Legislation
   Alaska
   Naturopathic State Laws
   Response to the "OAND"
   Washington Legislation

Journal of the American Naturopathic Medical Association (JANMA)
   Vol. 11 No. 3   10/07    NEW!
   Vol. 11 No. 2   06/07
   Vol. 11 No. 1   02/07
   Vol. 10 No. 4   11/06
   Vol. 10 No. 3   07/06
   Vol. 10 No. 2   04/06
   Vol. 10 No. 1   01/06
   Vol. 9 No. 3     10/05
   Vol. 9 No. 2     07/05
   Vol. 9 No. 1     04/05
   Vol. 8 No. 4     12/04
   Vol. 8 No. 2     07/04
   Vol. 8 No. 1     03/04
   Vol. 7 No. 4     12/03
   Vol. 7 No. 3     09/03
   Vol. 7 No. 2     06/03
   Vol. 7 No. 1     04/03
   Vol. 6 No. 4
   Vol. 6 No. 3
   Vol. 6 No. 2
   Vol. 6 No. 1
   Vol. 5 No. 4
   Vol. 5 No. 3
   Vol. 5 No. 2
   Vol. 5 No. 1
   Vol. 4 No. 4
   Vol. 4 No. 3
   Vol. 4 No. 2
   Vol. 4 No. 1

Facts
   History & Demise of CNME
   CNME Bites The Dust!
   Caution Nat. Med. Edu.
   Naturopaths In Denial
   Fraud?
   NH Gov. Cavalier Response
   Ltr. to AANP From NH Leg.
   NCNM Student Remarks:
       Merry Bern Letter
       Stephen Sporn
   NCNM Student Report
   Media
   Canada
   Response to the "OAND"
   Naturopathic Lawsuits
       Lawsuit #1
       Lawsuit #2
   Licensing Vs. Certification 

As we approach another annual convention, it's good to see so many of you are taking advantage of this opportunity and have registered to attend. An exciting time awaits you.

The ANMA convention is the one event where you as a member can really connect with your colleagues, ANMA officers, and the naturopathic profession. Participants come from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong, Israel, Taiwan, and many others. It is exciting, energetic and unforgettable.

The friendly, informative atmosphere cannot be duplicated in any other medium. Sure there are other forms of communication such as form letters, individual phone calls, and e-mail, but to really benefit from your membership you need to be there in person, to meet, and converse one on one.

It takes experience, hard work, and detail planning to successfully put such a convention together. After 23 years ANMA does it best! Few associations provide this valuable opportunity to their membership.

Because of the diverse representation present at the ANMA convention, meetings on various state legislation, current and pending, are held. These meetings help prepare members for meeting future challenges in their state. A number of "political" people have been invited, and will be on hand to answer your questions.

Several groups will be participating including, AANP, CNME, AADP, ASHM, AAQM, AANC to name a few. Additionally, representatives of many schools arrange for their students and graduates to meet at this event to share professional experiences with one another. Check with Julie at the ANMA office to see if your school has scheduled such a meeting.

Many topics and speakers will be offered this year at the ANMA educational convention. Along with these presentations you will not want to miss any of the workshops offered. The huge array of topics include the following: heavy metal toxicity, iridology, low level laser therapy, nutritional breakthroughs, potential cancer treatments, spinal reflex analysis, antioxidants, regenerative therapies, conquering parasites, immuno-vaccines, anti-aging, anti-alzheimers, bio-detoxification programs, benefits of thermal imaging, a new look at diabetes, and how to stay pain free, younger and fit.

Over 100 exhibitors will be in attendance to inform you of new products and methods of therapies. Be sure to visit every booth and become familiar with their products. These companies support ANMA and your practice, so when you're ready to order, support the companies that support you. This gathering of health care providers, presenters, and exhibitors is a win-win situation for all.

