<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

It's a little soon to publish a summary, but I wanted to get this
information out as soon as I could.  I'll follow later with part 2 which
will include highlights of the responses I've received about naturopaths.

Quite a few people do not even know what naturopaths are.  I'll quote
from Jonathan Wright, the world renowned medical & naturopathic physician
and founder of the Tahoma clinic in Kent, WA.

        "Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief and observation that the
human body possesses enormous power to heal itself when given the correct
natural materials and energies.  After earning an undergraduate degree
(B.A. or B.S.), including premedical requirements such as chemistry,
biochemistry, biology, and physics, naturopathic physicians go on to a
four-year, graduate-level, acredited naturopathic school of medicine,
where upon graduation, they earn an N.D. degree.  ND's are educated in
all the same sciences as MDs, although with less emphasis on drugs,
radiation, and surgery, and much more emphasis on nutrition, botanical
remedies, manipulation, homeopathy, acupuncture, psychology, and other
holistic and nontoxic therapies.  Naturopathic physicians place strong
emphasis on disease prevention, lifestyle change, and optimizing
wellness.
        "Before licensure, naturopathic physicians must complete at least
four-thousand hours of study in specified subject areas, and then pass a
series of regorous professional board exams.
        "Although naturopathic physicians can be found in every U.S. state and
Canadian province, they're currently lecensed by state boards only in
Alaslka, Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire,
Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.  In the District of Columbia,
naturopaths must register to practice.  In Canada, naturopaths are
licensed in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
        "To locate a naturopathic physician, contact the American Association of
Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) at"

"American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Telephone: (703)
610-9037, Fax: (703) 610-9005.
Postal address: 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300 Mclean, Virginia 22102
or  http://www.naturopathic.org/ "

        Please be advised, not all naturopaths are created equally.  Just like
MDs, some are better than others.  I specifically mentioned Dr. Donovan
as being a Bastyr graduate.  Bastyr is one of the best colleges for
naturopathic medicine in the country, but there are other excellent
schools of naturopathic medicine.  I personally would never see a
naturopath who's not either a Bastyre graduate or a member of the
American Association of Naturopthic Physicians.
        Here in Washington state, naturopaths can prescribe any natural
substance, such as thyroid, adrenal hormones, natural estrogens,
progesterone, vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, etc.  They can also
administer intravanous infusions.  I don't know what each state allows.
You'll have to call around to find out.

Valerie in Tacoma, WA

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