Naturopathic Medicine, or Naturopathy, is a distinct formal health care system which dates back almost 100 years. Naturopathic medicine blends centuries-old natural, non-toxic therapies with current advances in the study of health care. Naturopathy is based upon a belief in the body's innate natural ability to heal itself when given an appropriate internal and external healing environment. Naturopathic physicians are conventionally trained in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology and clinical medicine. In practice, doctors of naturopathic medicine perform lifestyle analysis, laboratory testing, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic and other evaluative procedures. Naturopathy strives to incorporate the strengths from several systems of health care and rejects the inferior. Practitioners work with the goal of address the underlying cause of the condition while supporting the body’s healing capacity, through treatments such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements, medicinal plants, exercise and homeopathy. Naturopathic physicians cooperate with all branches of medical science, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.