Some of our members have had phenomenal luck in past years, actually paying for their entire trip while enjoying the glamour of Las Vegas. Others have won the drawing for free room nights. Regardless, you always "hit the Jackpot" when you attend the ANMA annual convention.

Many Americans basically or totally neglect physical activity, though most know that exercise is good for their health and that they "should" be doing something. About 60% of U.S. adults are essentially inactive or under-active. One in four do not exercise at all. Only 15% exercise vigorously three times a week for at least 20 minutes, and just 22% participate regularly in physical activity at any level for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Overall, the statistics point to an increasingly sedentary nation.

One reason for the low prevalence of physical activity is that it has been virtually "engineered out of peoples lives." Elevators are more convenient than stairways. People drive their cars everywhere; there are drive-through restaurants, banks, even liquor stores. Television, computers, the Internet, sedentary jobs, long commutes from the suburbs, increased time stress: all are conducive to inactivity. Society today virtually compels people not to move. With "too much to do", mechanized ways of performing chores are common, from sit-down lawn mowers to electric can openers. When life speeds up, exercise is the first thing to go. The average person burns 800 fewer calories a day than he/she would have 20 years ago.

Exercise is ‘boring,’ takes time that can’t be spared, involves work and commitment. "I’m too fat", or "too flabby", or "too embarrassed". It might make one’s back or knees or feet or arms or head hurt. It is a dirty word. The Centers for Disease Control and American College of Sports Medicine try to make exercise as palatable as possible: Just 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week would provide the minimum level of exercise needed.

The dangers of a sedentary life are becoming alarmingly clear. A staggering 250,000 deaths a year are attributed to physical inactivity. Death may be a potent persuader, but there are numerous other reasons to begin a more active lifestyle that relate to health and enjoyment. Studies show that people who become active increase their chances of staying healthy for a lifetime. As they age, they are less likely to face a decline into illness and frailty. "Now the evidence is overwhelming that exercise and a long, healthy life go hand in hand." WHO Assistant Director-General, Dr. N.P. Napalkov, states there is strong evidence that "regular physical activity provides peoples of all ages…with substantial health gains [that are] physical, mental, and social and contribute significantly to increased quality of life."

The brain and rest of the nervous system must obtain needed nutrients for proper mental and emotional function. These include vitamin B complex and associated factors, other vitamin complexes, many minerals and trace minerals, fatty acids, enzymes, proteins and avoidance of chemical neurotoxins. Regular exercise may also have a positive effect on brain function and mood.

Persons exercising vigorously for 75 minutes a week display superior memories, quicker reactions, and more sound reasoning than those exercising less than 10 minutes weekly. Elderly men and women (aged 60 to 75) who walk regularly show superior abilities in a number of computerized mental challenges than comparable people who only stretch. The walkers’ ability to swiftly switch tasks, ignore distractions, and react quickly improved considerably. People in their 50s and 60s put on regular exercise programs exhibit improvements in performance on mental tests (concentration, reaction times, arithmetic, spatial problems, etc.).

Physical activity increases circulation and blood oxygen flow, improves oxygen uptake and nutrient availability to the brain, improves waste removal, increases production of neurotransmitters (brain messengers). Neurons (the brain’s nerve cells responsible for communication) operate better when they get more oxygen and nutrients. Regular exercise improves alertness and energy.

Exercise gives children a mental advantage. It has long been known that fit children do better in school than sedentary children. This was thought to be due to increased self-confidence, but now evidence indicates there are changes in brain chemistry that stimulate growth of nerve cells in the brain. This can apply to grownups as well. There is even evidence that physical activity helps the creative juices flow. Volunteers with an average age of 79 years did light aerobic exercises, calisthenics, muscle-strengthening, and exercise aimed at improving neuromotor coordination. There was a "positive impact on neurobehavioral function" so that researchers concluded that "exercise should be encouraged to improve or maintain well being and the quality of life in older individuals." Long-term exercise may help offset any decline in mental skills, including slowed reaction time and loss of short-term memory. Cognitive skills – the process by which knowledge is acquired – improve with exercise. Physical activity will not make a person smarter, but it may help – along with good nutrition – to use what they have more efficiently.

