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NATUROPATHY:
A NATURAL WAY
TO BETTER HEALTH
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
With increased awareness to the healing
benefits of natural medicine, many people are confused
about naturopathic medicine. What is naturopathy and how it
works will be the subject of this article. You will
understand the history and the basic foundation that
underscores the methodologies that a naturopathic physician
utilizes in the process of aiding the healing process.
Let’s look at history first.
The term naturopathy was first coined by Dr. John
Scheel, a German homeopath in
1895. Many of the therapies incorporated at the time were
based on the work of Friar Sebastian
Kneipp. Kneipp is
renowned for his work with hydrotherapy (water cure).
Naturopathy in the United States
became more prevalent through the work of Benedict Lust, a
German missionary trained in the
Kneipp cure, due to his own healing of tuberculosis
with the “water cure”. Lust later obtained degrees in
osteopathy and medicine and founded his own school, the American School of Naturopathy, offering massage,
chiropractic, and naturopathy in
New York. Popularity of this
therapy grew during this time period. There were over 83
naturopathic colleges at its peak in the 1930’s with over
10,000 practitioners.
Naturopathy took a decline
around World War II with the rise of allopathic medicine
and pharmaceuticals. There has been a
resurgence over the last 10 years in the growth of
naturopathy. Currently there are two accredited colleges
offering degree programs. Approximately 20 states have
licensure for naturopathy. This growth is due mainly to our
increased awareness to the role of diet and lifestyle in
the cause of chronic disease as well as the failure of
modern medicine to deal effectively with these conditions.
Let’s look at some of the
guiding principals of naturopathy and then we will look at
the methods utilized. Even though the term naturopathy is
fairly new the founding principals have roots in the
healing systems of Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine,
Native American, and Greek systems.
·
The healing
power of nature is powerful: all healing comes from within
and the body heals itself. The role of the naturopath is to
help facilitate this natural process.
·
Treat the
cause rather than the effect: seek the underlying cause of
disease rather than suppress symptoms. Symptoms are viewed
as expressions of the body’s imbalances on all levels,
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
·
First do no
harm: one of Hippocrates principals to do no harm in the
treatment of trying to create balance within a body. This
utilizes natural substances and therapies.
·
Treat the
whole person: a holistic viewpoint of total body, which
goes beyond single body system treatments. This approach
results in a therapeutic approach in which no disease is
automatically seen as incurable.
·
The
physician as teacher: naturopaths are first and foremost
teachers that educate, empower, and motivate the person to
take responsibility for his or her own health by assessing
and adopting lifestyle changes.
·
Prevention
is the best cure: by understanding underlying lifestyle
imbalances and understanding body systems a person can
prevent many disease processes. This is taught by the
naturopath.
Naturopathic doctors are
considered primary care physicians. They can treat everyday
problems. Lets look at the
methods and applications they might utilize.
·
Nutrition:
the diet is the foundation of naturopathic medicine.
Minimizing over process chemical laden foods is a start
with emphasis is on whole foods rather that particular diet
programs like vegetarianism etc. Nutritional
supplementation is part of this process when trying to get
positive body responses.
·
Herbal
medicine: plants have been used for thousands of years and
have known benefits for balancing body systems. Most
naturopaths recognize the necessity of conventional drug
for emergency and short-term use but work with natural
substances to restore harmony and balance.
·
Homeopathy:
another form of natural medicine employed as means to
restoring balance using natural substances with no
toxicity.
·
Acupuncture-acupressure: stimulating the “chi” by opening
pathways of energy to restore balance.
·
Hydrotherapy: using hot/cold pack, spas,
sitz baths, saunas, whirlpools,
poultices, castor oil packs and enemas to maintain health
and prevent disease.
·
Physical
medicine: which
involves massage, therapeutic touch,
reiki, ultrasound, magnet and light therapy.
·
Counseling
and lifestyle modification: the education and assessment of
each person to activate their own desire to be responsible
for there condition. Understanding what you may be doing to
cause your symptoms can help you make changes in your
lifestyle.
A typical visit to a
naturopath will take about an hour to an hour and a half.
You will fill out a questionnaire before the interview.
During your first visit the ND will ask about your
condition beginning with your health history, present
symptoms, lifestyle and diet. A physical exam will follow
with other diagnostic techniques and tests. Hair analysis,
urine analysis and blood testing might be employed based on
what the ND needs to find out. New functional medicine
testing is becoming more prevalent as a more accurate
assessment in testing for organ or system functions than
standard testing procedures. After the assessment process
the ND will develop a comprehensive program for you to
begin. This will utilize many of the methods mentioned
above.
This is a joint process
between you and the ND. Remember you have choice in this
process.
A follow-up will usually be
within two weeks to make adjustments and to review any test
results that may affect the protocols implemented in the
first visit. Another follow up is within thirty days of the
first visit. Of course depending on the nature of your
condition, how long a person will work with the ND is based
on the amount of time it takes to see results that have
lasting effects.
I personally know and have
worked with a number of naturopaths over the years. I
utilize there expertise and services in my owe life. What I
like most is the fact that I am empowered to be involved in
my own healing process and feel that I have an advocate at
my side.
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