Naturopathy: What It Is and How It Works

Dr. Boris Wydoff

Naturopathy is an approach to health and well-being that teaches people to support their health through nutrition, physical activity, rest, and natural methods of working with the body. In simple terms, naturopathy looks at the person as a whole and encourages attention to everyday habits rather than focusing only on individual complaints. Its central idea is that the body has its own mechanisms for regulation and recovery, and a sensible lifestyle can help support these processes.

Naturopathy brings together different ideas about natural approaches to health. Some schools emphasize nutrition, while others focus on water treatments, herbal remedies, or emotional well-being. There is no single approach followed by all naturopaths.

Let's look at the foundations of this approach, the methods it includes, how to get started, and what you can learn through Dr. Boris Wydoff's system.

Naturopathy: What Is It and What Are Its Basic Principles?

Naturopathy, also known as natural medicine, is an approach to health that developed under the influence of traditional practices and European ideas about health in the 19th century. It is based on the belief that the body has natural abilities and that we should create favorable conditions to support them.

The main feature of the naturopathic approach is its focus on lifestyle as a whole. A practitioner considers not only a specific complaint but also a person's nutrition, physical activity, rest, emotional well-being, and habits.

For example, when discussing everyday well-being, several questions may be considered at once:

• How varied is your usual diet?
• Do you get enough physical activity during the day?
• Do you manage to rest regularly?
• How do you cope with emotional stress?
• Which habits support or make it harder to take care of your health?

Naturopathy is not one specific treatment or a universal diet. It is a collection of ideas and practices that vary depending on the school and the practitioner's training.

Today, the term "naturopathy" can refer both to practitioners with specialized education and to people who follow traditional natural healing practices. That is why it is important to find out which particular approach a practitioner represents, where they trained, and which methods they use.

What Are the Main Components of the Naturopathic Approach?

To better understand naturopathy, it helps to look at its main components. They relate to different aspects of everyday life and can be combined in various ways depending on the particular school.

1. Nutrition.

Diet is considered one of the important factors in everyday well-being. Attention is given to food quality, menu variety, combining different types of food, and developing eating habits. Some schools study plant-based foods, natural products, juices, and specific food-combining rules.

2. Physical activity.

Movement is viewed as a natural part of everyday life. Common practices include walking, exercise routines, and other forms of physical activity suited to a person's abilities.

3. Water and natural treatments.

Naturopathic schools study hydrotherapy, baths, compresses, and wraps. The treatments included depend on the particular approach and training program.

4. Emotional well-being.

Special attention is given to stress, thought patterns, inner calm, and the ability to maintain emotional balance. Health psychology is considered part of the overall approach to well-being.

5. Natural remedies.

Different approaches include herbal remedies, bee products, massage, and other practices. Their ingredients and applications vary, so there is no single set of methods that all naturopaths must use.

What these areas have in common is the intention to consider the person as a whole. However, learning about naturopathy does not mean that you need to start using every practice at the same time.

How Can You Apply Naturopathic Principles in Everyday Life?

You can begin exploring the naturopathic approach through ordinary everyday habits. You do not need to start with complicated treatments or change your entire lifestyle at once. Below is a step-by-step guide based on the main areas of naturopathy discussed in books and educational materials.

1. Take a closer look at your usual diet. Consider how varied your meals are, which foods regularly appear on your menu, and which eating habits you have developed over the years. Start by understanding what you eat without immediately introducing strict rules.

2. Learn about the principles of a varied diet. Explore the role of vegetables, fruit, and natural foods in different naturopathic schools. Compare general principles of meal planning with the specific features of individual dietary systems.

3. Add manageable physical activity to your daily routine. Consider walking and simple exercise as accessible ways to stay active. Choose activities that suit your abilities and make regular room for them in your everyday life.

4. Rethink how you approach rest. Consider how regularly you make time for proper recovery and whether you manage to maintain a consistent rest routine. Treat rest as a separate and important part of self-care.

5. Pay attention to your emotional habits. Think about which situations cause tension and how you usually respond to them. Explore practices that help with self-regulation, staying calm, and working with thought patterns.

6. Learn about water treatments before trying them. Find out what hydrotherapy, baths, compresses, and wraps involve and how they are used in different naturopathic schools. Do not choose treatments for yourself based on general descriptions alone: their use depends on the specific method and the person's health.

7. Learn about natural remedies and individual systems. Study herbal remedies, bee products, and other approaches as separate topics. Find out what each method involves rather than assuming that something is suitable simply because it is described as "natural."

8. Organize what you have learned. Compare different schools, check practitioners' qualifications, and discuss health-related questions and additional practices with your medical doctor.

These steps help you explore the main areas of naturopathy without trying to master every method immediately. What matters most is understanding the principles, learning the features of a particular system, and developing a thoughtful attitude toward everyday habits.

How Is Naturopathy Different from Conventional Healthcare?

The main difference lies in where the focus is placed.

In medical practice, a healthcare professional examines the patient, identifies possible causes of complaints, and determines the necessary treatment. The naturopathic approach also considers lifestyle, including nutrition, movement, rest, and emotional stress.

For example, if someone complains of constant fatigue, a doctor evaluates possible medical causes of the condition. When discussing a naturopathic approach, additional attention may be given to dietary habits, physical activity, and rest.

These approaches have different goals. Medical diagnosis aims to identify diseases and determine treatment. Looking at lifestyle helps draw attention to everyday factors that may be related to how a person feels.

It is important to distinguish between three concepts.

Complementary approach — using wellness practices alongside conventional medical care. For example, a person continues seeing their doctor while also paying attention to nutrition and physical activity.

Alternative approach — using another method instead of standard medical care.

