Naturopathy is a medical discipline that uses nature (natural remedies) to heal, with an emphasis on prevention instead of cure. It is often called "alternative medicine" or "natural health".

Naturopathy is an holistic form of medicine with two main themes: using nature and the body’s own healing properties; and preventing illness and disease through healthy lifestyle, such as diet. Sometimes lifestyle counselling and coaching are included in your recommended treatment. The goal is to remove obstacles to you achieving your optimal health on your own. Naturopathy can be traced back to medical philosophy in Ancient Greece. Its modern form became popular in Germany in the early 1800s, when herbs and nutritious food combined with natural forces such as air, water, and light were used to treat chronic illness. Today, naturopathy focuses on treating both chronic diseases and acute, short-term ailments. Using healthy lifestyle changes as the core theme, treatment may also incorporate herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture and homeopathy. There are six recognised foundation principles in modern naturopathy: Use the healing power of nature; First do no harm; Find and treat the cause, not only the symptom; Always treat the whole person, not only their disease; Education; and Prevention. Naturopathy is considered suitable for patients of any age.

A naturopath will initially assess you in great detail, asking about your diet, lifestyle, family background and environment. This may seem superfluous at first, but it is all part of building the "bigger picture" of who you are and what is affecting you adversely. It is important that you answer all questions honestly and accurately. Like any other medical practitioner, the naturopath will research the history of your illness. This is all part of the approach of treating "the whole person" and not just the ailment. A naturopath may specialise in a particular field, but generally they look at common disorders such as: Fatigue; Digestive complaints; Mood disorders and depression; Allergies; Behavioural problems; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Musculoskeletal complaints such as arthritis; Cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) problems; High blood pressure; Fertility problems; Endocrine disturbance; and Hormonal imbalances, such as premenstrual tension and menopause.

Practitioners should meet stringent qulifications and are called naturopathic doctors (NDs) or naturopathic medical doctors (NMDs). According to the Australian Register of Naturopaths and Herbalists (ARONAH), there is no uniform minimum education standard for entry to practice, nor is there a national uniform code of conduct for naturopaths. ARONAH is in the process of setting up a register which will help you choose a qualified naturopath. Australian state governments recognise the Australian Naturopathic Practitioners Association as a good resource. Also, the Australian Naturopathic Network can put you in contact with a local naturopath, and colleges where naturopathy is studied. The umbrella group for holistic-type medicine is the Australian Natural Therapists Association (ANTA). ANTA’s websitehas a list of recognised naturopathy courses in all Australian states and territories, and New Zealand. Naturopaths emphasise that you do not have to feel unhealthy to benefit from their treatment – after all, prevention is better than cure.