Naturopathy means different things to different people, and some of what goes by the name deserves scepticism. Strictly speaking, it is a complementary therapy. The way I practise it, though, sits between complementary and conventional medicine. It takes the everyday foundations that mainstream health advice also cares about, such as food, sleep, movement, daylight and stress, and works on them in detail, one person at a time. Chinese medicine works best when those foundations are in good order, which is why the two fit together so well.
Where naturopathy comes from
Naturopathy has its roots in traditional practices and approaches to health that were popular in Europe in the nineteenth century, often known as nature cure. It has some local history too. In 1925 the naturopath Stanley Lief opened Champneys at Tring, a short drive from Watford, as a nature cure resort, the first of its kind in the UK.
Modern naturopaths share a set of principles, which the World Naturopathic Federation sets out. They include:
- the healing power of nature, meaning the body's own capacity to recover when conditions allow
- treating the cause as well as the symptoms
- first, do no harm
- treating the whole person
- the practitioner as a teacher, helping people understand their own health
What a naturopathic consultation involves
At The 5 Realms, a first naturopathy consultation lasts 60 to 75 minutes. We go through your health history, what you eat and when, how you sleep, how much you move, what puts you under stress and how you respond to it, and how your digestion behaves. From there, the work can include:
- nutritional assessment and dietary guidance
- herbal medicine, Chinese or Western, where appropriate
- supplements chosen on the basis of assessment
- circadian health, meaning the timing of light, food, movement and rest across the day
- support for sleep and for the body's stress response
- attention to gut health
Health coaching often runs alongside. Most people already know roughly what they should do for their health. The harder part tends to be a routine that makes it difficult, a way of reacting to stress that undoes good intentions, or a belief about the body worth questioning. Coaching sessions focus on those obstacles, and each one ends with clear actions to take before the next.
Circadian health sounds technical, but it mostly comes down to timing: daylight early in the day, meals at fairly regular times, and a steady bedtime. Chinese medicine has its own version of the idea in the organ clock, which links each organ to a two-hour window of the day and night. Both encourage a day with a clear, steady rhythm.
Why it complements Chinese medicine
Chinese medicine has always paid attention to diet, the seasons, emotions and rest, and a Five-Element practitioner cares as much about how someone lives as about their pulse. Naturopathy gives that attention practical detail. At The 5 Realms, the dietary and lifestyle advice follows the same constitutional framework as acupuncture, so it reflects your element, your pattern of imbalance, the season and your circumstances.
The two support each other. Acupuncture works on the underlying pattern, but if daily habits keep recreating the problem, through late nights, skipped meals or constant pressure, progress becomes harder to hold. Naturopathy works directly on those habits.
Take a common combination: poor sleep, a slump in energy every afternoon and a tendency to worry. In Five-Element terms, that picture may point towards the Earth element, which governs digestion, appetite and worry. Naturopathic questions then add detail: when you eat, how much caffeine you drink and at what time, how much daylight you see in the morning, and what your evenings look like. Treatment can then work on both levels at once.
What the evidence supports
Few good-quality trials have tested naturopathy as a whole system, so I don’t make claims for it as a package. Much of what it recommends, though, lines up with mainstream advice. The NHS recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strengthening activities on at least two days, and it advises everyone to consider a daily vitamin D supplement through autumn and winter. A good naturopath helps you actually do these things in a way that fits your life.
The same applies to supplements. Where one makes sense, it should rest on a clear reason, such as a blood test that shows a deficiency, or a diet that leaves an obvious gap, rather than a long list of products taken just in case. More supplements rarely mean better health, and some carry risks of their own.
Where to take care
Herbal medicines need particular care. NHS 111 Wales, in its guidance on herbal medicines, points out that a natural product isn’t necessarily safe for you to take, that some herbs can interact with other medicines, and that pregnant or breastfeeding women should check with a doctor or pharmacist first. St John’s wort is a well-known example: it interacts with hormonal contraceptives, and the MHRA advises that women using them for contraception shouldn’t take products containing it. When you buy a herbal medicine, look for the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) mark on the packaging, although even that doesn’t mean a product is safe for everyone.
Any practitioner who suggests a herb should first ask what medicines you take, and check the two against each other.
Whoever you see, a few ground rules apply:
- Tell your GP and pharmacist about any herbs or supplements you take.
- Never stop or change a prescribed medicine on a naturopath's advice. Naturopathy works alongside medical care.
- Check that your naturopath belongs to a register. The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, set up with government support and accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, keeps a voluntary register that includes naturopathy.
At its best, naturopathy deals with ordinary things, such as meals, sleep, light, movement and stress, with patience and in careful detail, and it suits people who want to take an active part in their own health.