Mental health can be improved by physical activities. Exercise plus counseling is more effective in aiding depressive disorders than counseling alone. Regular activity can combat not only everyday stress and anxiety, but also serious depression. "There’s no doubt people who don’t exercise are at greater risk of depression," says Dr. James Blumenthal, Duke University. "And for some clinically depressed patients, exercise is as effective as the best medications we have." Physically active people were half as likely to be depressed 10 years later as those who were inactive. After 10 weeks of three workouts a week, seriously depressed people were significantly less depressed than those who had not exercised.

Therapists report that exercise combined with relaxation techniques and stress management top the list for boosting mood. According to Dr. Robert Thayer, California State University, exercise is one of the most effective mood improvers. Gains in physical fitness make a significant difference in the way the body handles stress, including demands of daily life. Improvements in general mood, greater satisfaction, and more positive outlooks are commonly reported. Exercisers score much higher on self-esteem tests than non-exercisers.

From childhood to old age, regular physical activity is important "in promoting physical and psycho-logical health." Exercise is associated with positive emotional well being no matter what the mechanisms may be. Some psychologists and psychiatrists assert that exercise does not help mood, but the evidence is overwhelming that those who exercise report fewer problems, better moods, and clearer thinking than those who do not. Even the professional doubters admit "it is reasonable to prescribe exercise" together with other activities because surveys "suggest that ‘feeling better’ is one important motive for sustained participation in physical activity." ‘Feeling better’ is a pretty darned good reason to get moving!

Since exercise helps to enhance the sense of well being and improve mood, many mental health professionals are using it as "an inexpensive, drug-free therapy for patients with mild anxiety or depression."

Lack of energy can result from any number of factors — vitamin B complex deficiency syndrome, blood sugar problems, anemia or chronic illness, poor diet, hormone or endocrine gland disorders including underactive thyroid, etc. If fatigue has no underlying "medical" cause or if it comes from anxiety or mild depression, exercise can supply a boost. In fact, being tired can actually be caused – at least in part – by a lack of exercise, sometimes called "sedentary inertia" or "exercise deficiency."

Moderate exercise helps people feel more alert. They report less fatigue as well as increased mental and physical vigor after workouts of varying duration and intensity. The effects continue for at least half and hour, often longer. Achieving a permanent energy boost requires actual physical and biochemical changes in the body – in the muscles, nerves, cardiovascular system, etc., — that come from regular lifestyle changes. Good nutrition and consistent exercise are two of these. Instant gratification should not be expected. In the beginning, a bit of muscle soreness and fatigue may be experienced, particularly in out-of-shape individuals. It takes most people about six weeks to emerge from their lethargy. But if they stick with it, they will gain extra energy and zip.

Strength (weight) training is as important as aerobic activity. As an individual builds muscle and becomes stronger, ordinary activities require less effort, leaving more pep all day long -- a sort of "energy conservation." Exercise raises the resting metabolic rate, boosts the metabolism. More calories are used each day even when sitting still. At a slimmer weight, less exertion is needed to get the body moving. Aerobics improve the ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to muscles. The cellular mitochondria (microscopic "manufacturing plants") help turn fuel into energy. The bodies of sedentary people have a hard time making that fuel-to-energy conversion. Even if their hearts could pump extra oxygen to the muscles, they would have a hard time using it. With regular exercise, the heart becomes stronger and more efficient in pumping oxygen to muscles. The number and density of capillaries feeding the tissues with oxygen also increase. The muscles produce more cellular mitochondria, becoming more efficient at turning fuel into energy.

Exercise can lessen muscle tension, increase the body’s ability to use oxygen, improve stamina, enhance circulation, reduce the physiological response to stress, and improve the quality and duration of sleep. Feeling more relaxed is often accompanied by increased vigor and focus. Activity may produce beneficial changes in brain chemistry or electrical output.

