Volume 37 Issue 4

As 2025 comes to an end, Australia’s renewed commitment to preventive health marks a turning point. Almost 30 per cent of the national health research budget for the next decade has been allocated to prevention, an explicit acknowledgement that keeping people well, is as vital as treating illness.^1,2 This broader health focus mirrors not only naturopathic core principles but also the profession’s growing recognition that sound research appraisal is essential to demonstrating our value in health policy initiatives.

For naturopaths and herbalists, preventative health aligns closely with long-standing principles of whole-person care. What is changing, markedly, is how the profession is responding. This year we saw a clear move toward strengthening research capability, with evidence-appraisal and research-literacy subjects now embedded early in naturopathy and herbal medicine degrees. This signals a generational step toward greater methodological fluency and more confident engagement with scientific research.

This direction is echoed internationally. The World Health Organization’s draft Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 defines research evidence as explicit, systematic and replicable, judged on methodological standards.³ Australian health technology assessments are also calling for transparent, population-specific evidence to inform decision-making.⁴ Rather than viewing this as an external demand, the profession is increasingly embracing research as foundational to evidence-based practice.

A major milestone in 2025 was the Australian Government’s recommendation to reinstate private health insurance rebates for naturopathy and western herbal medicine, an outcome shaped by the evolving evidence base, the profession’s commitment to healthcare, and the substantial work undertaken by many across the sector.

The Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine has grown in parallel. Submissions have increased, our Ahead-of-Print model is now well established, and our reviewer pool continues to expand. My sincere thanks to our Associate Editors for their dedicated work throughout the year and to our reviewers whose expertise underpins the journal’s standards.

As we collectively exhale at year’s end, it is encouraging to see educators, clinicians, researchers and students aligned around a shared goal, professions supported by evidence, and practice strengthened by the skills to appraise it.

In this summer issue

This issue closes the year with five diverse contributions:

Tongue diagnosis: a peer reviewed historical timeline with reflections on relevance for contemporary holistic practice, by one of our own, Betina Schmoll.

Achillea millefolium vs mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for hot flushes: a comparative study assessing symptom reduction among postmenopausal women.

Aloe vera and diabetes mellitus: a scoping review examining chromones, carbohydrates and phytosterols involved in glycaemic control, antioxidant activity, insulin sensitivity and anti-inflammatory pathways by our academic friends in Indonesia.

As we head into 2026, the profession is strengthening its research foundations and continuing to evolve. The national focus on prevention offers a generational opportunity for naturopathy and herbal medicine to contribute meaningfully to Australia’s future health. For now, we pause. Enjoy the festive season and the summer break, and we look forward to reconnecting in the new year. Thank you so much for your support.

Author(s)

Susan Arentz PhD, BHSc (Hons)
Editor, Australian Journal of Herbal and Naturopathic Medicine
PO Box 696, Ashfield, NSW 2131, Australia
Email journal@nhaa.org.au

References

1. Department of Health. The Australian National Preventive Health Strategy (2021–2030). Australian Government; 2021. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/12/national-preventive-health-strategy-2021-2030_1.pdf
2. Department of Health, Disability and Aging. Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative. Australian Government; 2021. https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/mrff-preventive-and-public-health-research-initiative
3. World Health Organisation. Draft global traditional medicine strategy 2025–2034. WHO; 2025. https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA78/A78_4Add1-en.pdf.
4. Lloyd I. Health technology assessment–Naturopathy. Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors Journal 2022;29(1):4–6.