Integrative approach — combining different ways of caring for health within a coordinated system.

These terms are not interchangeable. Natural remedies and treatments do not become medical treatment simply because they are used to improve well-being.

Practitioners' training also varies. In North America, there are licensed naturopathic doctors who have completed specialized, multi-year education. Traditional naturopaths may train through programs of varying length and content, which are not necessarily accredited.

That is why, when choosing a practitioner, it is worth checking their education, the content of their training program, and their professional qualifications.

How Are Nutrition and Lifestyle Connected to Naturopathy?

Nutrition has an important place in naturopathic systems. However, it is not just about having a list of permitted foods. These systems explore dietary composition, eating habits, menu variety, and the features of different approaches to nutrition.

Some schools emphasize vegetables, fruit, and natural foods. Others study juices and specific food-combining rules. Certain approaches focus on food combining as a separate dietary system. There is no single diet followed by all naturopaths.

Another important area is lifestyle. Physical activity, adequate rest, and stress management are considered parts of everyday well-being.

For people in their mature years, exploring these principles can be an opportunity to take a closer look at their own habits. For example, they can assess how varied their meals are, consider accessible ways to stay active, and make time for regular rest.

There is no need to change everything at once. Exploring different areas step by step makes it easier to understand their features and distinguish general principles from individual recommendations.

Natural remedies and treatments deserve separate attention. The fact that a product comes from a plant or that a treatment is natural does not automatically mean it is suitable for a particular person. Its use should be considered in light of the person's health and compatibility with medical care.

My Advice: How to Start Exploring Naturopathy

In my books, I present naturopathy not as a single treatment but as a holistic philosophy of health. I want people to understand the basic principles of natural healing and see the connection between nutrition, habits, movement, and inner well-being.

I highlight four areas that I recommend exploring first when getting acquainted with my system.

First — understanding the body's self-regulation.

In my book "The ABCs of Health," I discuss the body's own resources for recovery, which I call the hidden powers of the body. I believe it is important not to focus only on individual symptoms but to create conditions that support the body's natural abilities.

That is why I devote so much attention to nutrition, movement, and everyday habits. For me, these are the foundations for understanding the philosophy of naturopathy.

Second — a mindful approach to nutrition.

In my books, I explore digestion and Professor Shelton's food-combining system in detail. I want people to understand what their diet consists of, how eating habits develop, and why different naturopathic schools have their own approaches to combining foods.

I recommend not simply following rules mechanically but first understanding the dietary system itself and the principles behind it.

Third — the connection between body and mind.

In "The Handbook for the Healthy and the Sick," I pay special attention to the balance between body and spirit. In my experience, thought patterns influence how consistently a person takes care of themselves.

I believe it is important to develop inner calm, work with personal beliefs, and strengthen faith in one's own abilities. That is why I consider health psychology an independent part of the naturopathic approach.

Fourth — exploring natural approaches to well-being.

In my books, I bring together nutrition, movement, water treatments, herbal remedies, and health psychology. These areas help people see naturopathy as a complete system of ideas rather than a collection of individual techniques.

I recommend studying each area step by step, understanding its place in the overall system, and not limiting yourself to a superficial introduction to individual treatments. These are the four principles I recommend starting with when studying naturopathy through my system.

Where and How Can You Study Naturopathy?

If you want to do more than simply read an article and would like to explore naturopathy in a structured way, I invite you to learn about the program at the Academy of Natural Healing. The training is organized into five stages.

Stage One — the doctor's books. Students become familiar with the main ideas about the body, nutrition, cleansing, and lifestyle. The materials include "The ABCs of Health," "The Handbook for the Healthy and the Sick," "Secrets of Youth, Health and Beauty," and other works.

Stage Two — nutrition and cleansing. The program includes lectures on nutritional physiology, how the gastrointestinal tract works, vitamins, and a mono-raw food diet.

Stage Three — diseases and naturopathic practices. Topics include chronic conditions, heart and blood vessel health, joint and skin health, as well as baths and wraps.

Stage Four — seminars and audio recordings. This is an opportunity to learn from the doctor's explanations, talks, and answers to students' questions.

Stage Five — consciousness. Topics include psychology, suggestion, autosuggestion, hypnosis, and parapsychology.

After completing the program, students take an examination in person with Dr. Boris Wydoff. Those who successfully complete the training receive personalized certificates in naturopathy and parapsychology.

By the end of the course, students become familiar with the main principles of the author's system, the features of naturopathic nutrition, and the treatments covered in the program. The course also helps organize ideas about the relationship between lifestyle, habits, thinking, and everyday well-being.

The training is suitable for people who want to broaden their knowledge of natural approaches to health, explore the doctor's own system, and take a more thoughtful approach to caring for themselves and their loved ones.

You can find out more about the training conditions and enrollment on the Academy's website.

When to See a Doctor

Naturopathy is an approach to health and well-being, not a way to diagnose diseases on your own. That is why it is important not to explain every change in how you feel by dietary habits, supposed cleansing processes, or the effects of natural treatments.

If you experience sudden and severe health problems, do not try to manage them on your own with naturopathic practices. If your condition is life-threatening, seek emergency medical care.

You should arrange a medical consultation if symptoms persist, return repeatedly, or interfere with your everyday life. A healthcare professional will assess your condition, order tests if necessary, and determine possible causes of your symptoms.

It is especially important not to replace medical diagnosis with personal assumptions. Even a good understanding of naturopathy does not allow you to determine the cause of a disease on your own. Natural methods can be discussed with your treating doctor as additional ways to care for your health. Do not stop taking prescribed medication on your own.

You can read more about how I approach this subject on the "Youth and Longevity" page.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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