Over half the adults in the U.S. are overweight. This reflects a hunger for needed nutrients and physical activity. Raw food components are essential including enzymes; all the known and unknown nutrients in whole, complex, unaltered form. Although there may be an endocrine gland or hormone disturbance, disruption in proper fat metabolism (such as liver or gallbladder overload), digestive difficulty, nerve chemistry imbalance, or other underlying cause, by far the causes of overweight are: malnutrition and "foul" nutrition (consumption of refined, processed, altered, depleted, denatured non-foods) accompanied by low levels of physical exertion.

Exercise is a key to successful weight control. It is imperative to lose weight, maintain weight, and prevent future weight gain. Adding exercise to a diet of whole natural foods (stressing raw foods and consuming more calories earlier in the day) will not only help "burn" more calories but also prevent loss of muscle and a drop in metabolic rate that usually accompanies low-calorie dieting. Consuming fewer calories may be necessary, but it is the quality of foods (nutrient density) that is most important. Nutritionally rich foods are more satisfying anyway, so calorie consumption usually decreases without "counting." It is vital to not only provide valuable fuel, but also to stoke up the furnace, increasing the number of calories "burned" and boosting the metabolic rate. Metabolic rate is the rate at which the body uses energy – including the number of calories it burns in a given period of time, either at rest or while active. The metabolic rate depends on many things. Regular exercise is required for permanent effects. Nutritional status affects all cells. The more muscle and less fat a body has, the more energy it will use, even at rest. The longer and more intensely one exercises, the greater the boost in metabolic rate.

In one study subjects undertook a 12-week strength-training program. Strength increased by anywhere from 24% to 92%, the amount of body fat fell by 3%, weight was unchanged. Their resting metabolic rate increased by an average of 8% so they were able to consume an extra 300 calories a day without gaining weight. The actual exercise burned only a small portion of those calories. Their muscles became more "metabolically active" and upped their resting metabolic rate. In the long term, they would have less body fat, more lean muscle which "burns" more fat, and become trimmer and slimmer without showing much or any loss of pounds on the scale (muscle weighs more than fat). If they reduced calories, they would have lost weight. Strength training may be just as effective as aerobic workouts for dropping weight. It builds lean muscle. For every pound of muscle gained, an additional 30 to 50 calories a day will be burned. Ideally, both aerobic and strength training activities will be part of the exercise program.

It is difficult to sustain weight loss without consistent exercise along with an individualized food (and usually supplement) program. Many people "go on a diet" and start exercising and lose weight. This is then discontinued and they regain a lot of that weight within a year. Adherence to a healthful diet — lifelong — and adherence to physical activity — lifelong — is the best way to maintain weight control and well being. Not only will the individual look better, he/she will feel better.

What of exercise intensity required to "burn fat"? High-intensity workouts burn more fat and calories than low-intensity workouts in a given amount of time. Though a higher proportion of calories burned comes from fat during low-intensity exercise (about 50%) than during intense workouts (about 40%), many more calories are burned during intense exercise and more fat ends up being used. For example, a person exercises for 30 minutes at low intensity and burns 200 calories; about 100 of those (50%) from fat. If he/she exercises for the same 30 minutes at higher intensity, 400 calories may be burned, 160 of (40%) from fat. More people are willing and able to participate in and stick to low-intensity activities. This will promote weight loss but they will need to do it longer.

Another example: Walking and jogging both help weight loss (and improve muscle tone, cardiovascular fitness, etc.). Running burns calories faster than walking, but if a runner and a walker cover the same distance, they will use about an equal number of calories.

Further, it is not just the calories "burned" or fat burned during exercise that matters. The greatest impact comes from changes that occur in the tissues, in the cells, to the bodily functions. The goal is health and fitness. Weight control is a side benefit that naturally follows. When there is biochemical equilibrium, a person’s weight will be what it should be.

