It's a fact. Naturopathy and natural health practices are getting a bad press these days.
Following a number of abuses by people claiming to be naturopaths or natural health practitioners practitioners, sometimes with dramatic consequences, and the withdrawal of these professions from the Doctolib platform, we are increasingly hearing the words "charlatans" or "gurus" applied to the world of natural health.
As with any generalization, we deplore the fact that errors, aberrations and one-off occurrences taint a profession as a whole, all the more so as the methods employed by some are sometimes far removed from the precepts inculcated in practitioners in most serious training courses when they are scrupulously followed and applied.
And therein lies the rub.
Despite the many efforts of natural health unions and federations such as SPN, FENA and OMNES, and their repeated appeals to the government, nothing has yet been done to better supervise and regulate the profession by giving it state-recognized status, thus enabling people to find a trusted professional.
Yet this is already the case in many countries where naturopathy and other natural health professions are officially recognized and regulated by the state, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and the UK.
At a time when society is increasingly turning towards healthier, more natural lifestyles, and ecological awareness is growing, we feel it is essential to enable people seeking support in this process to do so in complete safety, with qualified advice.
We would like to remind you that naturopathy is an approach to health and well-being that focuses on health prevention and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
Recognized by the WHO as the 3rd traditional medicine, naturopathy uses a holistic approach. holistic approach: it takes into account the human being as a whole and acts not on the treatment of effects, but on the origin of ailments so that they no longer appear. they no longer occur.
Naturopaths seek to understand a person's lifestyle, diet, sleep and exercise habits sleep and exercise habits, as well as their personal history, in order to propose personalized actions. Naturopaths never diagnose. Instead, they offer advice and support to guide people towards a healthier lifestyle.
Naturopathy is therefore in no way intended to replace conventional medicine or drug treatments, which are indispensable for certain pathologies, but rather to complement them and help prevent imbalances to promote a healthy life.
What's more, by opting for a more natural lifestyle, we're also helping to preserve our environment. By choosing organic products, supporting sustainable agriculture and respecting natural balances, we are acting in harmony with our planet, ensuring a healthy and viable future for generations to come.
This is why we encourage individuals, communities, governments and organizations to recognize the importance of natural health practices and promote initiatives aimed at integrating them more formally into our modern lifestyles, while at the same time framing them more strictly. This can be achieved through educational programs, recognized and supervised training, health policies that favor more natural accompaniments, and the promotion of scientific research into the benefits of natural approaches to health, which will enable us to work more effectively to bring health and wellness professionals closer together.
Natflow press release June 6, 2023