NP Columns
Naturopathic Medicine at the Table: How the AANP is Advocating for Nutrition Education Reform
When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education announced a national initiative to improve nutrition education in medical schools, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) saw an opportunity—and a responsibility—to act. Nutrition is not a side note in health care; it is central to preventing, treating and ...
A Blast From the Past: The Surprising Benefits of Bitters
Digestive bitters—or just “bitters” for short—have a long history of use in herbal medicine for promoting digestion. But is there any real science supporting the use of bitter herbs for this purpose? This article will examine the history and science of bitters. Introduction to Bitters Bitters are substances found in a variety of herbs, and ...
INM’s Honorary Board Expands
In 2025, the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) builds on its newly expanded mission to bring whole person health mainstream. As part of our strategy, we aim to build bridges across leading medical and academic institutions. We envision advancing whole-person health conversations through scientific validation and cross-disciplinary partnerships. Building our collaborative team to include a ...
A Powerful New (and Old!) Treatment for Pain, POTS, MCAS, Lyme and Postinfectious Fibromyalgia
Having studied and treated these conditions for almost 50 years, since a nasty viral syndrome triggered my fibromyalgia and left me homeless in 1975, it’s been both a blessing and a challenge to see so many treatments. On the plus side, most cases can be effectively treated (by natural practitioners). On the other hand, sorting ...
Reflections from AANP 2025: Honoring 40 Years of Naturopathic Progress
This July, more than 600 naturopathic physicians, students and integrative health allies gathered in Indian Wells, CA—and virtually from across the U.S.—for the 40th Annual Convention of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP). Against the backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains, the gathering marked a historic milestone for the profession: four decades of clinical ...
Nina Cherie Franklin, PhD, Wellness Expert, Healthy Living Coach, Creator of That Salad Lady
Dr. Nina Cherie Franklin is a wellness expert, healthy living coach, and creator of That Salad Lady, a popular blog and brand focused on making healthy living more accessible, realistic and inclusive. With a PhD in kinesiology, nutrition and rehabilitation and more than 25 years of experience, she empowers individuals to build sustainable, evidence-based habits ...
The Persistent Challenge of Evolving Medical Education
Why decades of advocacy haven’t transformed medical schools, but Alice Walton is. For more than three decades, visionary advocates have worked to transform American medical education toward a more integrative, whole-person approach. While these efforts have faced challenges, they’ve created a foundation for innovation that new institutions like the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine ...
Natural Ozempic: What’s the Truth Behind the Hype?
In recent years, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists like Ozempic have revolutionized the pharmaceutical landscape, originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes but gaining widespread attention for their ability to promote weight loss. This secondary benefit has fueled demand and inspired a parallel trend in the natural health industry: the marketing of supplements as “natural GLP-1 ...
Ailsa Hichens, Nutritionist and Coach
Ailsa Hichens is a registered nutritionist and coach based in the United Kingdom with more than 10 years working in women’s health education. Her specialist area is in menopause and midlife health and her mission is to inspire real women living sometimes messy lives to create a life they love by eating and living well. ...
Vitamin D3: Common Uses, New Research & Different Sources
In a 2013 issue of Vitamin Retailer (Natural Practitioner’s sister publication) I wrote an article titled, “Vitamin D: A Research Update.” Then, in the February 2024 issue of Vitamin Retailer I wrote an article titled, “Synthetic vs. Vegan D3: Impact on Health & Sustainability.” So why write another article on vitamin D? The answer is ...
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