Will exercise increase the appetite so that any extra food consumed will offset the calories burned in exercise? Studies on appetite and exercise have not had consistent results. Many variables are involved such as frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise; amount of body fat; metabolic rate; psychological issues; and – perhaps most important – the type of foods eaten. Usually physical activity will not increase appetite and, even if it does, the increase is very slight. Exercise may up the need for total protein, complex carbohydrates, any of the vitamin complexes, minerals, trace minerals, fatty acids, or enzymes. But eating a piece of cake or a bag of chips will not help. Eating raw nuts, seeds, fruits or vegetables, or other whole, natural foods (and food supplements) will help. The body can efficiently use (to its advantage) some extra calories consumed from whole, natural foods if there is truly hunger for them. It cannot really use empty (nutrient-depleted) calories except for immediate energy or making fat. The critical point is that exercise and a healthful diet become a lifelong habit, a process integrated as a normal part of the regular routine.

Women who kept up aerobic exercise during pregnancy were less troubled by headaches, backaches, hot flushes, shortness of breath, and fatigue than inactive pregnant women.

A group of middle-aged men were asked to take up aerobic exercise and to keep dairies of their sexual activity. As the men’s fitness improved, so did their sex lives. They had intercourse 30% more often and enjoyed it more than a matched control group of sedentary men. Similarly, physical activity is found to boost libido (sexual desire), arousal, and the ability to achieve orgasm in many women. Long-term effects were even greater than short-term benefits. And 98% noted that regular exercise improved their overall self-confidence; 89% said it boosted their sexual confidence.

Men who walked two to three hours a week had a 25% lower risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) than men who rarely walked.

Regular moderate exercise may reduce a person’s risk of suffering serious intestinal bleeding (gastrointestinal hemorrhage) which leads to more than 300,000 hospitalizations annually and can be fatal. Exercise helps deliver blood and oxygen to all organs more efficiently, including the gastrointestinal tract; this can improve the health of the tissues (especially if good foods and food supplements provide the needed nutrients).

Men who are most active have a 37% lower risk of symptomatic diverticular disease (pockets in the wall of the colon that can become inflamed) than those least active. Most of the protection was due to vigorous activities. An active lifestyle makes a difference in the number and adverse effects of gallstones. The risk of gallbladder surgery was cut by 31% compared to people who are not physically active. Gallstones are less likely to develop in the first place in those who exercise.

Hearing acuity is sharper in those who regularly workout. The increase in the amount of blood pumping through the capillaries to nourish cells and the increase in the production of cell-repairing proteins help to protect the ears and repair damage wrought from noise damage.

A definite effort is required in this mechanized, technologically-growing society to attain and maintain fitness and health. Exercise is a precious and preeminent feature that cooperatively works with nutrition and other aspects in the jewel of wellness.

A minority of people over-exercise. The majority of Americans are not physically active, impacting their health and future well being. The value of wellness cannot really be measured in dollars; it cannot be purchased. There is no quick fix, no magic pill. Understanding and committing to a way of life in harmony with Nature’s gentle guidelines can only bring excellence and pleasure to life’s treasure.

The unfortunate fact is that the overwhelming majority of American foods not only are depleted of vital antioxidants, enzymes, trace minerals, and phytochemicals, the importance of which I will be discussing shortly, but they also contain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals. The prolonged consumption of such foods leads to cancer. 1-3

Food Additives, Contaminants, and Toxins

Heterocyclic amines, or HCAs (ammonia derivatives containing more than one type of atom) found in grilled meats and fish are responsible for high mutagenic activity. If your diet is high in animal protein, you are undoubtedly exposed to excessive HCAs. Studies now show that short-term feeding (six to twelve weeks) of HCAs is enough to induce tumors in experimental animals. Accumulation of HCAs has also been linked in human studies to a higher occurrence of colorectal cancer than in control subjects.16-20

