Naturopathic physicians are highly trained primary care doctors who treat the root cause of illness — combining rigorous medical science with a whole-person approach. Here’s what that actually means.
A naturopathic doctor (NMD or ND) is a licensed primary care physician trained to diagnose, treat, and manage health the way any family doctor does — with one key difference in philosophy.
Rather than reaching first for a prescription to silence a symptom, naturopathic physicians are trained to ask why the symptom is there in the first place. They look at the whole person — nutrition, lifestyle, labs, stress, sleep, and metabolic health — and build a plan that addresses the underlying cause. When medication is the right tool, they use it. The goal is simply to treat the root, not just the surface.
Naturopathic physicians complete a four-year, in-residence doctoral program at a federally accredited medical school — with the same biomedical sciences foundation as conventional medicine, plus extensive training in nutrition, botanical medicine, and integrative therapies.
A four-year, in-residence Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree at an accredited institution.
Supervised, hands-on clinical training with real patients before graduation.
Must pass rigorous national board exams (NPLEX) and hold a state license to practice.
As licensed primary care physicians, Keystone’s providers handle the full range of everyday medical needs — and then some.
We don’t believe in choosing between conventional and natural medicine — the smartest care uses both. Our providers draw on evidence-based conventional medicine when it’s the right tool, and naturopathic, root-cause approaches to address the underlying drivers of your health. You get rigorous diagnostics and prescriptions when you need them, plus the nutrition, lifestyle, and preventive guidance that conventional medicine rarely has time for. One doctor, one relationship, the whole picture.
Is a naturopathic doctor a “real” doctor?
Yes. Naturopathic physicians complete a four-year doctoral program at an accredited medical school, pass national board exams, and hold a state license. They’re trained as primary care doctors with an added emphasis on root-cause and whole-person care.
Can they prescribe medication?
Yes. Our providers prescribe medications when they’re the right tool for the job. The difference is that they don’t reach for a prescription by default — they look for the underlying cause first.
Can a naturopathic doctor be my primary care provider?
Absolutely. For most people, a Keystone provider can serve as their main doctor — handling everything from annual physicals and lab work to chronic condition management and preventive care.
Is this an alternative to conventional medicine?
No — it’s an integration of both. We use evidence-based conventional medicine alongside naturopathic approaches, choosing the right tool for each situation rather than favoring one philosophy over the other.
Meet the Keystone providers bringing root-cause, whole-person care to the Phoenix metro — or see how membership works.
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