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Depending on your situation, your naturopath may take one or more of the following approaches to treat you:

• Ayurvedic medicine.

  This is really a health care system unto itself, but it's sometimes adopted-and adapted-by naturopaths. Ayurvedic medicine, founded in India 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, focuses on the individual's overall health and on restoration of harmony and balance, which lead to good health. As with other alternative and complementary approaches, it takes a holistic approach rather than focusing on a person's symptoms. It's similar to naturopathy in that treatments are generally natural and include an array of options, including herbal medicine, bodywork, exercise and meditation. The Ayurvedic practitioner tries to help you understand your constitutional makeup and suggests health, lifestyle and dietary changes accordingly.

• Bodywork.

  Some naturopaths include therapeutic massage and manipulation of muscles, bones and spine. This approach is often similar to that of a chiropractor. Bowen manipulation, a soft tissue manipulation technique, is another type of bodywork some naturopaths use.

• Botanical and herbal medicine.

  Naturopaths-among others-believe that herbs and other plants have healing properties. Some may prescribe herbal remedies in place of conventional drugs. Always consult with your primary health care professional(s) before changing your medications or adding a new one. Many botanical medicines are nutritive and are safe to use while taking prescription medications, too. Make sure all your healthcare providers know all medicines-pharmaceutical as well as botanical-you're taking.

• Clinical Nutrition.

  Naturopathy holds that a healthy diet is an essential part of a healthy life and that dietary changes, including abstinence from certain foods and the use of nutritional supplements, can have a profound effect on your health. For instance, many naturopaths promote a whole food diet that requires a balance of the appropriate fats, protein and carbohydrates tailored to your metabolism. And you may find that the naturopath asks you to eat more unprocessed, unrefined, whole-fiber foods and avoid alcohol.

• Detoxification.

  Related to nutrition, detoxification seeks to rid the body of toxins. Some naturopaths will recommend such techniques as fasting, enemas and juice diets to detoxify the body. Sometimes it's recommended to clean out the digestive system, help improve intestinal health and remedy constipation. Detoxification-particularly juice fasting and other fasting techniques-may also be used to improve health by purging your body of the various chemicals it is regularly exposed to including caffeine, tobacco, drugs, pollution, pesticides, food additives, etc. A dramatic type of enema is a colonic irrigation. Many gallons of fluid-often water containing herbal extracts or coffee-enters your colon through your rectum. The point is to cleanse your system. (This may be called colonic hydrotherapy, detoxification or high colonic.)

• Homeopathy.

  Many naturopaths are trained in homeopathy, a system of health care that uses highly diluted portions of natural substances to restore health. These remedies, derived from plant, mineral and animal sources, are used to treat patients with conditions ranging from depression to diarrhea. Minute traces of a particular substance are used to stimulate your innate healing processes. A good example is nux vomica. Consumed in large quantities, it can cause nausea (it's a seed that contains strychnine). In very small, highly diluted doses, however, it is a typical homeopathic remedy for nausea and upset stomach. The theory behind homeopathy is "like cures like," or "hair of the dog."

• Hydrotherapy.

  Naturopaths often use water (and ice and steam) for therapeutic purposes. How it's used can vary dramatically-your naturopath may suggest something as simple as a warm bath to help with joint pain or a hot chest compress for respiratory problems. Treatments include whirlpool baths, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, hot and cold compresses, as well as constitutional hydrotherapy treatment. Constitutional hydrotherapy treatment, which is often used to detoxify the body and stimulate the immune system, utilizes sine wave electrical stimulation current (the same used by physical therapists) in conjunction with a particular series of alternating hot and cold compresses. (Some consider enemas and colonic irrigation to be a form of hydrotherapy.) A series of these treatments is needed to detoxify and purify your blood in order to rebuild and balance your metabolism.

• Minor office surgery.

  Four-year trained naturopathic doctors (ND) are trained as primary care physicians and may perform minor surgery in the office, such as repair of superficial wounds or the removal of external cysts, moles, etc. However, most do not. If your naturopath suggests minor surgery, check out his or her credentials before proceeding. One way to find out is to check with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Ask to see his or her diploma. And in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington, you can check an ND out through the state licensing board. Never allow someone without the proper training and credentials perform surgery on you.