Chemical additives are found in virtually all manufactured foods and drinks, even in so-called "natural" products. In the mass manufacture and distribution of processed foods at prices people can afford, the food industry frequently resorts to processing techniques that degrade the plants' original health-promoting nutrients. Some who are aware of the deficiencies of processed foods may try to avoid these, but it's far from simple. For instance, while organic food may be richer in minerals and antioxidants than commercially grown food, many organic farms are located in highly polluted areas and/or use contaminated water to irrigate their crops. Not surprisingly, these carcinogenic agents filter into the soil along with acid rain and alter the natural nutrient content of organic foods. 21

Phytochemicals functioning as antioxidants stabilize free-radical oxygen molecules, delaying, inhibiting, or preventing their damage. 11-15 Phytochemicals also are powerful pH balancers that improve the efficiency of hormone transport and immune regulation throughout the body. A diet rich in antioxidants, that is, a diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, has been shown in 128 out of 156 dietary (epidemiological) studies to be protective against cancer. According to Jerome Block, MD, of UCLA Medical Center, "…there is sufficient pertinent, scientific, clinical data to indicate that certain antioxidant and other nutrient supplements reduce cancer risk, clinical cancer occurrence, and/or interrupt the carcinogenic process in appropriately-defined populations." 4

For those already dealing with cancer, for whom prevention is not the primary concern, Mark C. Houston, MD, and John A. Strupp, MD, of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, had this to say about reducing the toxic effects of chemotherapy: "A judicious, scientifically-based use of supplements would not only make the patient feel better subjectively, but would reduce complications, promote surgical healing, reduce infections, possibly reduce the growth of a tumor, prevent metastasis, and allow the oncologist to use higher doses of chemotherapy and radiation when needed, without increasing complication rates." 5

Plant foods that contain abundant quantities of these substances, such as lycopene from whole, fresh tomatoes, carotenoids from fresh carrots, and glucosinolates and isothiocyanates from raw broccoli, have consistently been shown to be associated with a lower risk of cancer at almost every site of the body, and studies show that they activate critical detoxification enzymes that decrease the bioavailability of potential toxins or pollutants, that is, they obstruct DNA-damaging carcinogens.4-10 They also boost critical antioxidants needed to facilitate the destruction of toxins into innocuous, excretable substances.

Empirical and groundbreaking research, cited by the author in two review articles on carcinogenesis, has shown that phytochemicals and phytonutrients can inhibit cancinogenesis.30-31 Yet, the most common and neglected cause of carcinogen overload in the body and the most powerful inducer of carcinogenesis remains unaddressed by the majority of health care providers. 22-24 In many articles and publications, I consistently documented how intrahepatic biliary tract disorders, biliary dyskinesia and stasis, oddities, and duodenitis interfere or block Phase III liver detoxification, causing toxins to back up and damage lymphatic and immune mechanisms, thereby promoting carcinogenesis. 25-29

In summary, human metabolism and immune mechanisms function best with antioxidant- and enzyme-rich foods consumed in their natural, raw state. In comparison, a low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables prevents the body from counteracting the daily oxidative assault of the environment, promotes toxicity and acidification of the extracellular matrix and lymphatic system, thus facilitating carcinogenesis. 15-21 It is imperative that practitioners learn how to assess and treat Phase III liver detoxification disorders in every case of cancer. Otherwise, no matter how aggressive detoxification strategies are, toxins will not be excreted properly, causing serious damage to immune mechanisms that, in turn, promotes tumorgenesis and carcinogenesis. Furthermore, in Phase III detoxification disorders, supplementation with digestive enzymes often fails to enhance or optimize nutrient uptake. Hence, the crucial assimilation of cancer-fighting phytochemicals to serum concentrations that can successfully fight carcinogenesis or attempts to immunomodulate NK cells may fail to yield the desired response.

