I completely agree with you. We do need to be informed and educated about what is wrong with us, and the various methods and treatments out there.
As a matter of fact, I am now a pretty big expert on cryptosporidium.
But to establish the diagnosis and for treatment too, we need doctors - naturopathic doctors as far as am concerned. I was lucky enough to have a whole team on my case.
I agree completely also, there are good naturopathic physicians, and lots of incompetent. When I first came to Phoenix, I went to a homeopathic doctor, a total medical predator (Dr Bruce Shelton) who was after my money and ran me through the same test (175$) again and again.
There is also a very important distinction to establish in the US between naturopath and naturopathic physicians. I would never go to a naturopath personally.