You point out the "shortcomings" of Naturopathic Medicine, and how it compares so unfavorably to conventional medicine. I'm just going to mention a few things:
Darn, I thought you were going to mention a few things to counter the claims of shortcomings, and I would like to see that. Examples of shortcomings of traditional medicine--while valid--do not counter the shortcomings of naturopathic medicine. The main shortcoming to me is that the claims for naturopathic medicine far outstrip the evidence for them. Naturopathic medicine will cure every disease...if you believe all the marketing claims. Actual evidence that remedy x will actually treat a disease is far harder to find. Clinical evidence for some (many?) traditional medicines may be flawed, but at least overall it's more than exists for naturopathic medicines.
I do believe that some herbs and other such things can be effective treatments for some diseases. It's just that there is an overwhelming amount of marketing claims lacking any evidence whatsoever. I'm not sure that reading naturopathic magazines, or even going to a naturopath, would be any more effective at finding the herb that actually would treat a specific condition for a specific person than if they just tried plant bits at random (with a guide to toxic plants handy).