ANMA Members,

As you may already know, ANMA offers embroidered polo shirts (White, Black, & Navy Blue). What you probably don’t know, is that we now offer Tote Bags and Lapel Pins. The polo shirts are of excellent quality and look absolutely beautiful, with a variety of colors to choose from.

Every order will be processed and mailed as quickly as possible. All orders will be shipped Priority Mail to ensure speedy delivery. ANMA offers its polo shirts for only $26.00 plus shipping. The sizes we have range from small to triple extra large. If you would like a 2xl or 3xl, please add $1.00 and $2.00 respectively.

If you have any questions or want to place an order, e-mail me at:  webmaster@anma.com  or call Julie Morgan at (702) 897-7053 or mail to ANMA, P.O. Box 96273, Las Vegas, NV 89193.

Sincerely,
Gregory West

I practice in a university town of 40,000, in the midwest, Wisconsin. I am one of three naturopathic practitioners in the state, thus people come very long distances to consult with us and receive naturopathic health care services.

Recently I was approached by the administration at our local hospital to give a presentation on naturopathy and alternative medicine to the hospital Board of Directors, a powerful and influential group of individuals numbering about 50 people.

When I was asked to give this presentation, with handouts and time for questions and answers, I told them I was very honored to be chosen to present to them, but I asked them, "Off the record?" I said "Yes, OK, if that’s what you want, off the record..."

"We want you to speak to us because what we do is failing, failing badly and quickly. Our doctors are not happy, they are stressed to the max, we don’t do well with the patients, too many don’t respond, or get worse, or even die and we don’t know what’s going on with them, our financial picture is a disaster, we are sinking fast and we want to know what you do and why it works, and how it works, we have to do a better job all around..."

Pretty candid stuff, actually, even though it was ‘off the record.’ I agreed to speak with them, knowing about 90% beforehand that they would listen to but not ‘get’ the information that easily. Why? Because our paradigm, that of natural medicine and naturopathic healing, is so completely foreign to their thinking, to their deeply entrenched belief systems, that anything markedly divergent from that would be met with: 1) disbelief, 2) scorn, 3) overt skepticism, 4) incredulity, 5) anger, and 6) hostility.

Well, guess what happened that day? Yep, you are correct: they didn’t get it, but not exactly in the way I had expected them not to get it. I arrived 45 minutes before my assigned time to speak, I was to begin at 9:20am and speak for 30 minutes, giving 20 minutes to the basic information, and 10 minutes for Q&A. As the time for me to take the podium approached, the moderator of the meeting looked at me, looked at the clock on the wall, but let the meeting run on anyway? Why? Out of overt rudeness or disrespect? Not certain, he doesn’t like me, but I have heard it is not because he knows anything of me personally, but knows I am a "different kind of practitioner," and apparently "different" equals "bad, suspect, not to be trusted."

Finally my speaking time came and went, and the meeting rolled on. I spoke to one of the assistants quietly and explained that I had to return to my clinic as I was scheduled to see patients shortly. She amazed my by asking: "Dr. Bowman, you were supposed to have a full 30 minutes, but couldn’t you give us the talk in 10 minutes now?" I was stunned, but I regained by composure and said "That would not only be a great disservice to your audience, but a great disservice to the depth and quality of the material to be shared."

Quietly I left and went on to see my waiting patients. What really happened in that moment just before I left the hospital Board room? A test. A test of my understanding of and commitment to our cause, naturopathy. Had I let myself be intimidated by this room full of very powerful and influential men and women, I could have given in, capitulated, and given them a quickie version, but I just couldn’t and wouldn’t.

The truth, the truth of what we do and who we are, could never justify such a cowardly act. I would have watered down a precious and ill understood thing: natural healing, regeneration of health, restoration of wellness, and made a large and beautiful thing into something small, trivial, meaningless, not worthy of respect or recognition and certainly not worthy of seriously considering as a challenge to the dying paradigm of "modern wester medicine."

