Acording to the Teide Medical Dictionary Second Edition from 1992, the Naturopathy is:

A medical system based on the use of natural substances more then drugs for the treatment of disease.  The herbs, organic vegetables, artificial color free, pure water, sunlight, fresh air employed the effort of getting rid of the body all “not natural” substances.

More on Naturopathy

The technique is based on convincing the body that the body has an inner power to heal itself.  This is why it is certain that it shares many of the traditional Chinese medicine concepts as well as the Ayurveda.  The ayurveda is the inner force capacity.  Hippocrates discovered in his time this ability to cure, based on modern foods, rest, and excersice. With this done, only one more aspect is needed.

The term was reinforced by the german Benedict Lust, meaning natural therapy.  His ideas were inspired by those  of Vincent Preissnitz and the Austrian Kneipp.  The current practice is based on the use of physiotherapy, acupuncture, hydrotheraphy, massagem Bach flowers and nutrition..