About Us

1901—Benedict Lust “The natural system for curing disease is based on a return to Nature in regulating the diet, Breathing, exercising, bathing, and the employment of various forces to eliminate the poisonous products in the system and so raise the vitality of the patient to a proper standard of health.”

1902—Dr. John and Dr. Sophie Scheel coin the term “Naturopathy”

1909—California licenses naturopathic doctors. The Association of Naturopaths of California gets this law passed.

1919—The American Naturopathic Association founded by Dr. Benedict Lust.

1922—The Associated Naturopathic Schools and Colleges of America (ANSCA) is founded to standardize and accredit all U.S. naturopathic schools.

1929—U.S. Congress passes legislation recognizing and broadly defining Naturopathy as “any system of healing that does not resort to the use of drugs, [conventional] medicine, or operative surgery for the prevention, relief, or cure of any disease”. Signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge.

1931—The 70th Congress clarifies the 1929 Naturopathic Licensing Act (HR12169)

1942—A faction of naturopaths in the Northwest and Southwest, creates a second American Naturopathic Association. This association would eventually become the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in 1954.

1945—Benedict Lust dies.

1948—O.G. Carroll “You are either all going to get together or you are lost. I want to warn you that when I attended the convention in Detroit (1947), I found the best group of high pressure salesmen that any group has. They have all withdrawn from us [the original ANA]. They don’t argue with me, but I am a brother of the president of that association, and there is no better high pressure salesman than he is. He as a sales group of men around him who are just as good as he is and they are going to overcome you . . .Remember, that group of people are pseudo medical men and just as soon as they get power they are going to be no better.”

1951—Standardized Naturopathy by Dr. Paul Wendel is published. The National Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NBNE) founded.

1964—California “sunsets” its naturopathic licensing law. The beginning of the decline of the original ANA.

1987—CNME (Council for Naturopathic Medical Education) is organized.

Curricula at these schools follow a model similar to medical and osteopathic schools. Graduates of these schools are required to take the two-part NPLEX (Naturopathic Physician Licensing Examination).

2003—“As much as our curriculum taxes students with overabundant left-brain courses, NPLEX drives the nail into the coffin . . . The fact that these exams are comprised of multiple-choice questions should be enough to indicate the absurdity of using such an examination system to ensure that our doctors are prepared for practice. Perhaps they are prepared to practice like medical doctors, whose method of treatment revolves around formula-based treatments for specific diseases. Have not the students demonstrated their capacity to memorize for exams by having procured university degrees? All students demonstrate by passing the NPLEX exams is their capacity to memorize information. This doesn’t indicate that they are ready for practice.” Daniel Block, ND The Revolution of Naturopathic Medicine.

2019—NBNE begins administrating exams and issuing certification after hiatus.

2020—American Naturopathic Association bylaws revisited, leadership begins quiet work for revival of association. The American Naturopathic Association incorporated in the State of Idaho.

2023—ANA begins accepting new members.

Dr. Negri is one of our officers and is the author of A Century of Naturopathy, the citations above are from his book.

The ANA is here to advocate for the practice of Nature Cure throughout the United States and across the globe. Please donate now!