Naturopaths support health and well-being, using techniques, tools and non-invasive natural substances, evaluating from time to time the most suitable for the person and the situation. We can define the naturopaths of health and wellness consultants . Ale shoulders with an important past, for the naturopaths the future promises to be perhaps uphill. At least in Italy.

The past of naturopaths

The history of naturopaths has very ancient roots, which in modern times lead from Germany, from the work of Father Kneipp, scholar and creator of hydrotherapy . In the second half of the nineteenth century the term Naturopathy was coined by an American doctor, Dr. Scheel, who authorized the use and export of the term.

The present of naturopaths

Naturopaths cannot by law formulate medical diagnoses or prescribe drug therapies, but favor the healing and well-being process through purification and rebalancing interventions . The task of naturopaths is to educate to health and contribute to the restoration of well-being "according to nature", intervening on the primary cause of illness

Unfortunately at the moment, in Italy, naturopathy and all non-conventional medicines are not regulated, as is the case in many countries including England, Germany, Portugal and Switzerland. Only a few situations of collaboration with "official" medicines are reported:

• in Tuscany (Usl 3 Pistoia), four complementary medicine clinics whose services are accessible by ticket through the CUP.

• in Lombardy, the state university of Milan, Bicocca has launched the " Master in Health Systems, Traditional and Non-Conventional Medicines", a course to train professionals able to integrate the individual disciplines within healthcare facilities.

The future of naturopaths

Currently in Italy work is being carried out for the recognition of the role of naturopaths according to a European directive which states that "in the absence of regulation, the trade associations present in the territory can act as guarantors to testify that the naturopath has followed a very precise training process, qualified and can therefore exercise the profession ". Projects are being studied to standardize the educational and professional process . There is a real project for a single law on natural medicines, which currently awaits the complete collection of the 50, 000 signatures needed to present a non-partisan law proposal of popular initiative.

The future for naturopaths is to see their profession, their field and their formation recognized.