naturopathydigest.com -- How Can Naturopathy Digest Best Serve the Profession? How Can Naturopathic Physicians Participate?

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How Can Naturopathy Digest Best Serve the Profession? How Can Naturopathic Physicians Participate?

By Alex Vasquez, DC, ND, Editor, Naturopathy Digest

Welcome to Naturopathy Digest, a publication for naturopathic physicians, by naturopathic physicians. This new publication will fill a void I am sure every naturopathic physician has noticed: For years, we have lacked a professional publication that speaks to the needs, interests, paradigms and daily realities of naturopathic practice.

At the very least, we at Naturopathy Digest will fill this void. At our very best, we hope to win your readership and participation in this unique collective endeavor.
Each month, we will endeavor to provide you with information that is pertinent to your naturopathic practice, and we will have an "open-door policy" that welcomes your participation as an author. Naturopathy Digest fully intends to reflect naturopathy, and one of the ways we will do this is to allow publication from a wide range of authors - clinicians like you. This is not only an opportunity for you to grab your Worholian 15 minutes of fame, but more importantly, for you to document the safety, effectiveness and skill that characterize your naturopathic management of various clinical conditions.
You know the rhetoric; you've heard it a million times, and you will continue to hear it: "There is no research to support the use of naturopathic treatments for [conditions A-Z]." Of course, there is bias against what we do and who we are. Many "experts" overlook mountains of research and common sense so they can contribute to the relentless denigration of naturopathy. But a very real and very large part of the problem here is that naturopathic physicians contribute to this bias, by not compiling and publishing research and case reports to document the safety and cost-effectiveness of what we do. The old saying, "publish or perish," applies to all professionals: You either stand up for yourself by documenting your talents and skills, or else you'll continue to play second fiddle to someone who may have less talent and ability than you - but who does a better job of documenting their small achievements. Anti-naturopathic rhetoric is one problem; our profession's failure to document its safety and superiority is another. We could more easily surmount the first problem by taking collective action on the second.
If you are not perfectly clear on what I am talking about, you need to read the anti-naturopathic polemic published on Medscape at www.medscape.com/viewarticle/465994. You'll get an acutely clear understanding of what I mean by rhetoric against naturopathy. Reading that article should give you some "fire in the belly" for taking pen/keyboard in hand and writing down your experiences as a naturopathic physician. Reading that article also will give you some insight into the value of Naturopathy Digest - with a monthly publication written by naturopathic physicians and for naturopathic physicians, we will be able to rapidly and publicly redress such trespasses in print and online. Our voices and perspectives have suffered the shame of silence for lack of a representative outlet; this problem will be effectively eradicated by Naturopathy Digest - but only if a sizable number of you commit to active participation in shaping the reality of our profession. Publish or perish; the choice is yours.
Finally, I will bring closure to this inaugural editorial by asking of you one last favor. I'm asking that you put your love of naturopathic medicine first. I'm asking that you put your experience of the power of the vis medicatrix naturae above whatever prejudice you may or may not have against other naturopaths who may have different training from your own. Naturopathy Digest is an informational conduit that will be strictly apolitical from the start. We are here to support, document and inform the naturopathic community. We do not side with any particular faction within the naturopathic community; we are here for the entire naturopathic community. We are here to document and promote the science and practice of naturopathy. We at ND fully support nationwide licensure for NDs, but we are not a political organization. We are a monthly publication for and by the naturopathic profession, and we encourage your active participation.
Each of us has the power to advance our profession; all you have to do is commit to documenting a few of your best case reports each year. [Click here for complete article format requirements] You'll get to enjoy seeing your name in print, and the rest of us will benefit from your sharing of knowledge and experience. Better yet, your tilling of the intellectual and scientific soil from which our profession can continue to grow will enrich and empower the human community, by nurturing the growth and extension of the best paradigm in health care: naturopathic medicine. We have work to do, and we have joy and wisdom to share; please join with us.