• Psychological care.

  Naturopaths focus on more than just the physical manifestation of health and disease. Emotions and attitude can make a huge difference, and stress-reduction is critical to overall health. Accordingly, your naturopath may include stress management, hypnotherapy, counseling, creative visualization, biofeedback and other therapies focusing on the mind/body connection.

• Traditional Chinese medicine.

  Many naturopaths are trained in aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is an ancient system of health care based on the concept of balanced qi (or chi, pronounced "chee"). TCM can include herbal and nutritional therapy, meditation, acupuncture, acupressure and massage.

It's important to remember that all of these approaches may involve serious lifestyle changes such as exercise, dietary change and stress reduction-changes you have to follow through on at home and at work.

Your practitioner may use a combination of approaches. For instance, for a sore throat, you may be advised to rest, gargle with salt water and drink plenty of fluids, just as you would expect. In addition, you may be asked to reduce your sugar and dairy consumption and increase your intake of vitamin C, zinc and beta-carotene. Garlic, goldenseal, calendula and echinacea may be part of the regimen, and your naturopath may suggest that you apply hot and cold towels to your neck. A constitutional hydrotherapy may be recommended on a daily basis for three days to increase your immune function and speed recovery. The combination depends on your symptoms and the naturopath's preferred approach(es).

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Some naturopaths are trained in natural childbirth, and many are trained in prenatal care. You will notice a few differences from a conventional obstetrician/gynecologist. For one thing, naturopaths prefer, whenever possible, to take a drug-free, noninvasive approach. Your naturopath may suggest massage to help with the discomfort of pregnancy or labor. And you'll probably find an even greater focus on diet and nutrition. They often use herbal therapies such as mint tea or ginger capsules to treat nausea, and homeopathic remedies to treat ankle swelling, emotional upset, insomnia, or heartburn, or during labor to ease the delivery. Ask what kind of training your naturopath has had in dealing with pregnancy and delivery.

A handful of NDs are naturopathic obstetricians-they are trained in naturopathy and midwifery. Some naturopaths are also midwives, even if they aren't naturopathic obstetricians. But be sure to ask your naturopath about his or her training. Has he or she been trained as a midwife or naturopathic obstetrician? If not, you want to find someone with this experience to be present when you go into labor. Since most naturopaths don't have hospital privileges, those who provide this kind of care generally do so out of the hospital setting.

How Will You Feel?

Because naturopathic care addresses your total self, you will probably feel a general sense of good health. On the other hand, because the focus isn't merely on symptom relief, you may not see results overnight-it's not like taking an aspirin for a mild headache. Nevertheless, if your problem persists, be sure to check back with your naturopath or another health care professional. If your health problems are acute, you are injured or gravely ill, seek emergency care via 911 or go to a hospital.

Most therapies offered by naturopaths offer little risk; the greatest danger is the possibility that you might ignore the need for conventional medicine. So talk to your naturopath and your regular health care professional before beginning treatment, and be sure each professional is informed about the various medications-herbal or otherwise-that you are or will be taking. Never go off your existing medication without consulting the health care professional who prescribed it.

A few naturopathic treatments may carry some risk. Remember, supplements are not tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and efficacy. Some herbal remedies may be toxic, especially in large quantities. Ephedra has been linked to heart attack and stroke. Ginkgo biloba may cause bleeding. St. John's wort may upset your stomach or make you more susceptible to sunburn. This is why you should seek the advice of a licensed ND to prescribe and monitor herbal medication dosages.

Some herbs don't interact well with other medications you may be taking-be sure to discuss potential interactions with your naturopath and the health care professional(s) who prescribed the other drugs you are taking.

Colonic irrigation also poses risks. While most are performed safely, when something goes wrong, it can be fatal. Contaminated fluids or equipment can cause serious illness, and you run the risk of bowel perforation. If you have intestinal or rectal problems, you should avoid this treatment.

Some naturopaths ask that you have a yearly physical. Costs vary depending on the part of the country, but according to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, a visit will cost about half as much as it would to visit a medical doctor. The drawback is that few insurance companies pay for such visits.