Unmanaged diabetes would cause harm for a diabetic no matter who they went to. Some MDs are bad doctors and some naruropaths are quacks. I'd get a recommendation. Some of the MDs that I've been to in recent years were great, but then left for other places. A recent one, was not the greatest, even though an internist in a large clinic. I finally switched to a country doc in a tiny, small-town clinic and she's been tremendous. I think there is room for the naturopath and there is a reputable one nearby that I would go to. The problem is insurance and the cost. My MD sort of comes close because she does go the more natural approach when possible. Not everyone is that fortunate.

Our University hospital now has a naturopath option, so they are seeing the benefit of it. Diabetes is nothing to mess with. My daughter who is an RN student just had a case of a 30 something who had poorly managed diabetes and lots of damage that probably can't be reversed.

Some people throw up their arms and fire their doctor, go to the naturopath, and I've seen it where they don't get the medical help they need. On the other hand I was told by my neurologist to pick my weapon (medicine) as if he'd done all he could, and truthfully I don't think they did all they could. In the end I did the research and had to be my own advocate anyway. If I went to a naturopath I'd do it to complement and not replace what the MD was doing.

I know little or nothing of Functional Medicine, but Naturopathy is 100% bunk. This link should get you started on accurate information sources: http://www.naturowatch.org/

There is a link to a paper about the man who founded Functional Medicine: http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/bland.html

I am diabetic and am off meds and keeping normal blood glucose levels through diet and exercise. There are good sources for information which are neither 'quacky' nor 1-size-fits-all pill pushers. Look around.