actually be science-based means to reject what science does not support and honestly call it nonscientific. Is this rigorous? Is this professional? No. In naturopathy, science has been unlimited to allow any old ideation, and professionalism has been unlimited to allow deceit and misinformation.

From the inside, the vitalistic obligations of naturopathy -- falsely stated as able to survive scientific scrutiny -- are ONLY obvious [Godby does not tell you in the above!] when you look at his alma mater, NCNM, which states in "Principles of Healing":

"these principles stand as the distinguishing marks of the profession: 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 [...] the practice of promoting health through stimulation of the vital force [...] the process of healing includes the generation of symptoms, which are, in fact, expressions of the life force attempting to heal itself [...and true to form for naturopathy, they claim falsely] these principles are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease and are examined continually in light of scientific analysis."

Also, the supernatural obligations of naturopathy are evident on that principles page per:

"causes may occur on many levels, including [...the] spiritual [...] health and disease are conditions of the whole organism [...including the] spiritual [...] the physician must also make a commitment to [...] spiritual development."

Naturopathy indeed blends, but then falsely labels the whole thing one kind of thing, scientific.

Naturopathy's Essential Vitalism Commitment - NCNM's President & CEO Schleich, D.J. (PhD UT):

here, I quote from a "Naturopathic Doctor News & Review" [NDNR] article written by NCNM president & CEO Schleich regarding naturopathy's essential vitalism commitment:

001. the NDNR article "Towards an Epistemology of Naturopathic Medicine" [2009-04] by Schleich, D.J. (PhD UT) [who is not an ND, BTW, and whose article is rather 'without direction'] states:

"[that] the holistic [aka naturopathic] practitioner's spiritual and physical worlds are [quoting Boon] 'not separate, but manifestations of a single life force' [{naturo.'s requisite supernaturalism & vitalism belief amalgam'; and since a life force is an a priori figment and the physical world is a posteriori real, wow -- obviously, naturo.'s don't distinguish between either epistemic type, they conflate / blend them!!!; aka, naturo.'s knowledge claims are muddled nonsense / highly suspect}...and speaks of] the myth of the basic sciences [huh?] or 'physico-chemico-reductionism' [{they're not the same thing; their equation is WRONG}...and speaks of modern medicine as that of] the allopathic or biomedicine doctor [{modern medicine isn't allopathy};...who is supposedly of] a biomedical model which reduces all pathology to a cellular or molecular level [{is this even true, 'reduces'?}...whereby] the scientific method is the route to curing a disease [{that's horrible?}...per] the reductionism of a strictly biomedical perspective [{again, reductionism?}...and speaks of questioning] the unassailable position of science in health design and delivery, and also in the education of doctors [{are you nuts?}...] and a biomedical knowledge which the allopathic professions claim inappropriately as their own [huh?]."

Note: Schleich is described as "president and CEO of NCNM [...and] former CEO and president of CCNM." I call such knowledge-type blending "the epistemic conflation of a school of thought claiming to be scientific."

002. meanwhile, vitalism is science-ejected; supernaturalism is science-ejected -- yet, absurdly, NCNM claims that such survives scientific scrutiny.

002. NCNM's committment to vitalism:

002.a. NCNM states in "Principles of Healing":

"the practice of naturopathic medicine emerges from six principles of healing [...] these principles stand as the distinguishing marks of the profession [{!}...#1] the healing power of nature -- vis medicatrix naturae [...which is the] life force [...#3] the process of healing includes the generation of symptoms, which are, in fact, expressions of the life force attempting to heal itself [...overall, naturo. is] the practice of promoting health through stimulation of the vital force [...and we're told] these principles are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease and are examined continually in light of scientific analysis."

Note: again, science-ejected figmentation claimed as 'objective / in fact'.

002.b. and Schleich states in "Welcome to the National College of Natural Medicine: A Message From Our President, David J. Schleich, PhD":

"we will continue to advocate for the extraordinary presence of the vis medicatrix naturae, the healing power of nature, in patient care."

Note: naturo. is obviously STRONGLY committed to this sectarian belief, and, while antiscientific, claims a scientific status.

Extraordinarily wacko.

Naturopathy's 'Supernatural Cause of Disease' - Ian, H. (NMD SCNM), Pizzorno, J.E. (ND NCNM):

here, I principally quote from a Naturopathic Doctor News & Review [NDNR] article by an NMD that states that all disease is due to a "spiritual" / supernatural cause, first & foremost [see 001., below]; and from a similar position held by Pizzorno [see 002., below]:

001. Ian, H. (NMD SCNM) states in "The Nature of the Counseling Relationship: Within the Naturopathic Philosophy" [NDNR 2009-04, p.014-015]:

"the counseling relationship provides a vehicle to approach the symptoms of illness through recognition of and reverence for the blueprint of the human [{huh?}...] the physician will understand and address the cause of illness [...] act[ing] with the vis medicatrix naturae [VMN...per] the creator's purpose [{theism?}...] the architect of the human has created a complex design consisting of emotional, psychological and spiritual components [{theism?}...that are] inseparable [...] all disease originates from a basic crisis of spirit [...] all physical dysfunction being manifest by the body is a reflection of deeper, unresolved spiritual issues [...per] the crisis of spirit that preceded and accompanied the manifestation of disease [...per] the inner emotional and spiritual experience of the human precedes and, in fact, determines all that is experienced at the physical level of life [...this is apposed to] the current cultural attitude that disease originates from unseen forces that invade and take over the physical body [{huh?; what culture is that, paleolithic man?}...Shealy & Myss] identified eight dysfunctional patterns in people who become sick [...#2] negative belief patterns that have control over a person's reality."

Note: the irony is killing me -- in naturoland, nature is supernatural, superstition is elevated to the status of fact. There's nothing "in fact" about a BELIEF that disease is entirely of supernatural origin -- it is an article of faith. Calling such in fact is truly 'the negative belief pattern', because faith and fact are different, and conflating them is absurd. I hazard to guess that such righteousness plows over others' freedom of conscience.

Meanwhile, similarly,
SCNM -- Ian's alma mater -- claims that naturopathic figmentation survives scientific scrutiny.

002. this parallels Pizzorno, J.E. (ND NCNM 1975)'s claim that the 'purposeful life spirit' bioagency NDs call VMN is a 'physiological system' / spirit:

"[page three:] seven underlying, health-sustaining systems of our body must function effectively to ensure our well-being, prevent disease, and allow a full life: the immune system, the detoxification system, the inflammatory system, the metabolic system, the regulatory system, the regeneration system, and our life-force (or spirit). Weakness in any of these seven systems results in susceptibilities that allow most common diseases to develop [...page four:] live in harmony with your life-force [...] each of us needs to become more aware of the activity of the vis medicatrix naturae (life-force) deep within us."

Note: meanwhile, similarly,
NCNM -- Pizzorno's alma mater -- claims that such naturopathic figmentation survives scientific scrutiny.