What is Naturopathy

​With the discovery of modern medicine, based on scientific research, people started being vaccinated and cured for several diseases, that only few decades ago were thought to be incurable. 

Modern medicine also play a crucial role in first aid, where a fraction of time can separate life from death. The value provided to the community by Medical Doctors in such situations, is irreplaceable. Where science apply, we generally have a predictable view of the world, and in healthcare, this may help to prevent the development of many diseases.


However, when we apply a scientific method to resolve a problem, the human factor is always present, and mistakes may happen, irrespective of the science being applied.
Human errors may happen, no matter how good is our education, or our intentions. [1] Errors are so inevitable, that digital secure systems, are designed to be redundant [3], so that if one part fails, the other takes over. Unfortunately, even such systems can fail miserably. For example, scientists could not avoid major disasters like the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, in January 1986. [2]
In the digital industry there are many examples, showing that finding defects in a system, doesn't make the system error free. In The Art of Software Testing [4], Glenford Myers explains that "testing is the process of executing a program with the intent of finding errors." , but finding errors does not ensure that a product works as expected.
In the life science industry, DDT (a trichloroethane), was a pesticide developed by Monsanto in the 1950s, and it was sold as safe for humans and the environment. 10 years later, it was withdrawn from the market, due to mounting evidence of its carcinogenic effects on humans. [5]
While science is in general able to predict a measurable result, the application of a scientific method in medicine requires a physician, and this may introduce errors. A 2016 study, found that in US the 3rd leading cause of death was due to medical error including wrong diagnosis.[17] According to the World Health Organization, globally 40% of patients are harmed in primary health care, with most errors related to diagnosis, and wrong prescriptions. [18]
In 2019 Google Artificial Intelligence program proved more accurate than medical doctors, on detecting breast cancer formations. [14]



Naturopathy, or Natural Medicine, is a body of practices aimed to help the body heal itself. [6] Natural Medicine suggest the use of herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutrition therapy. Natural Medicine is based on empiricism, from the ancient Greek word empeiria, "experience", stating that current knowledge is based only on past experience. [7]
The key points of Natural Medicine, are as follows:

• Treating the individual, not the disease.
• Acknowledging that each individual is different
• Addressing the root cause of an illness, not just managing the symptoms.

The modern culture of 'taking a pill to fix the problem', is in deep contrast with the principles of Natural Medicine, that focus on the root cause of the disease. As a result of managing symptoms,antibiotic resistance and addiction to painkillers have become a global issue. [11][16] Natural Medicine value human interactions, empathy, respect, and requires passion, and dedication above all professional qualifications. So a medical doctor practicing Natural Medicine, doesn't become automatically better than a natural doctor.
At Fempton Institute, we published the Manifesto of Natural Medicine, to promote human values in medicine.


Since Natural Medicine is based on empiricism, it's usually dismissed by the scientific community as unreliable, or even harmful to health.
However, we should ponder all aspects before jumping to conclusions.
If we look at the market trend of modern and natural medicine, the numbers tell a different story.
In 2019 the global revenue of the pharma industry was $1,250 billion [9], whereas the global market of alternative medicine was at $69.2 billion [10]. If we compare these values, the pharma industry is approximately 18 times bigger. In 2017, cash and hospitality given by the pharmaceutical industry to doctors, has increased to more than £116 million a year, despite a drive to make the practice more transparent. [12]
A key factor for any business is to sell, and the pharmaceutical industry is no exception. In a pharmacy shop we can usually buy Homeopathic remedies, though Homeopathy has been banned as ineffective in UK and other countries [8]. Many drugs have been sold as safe in US, until the FDA (federal drug administration), recalled them from the market because of their adverse effects. These adverse effects include: heart attack, stroke, and death. The drugs pulled from the market include: Valdecoxib, Pemoline, Bromfenac, Rofecoxib, Isotretinoin, Sibutramine, Troglitazone, and Efalizumab. [15]
The global healthcare market in 2019 was estimated as $11.9 trillion.[13] If we assume that nutrition and lifestyle alone could improve or prevent just 10% of common diseases, this means more than a trillion dollar saved every year. Though the cost saving is even more, if we consider collateral, like visits, travels, assistance, and days-off from work.


Natural Medicine is generally not recognized by governments, and a natural doctor need to be aware of local regulations before they can safely practice. At Fempton we recommend our practitioners to be insured. Unfortunately, due to lacks of regulations in most countries, anyone reading a book today, can play as a Natural Doctor the day after. To impress their students and generate more business, some institutions of natural medicine claim recognitions with local authorities, allegedly tied with the government, when there is none.
Under these circumstances, it's easier to dismiss Natural Medicine as unreliable, though in Asian cultures it is often practiced, and considered a valid alternative to modern medicine.
The bottom line, is to trust our doctor, and see if the prescription works to re-establish homeostasis, and our strength in the long-term. If not, then it's no surprise when people look elsewhere.



[1] Discovering Digital Errors https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2018/9/230562-discovering-bugs-or-ensuring-success/fulltext

[2] Space shuttle Challenger
https://www.space.com/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html

[3] Redundant Systems
https://www.ni.com/en-gb/innovations/white-papers/08/redundant-system-basic-concepts.html

[4] The Art of Software Testing
https://amzn.to/2J7UFRE

[5] DDT
https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ddt-brief-history-and-status

[6] Naturopathic Medicine
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/what-is-naturopathic-medicine#1

[7] Empiricism
https://www.britannica.com/topic/empiricism

[8] Homeopathy https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/homeopathy/#:~:text=In%202017%2C%20NHS%20England%20recommended,remedies%20are%20available%20from%20pharmacies.

[9] Market of global pharmaceutical industry
https://www.statista.com/topics/1764/global-pharmaceutical-industry

[10] Market of complementary alternative medicine https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/complementary-alternative-medicine-market#:~:text=The%20global%20complementary%20and%20alternative,immense%20popularity%20across%20developed%20countries.

[11] Painkillers in drug addiction
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/painkillers-fuel-growth-in-drug-addiction

[12] Big-Pharma on cash-hospitality https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/30/big-pharma-cash-hospitality-doctors-rises-one-three-refuses/

[13] Global Healthcare Market https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190625005862/en/11.9-Trillion-Global-Healthcare-Market-Key-Opportunities

[14] Google AI breast-cancer detection https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-ai-breast-cancer-artificial-intelligence-deepmind-healthcare-a9267081.html

[15] 10 dangerous drugs recalled by FDA
https://www.mdlinx.com/article/10-dangerous-drugs-recalled-by-the-fda/lfc-4008

[16] Antibiotic resistance
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance

[17] Global medical errors
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_error#cite_note-BMJ-3

[18] Patient safety
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/patient-safety