Einstein is quoted as stating, in such circumstances: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds!"

Sadly it is the truth. I come from that tradition. Twenty-five years ago I was part of traditional medical training and practice, but something deep in my heart told me it had little to do with healing, and much to do with power, politics, control, and drugs and surgery did not equal wellness. I went in other directions and eventually completed my naturopathic training and now practice daily in a family natural medicine practice in Wisconsin, under the auspices of the Department of Health, Health Professional Licensing Administration, Board of Naturopathy, Washington, DC, as a registered naturopath.

They wanted it for the wrong reasons, and my experience as some one who works in alignment with the foundational principles of nature and healing, tells me that what happened was what needed to happen. Did they need to hear the message? Yes. Would they have found it interesting? Probably. Would they have understood the message? No. Would they have been brought closer to the truth of the message? Maybe a tiny bit. When your purposes are noble, things work better when addressing basic truths - when your purposes are selfish or self-centered as in what you can gain from this, rather than what you can learn to help others from this, then you defeat yourself and the natural order of things does not allow you to have what you seek until you change your heart.

I come from traditional medicine, my mom was an RN, I went to medial school in Germany and the US, I also saw the folly of this as the template for world health, followed a different path, got to where I am now, and wouldn’t change a thing even if I could. It was all worth it, and I want you to know that for yourself, too. Believe me, I have been in the hallowed halls of the most powerful, prestigious medical institutions in the world, including Mayo and what we have, what we know, what we practice is magic of the highest order compared to their understanding and patient care protocols. You are the answer, never doubt it, never give it away, no matter what, no matter what, stick to your guns, the world desperately needs what we have, and no one else is there to provide it, no one.

I know this, from personal experience, and from professional relationships with many other health care providers. What does this all mean? It may sound trite or over simplified, but it isn’t’ it is the truth: when your heart is pure, when you seek earnestly with the good of others in mind, the truth, the reality behind the appearance of things, can be revealed, studied and applied, but the opposite is also true, and this is why only true naturopathy and those who respect and practice it, will in the end win the day and triumph.

The ANMA is THE organization, and the only organization, so positioned, so oriented, so dedicated and so aligned with the truth principles. Others like the CNME and AANP, despite their attempts to take by force or coercion or misdirection of legislative leaders, the power of naturopathy will not ultimately succeed, because they lack the heart, they think only with grasping, insincere, exploitative minds and think that that is how success comes. It doesn’t, it comes from just the opposite: humility of mind and heart, a deep desire to serve others’ needs in gentle, positive ways, to educate, uplift and heal, that is the power of naturopathy, the power from which ANMA operates and keeps alive the flame of hope.

Would I go back to the hospital if asked? Maybe, it would depend. There are individuals there whose motivation is right, and who have already learned a lot about this in the right way, maybe they will plant the seeds among their other colleagues, time will tell.

For now, trust the principles, trust your knowledge, seek more training, refine your skills, give your heart and everything in it to the cause, trust and fully support the ANMA, therein lies wisdom and power and strength, therein lies the security of health for the future.

"Modern western medicine" has failed - what more appropriate time for us to step up, step forward, and grasp the attention of the world in leadership of true healing. If not now, when? If now us, Who?

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ANMA members and other health care professionals are invited to submit an article or case study to be featured in the ANMA Monitor. Your research must be submitted according to the following standards:

The ANMA Monitor is published quarterly by ANMA, P.O. Box 96273, Las Vegas, Nevada 89193 (702) 897-7053. Deadlines for articles and advertisements are Nov. 20, Feb. 20, May 20, August 20. Please submit articles typed on 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper and/or on a IBM compatible 3.5" disk. Articles may also be e-mailed to webmaster@anma.com.  The editor reserves the right to edit any portion of an article before publishing. The editor also reserves the right to refuse advertising or articles which he deems inappropriate for this publication.

We appreciate those who have already sent in articles.