Estimated Read Time: 7–8 minutes. Before embracing the idea that functional medicine is a revolutionary new approach, it is essential to understand that these principles have a long history. They have been practiced, tested, and refined within naturopathic medicine for well over a century. Recognizing this history matters because it separates trend from tradition, showing that whole-person, root-cause care isn’t a fleeting fad, but a time-tested, science-informed philosophy. Naturopathic medicine’s long-standing integration of thorough lab work, imaging, individualized treatment, and targeted natural therapies demonstrates that what’s now branded as functional medicine has deep, credible roots.
Functional Medicine: A Modern Label for an Ancient Practice
In recent years, “functional medicine” has become a buzzword in the health and wellness space. It’s marketed as a cutting-edge approach that goes beyond simply treating symptoms to find and address the root causes of disease. While the term may feel new, the philosophy behind it is not. In fact, what’s now called functional medicine is essentially a rebranding of a much older, well-established field—naturopathic medicine.
Naturopathic Medicine: The Original Functional Medicine
Naturopathic medicine has been practiced in the United States since the late 1800s, with its formal roots stretching back to the 19th-century European “Nature Cure” movement. Even before that, many of its principles were woven into traditional healing systems worldwide, emphasizing prevention, natural therapies, and the body’s inherent ability to heal itself.
From its inception, naturopathic medicine has been grounded in root cause analysis. Instead of chasing isolated symptoms, naturopathic doctors (NDs) have always sought to understand how a person’s physical, emotional, environmental, and lifestyle factors work together to create health—or disease.
Contrary to the misconception that naturopathic care is “alternative” in the sense of being anti-science, the profession has long relied on comprehensive laboratory testing. These labs are not limited to identifying disease in its end stages, as is common in conventional medicine, but rather focus on function—looking at nutrient levels, hormone balance, metabolic efficiency, inflammatory markers, and other indicators that reveal how the body is operating before overt illness sets in.
Imaging: An Overlooked Part of Naturopathic History
While many assume imaging is purely the domain of conventional medicine, naturopathic physicians have been using imaging for over a century—whenever it has been available and appropriate. Early naturopaths referred patients for X-rays as soon as the technology became accessible in the early 1900s. As technology evolved, so did naturopathic use of imaging—adding ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs to help build a full picture of a patient’s health.
The use of imaging in naturopathic medicine isn’t about chasing every abnormality on a scan—it’s about integrating those findings into a broader, individualized understanding of the patient’s health, alongside lab data, clinical observations, and patient history.
Prescribing Rights in Naturopathic Medicine
One of the often-overlooked aspects of naturopathic practice—especially in licensed states—is the scope of prescribing rights. NDs can recommend and dispense medical-grade supplements, herbs (alone or in combination formulas), glandular extracts, minerals, and vitamins in therapeutic dosages. These are not over-the-counter patient directed a-la-carte wellness products; they are targeted, clinically formulated preparations designed for specific health outcomes. In many jurisdictions, NDs can also prescribe certain pharmaceuticals when necessary, integrating them with natural therapies for the most effective, least invasive treatment possible.
The “Functional Medicine” Rebrand
The term “functional medicine” began gaining traction in the 1990s, popularized by organizations such as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). While the movement has helped bring root-cause, whole-person thinking into the mainstream, many of its core concepts—holistic assessment, individualized care, and focus on prevention—are indistinguishable from what naturopathic medicine has been doing for well over a century.
Some even argue that functional medicine is essentially naturopathic medicine with a new name and a more conventional-friendly image. The difference is largely in branding and accessibility—functional medicine is often practiced by conventionally trained medical providers who’ve pursued additional training, while naturopathic doctors complete their entire medical education with this philosophy at its core.
Why This Matters
Understanding the origins of functional medicine matters because it highlights that these ideas aren’t a fad—they’re time-tested. Naturopathic medicine’s long history shows that looking at the whole person, running thorough labs, using imaging, and prescribing targeted natural therapies isn’t “new science.” It’s the integration of traditional wisdom and modern medical tools, refined over decades, and grounded in a commitment to treating the person—not just the disease.
In other words, functional medicine may be the modern term, but the heart of the approach belongs to naturopathic medicine—a profession that has been bridging the best of science and holistic care for well over 100 years.
Dr. Skip is both a Doctor of Oriental Medicine (O.M.D.) and a Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.), Board Certified and a Diplomate in Naturopathic Medicine (N.B.E.N.Q.A.). In West Virginia, Doctors of Oriental Medicine—under the West Virginia Board of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine—have, with appropriate education and training, similar authority commiserate to Naturopathic Doctors in other states.
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