Naturopathy
“ No medicine is needed for our body if we are ready to eat the food we need ”
“Consequences of not eating are far worse than eating so called Bad Food.”
What is naturopathic medicine?
Naturopahty or Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the body can heal itself naturally. Naturopathic medicine attempts to improve health, prevent disease, and treat illness by promoting the use of organic foods and exercise; encouraging a healthy, balanced lifestyle; and applying concepts and treatments from other areas of complementary medicine (such as ayurveda, homeopathy, and herbal therapies).
Most traditional naturopathic physicians (naturopaths) believe in natural therapies, such as nutritional and lifestyle counseling. They generally avoid prescribing medicines or performing surgery. Some naturopaths prescribe herbal medicines, homeopathic dilutions, nutritional supplements, or perform minor surgeries. The disagreement over specific practice guidelines and licensing requirements in different states has led to some public confusion about the role of the naturopath.
The Origins of Naturopathy
The principles of Naturopathy were first used by the Hippocratic School of Medicine in about 400B.C. The Greek philosopher Hippocrates believed in viewing the whole person in regards to finding a cause of disease, and using the laws of nature to induce cure. It was from this original school of thought that Naturopathy takes its principles.
- The healing power of nature- nature has the innate ability to heal
- Identify and treat the cause – there is always an underlying cause, be it physical or emotional
- Do no harm- a Naturopath will never use treatments that may create other conditions
- Treat the whole person- when preparing a treatment plan, all aspects of a person’s being are taken into consideration
- The Naturopath as teacher- a Naturopath empowers the patient to take responsibility for his/her own health by teaching self-care
- Prevention is better than cure – a Naturopath may remove toxic substances and situations from a patient’s lifestyle to prevent the onset of further disease
What is naturopathy used for?
People use naturopathic medicine for promoting good health, preventing disease, and treating illness. Most naturopaths can treat earaches, allergies, and other common medical problems. Naturopathic medicine tries to find the cause of the condition rather than focusing solely on treating symptoms. A properly trained naturopathic physician works with other health professionals, referring people to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.
The Principles of Naturopathy
While various naturopathic organizations have differing perspectives on the scope of the naturopath’s practice and different practitioners take different approaches to diagnosis and treatment, traditional naturopaths adhere to certain basic principles:
- The healing power of nature: Naturopathy contends that the body has the inherent ability to heal itself and, when working at an optimal level, to ward off disease. Naturopathy is intended to help your body do just that.
- Treat the whole person : Naturopaths work from the perspective that health and disease are more than just germs and infection. Mental, physical, spiritual and environmental factors each play a role. Naturopaths take all of these factors into consideration when developing treatment. So, where a conventional health care professional may prescribe medication to suppress symptoms, a naturopath may look for alternative approaches because the goal is to restore health, not simply banish illness.
- First, do no harm : This tenet is, of course, part of the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians. Traditionally, naturopathy focuses on gentle, noninvasive therapies that enhance the healing process. It is this principle that underlies the reluctance to turn immediately to drugs for a cure. Naturopaths generally avoid methods that merely relieve symptoms without addressing the cause. This is the foundation of another principle:
- Identify the cause : Instead of treating symptoms, naturopaths seek to identify and treat the underlying cause. Symptoms are not the cause of illness—they simply indicate that your body is out of balance. The cause is often more difficult to identify. It could be anything from a vitamin or mineral deficiency to an emotional problem. By identifying and addressing (or removing) the cause, the symptoms can be relieved rather than suppressed.
- Prevention : Naturopaths place great emphasis on preventive care. Naturopaths assess your risk factors and make suggestions that will support your good health.
- The physician as teacher. Naturopaths see themselves as teachers and try to teach patients how to take responsibility for their own health. This may involve suggesting nutritional, emotional, dietary or other lifestyle changes.
What is Naturopathic Nutrition?
Nutrition and food are the backbone of all naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic nutrition favors a holistic approach to wellness, allowing for only a minimal use of artificial supplements, drugs or surgical procedures. Moreover, prevention of illness and ailments is preferred, rather than the treatment of these preventable problems. Many of these illnesses and ailments can be prevented through the workings of a healthy diet, fitness and lifestyle adjustments and the reduction of unnecessary stress. Sometimes known as naturopathic nutritional therapy or holistic nutrition, naturopathic nutrition is traditionally viewed as a therapy which uses a fresh, natural diet as a treatment for disease.
There is no doubt that this approach can be very successful, especially for individuals whose habitual diet is unhealthy. In fact public health advisors now recommend that we eat at least five (preferably 5-9) daily portions of fresh fruit and vegetables – a policy of which the early naturopaths would have very much approved. Using food as medicine, an individually devised, wholesome and natural diet is aimed at balancing nutritional deficiencies, combating allergies, digestive disorders and building resistance to disease. Medical nutrition therapy and specific diet strategies are advised for chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries.
Modern Naturopathic Nutrition
However not all health problems can be resolved simply by eating a better diet. The modern western diet, together with pollution and the excessive use of antibiotics has led to epidemics of long-term health problems such as chronic fatigue syndrome which, while still being curable using natural methods, need a more complex approach.
Modern naturopathic nutritionists are trained in the detailed workings of the body and its metabolism. This enables them not only to explain to individuals how their illness may have started but also to design a tailor-made nutrition and health program, explain how it works, and guide the client through it, adapting it as necessary and working through any problems that may arise.
Naturopathic nutritionists are also trained in the use of specialized lab tests which can help them to tailor a nutritional supplement program.
Naturopathic nutrition is based on good science
Naturopathic Nutrition stresses the use of whole and organic foods as medicine – an integral concept of healing in many indigenous societies. Today, we see that a return to chemical-free foods, along with other dietary measures, is an effective answer to many health complaints and common conditions. A large volume of research which goes back for many decades is not included in the curriculum of most colleges, medical schools and universities. This research consistently demonstrates that methods based on naturopathic nutrition can be very successful in reversing a chronic (long-term) health condition.
In addition to diet and supplements, naturopathic nutritionists also use safe herbal products and are trained to guide individuals through procedures designed to find out whether any specific staple foods are aggravating their condition.
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