Naturopathy: When the goodness of nature heals you

How does naturopathy work?

A naturopath employs natural methods to tackle various conditions and in many cases he or she is the last resort for a patient who has been unsuccessfully seeking good health from various fields of medicine. A professional naturopath operates in a freelance environment in most cases and can be associated with a hospital, beauty clinic, healthcare, retail business and in various other segments.

The basic goal of naturopathy is to consider the mind and body as a complete unit and address the root cause of any illness in the right manner. The fundamental principles of this process are based on a person living in harmony with nature and finding balance on the physical mental and spiritual aspects of living. The human system has an inherent capability to remain healthy and naturopathy aims to aid the system to achieve this state.

The origin of Naturopathy

The fundamentals of Naturopathy are found in the ancient Vedic texts of India which also highlights other such methods like Yoga and Ayurveda. According to those systems, a disease can be cured by the right diet and healthy living, without consuming any medicines. The methods were also followed in the Hippocratic School of Medicine which was around 400 BC.

The concepts were based on the ideas of Greek philosopher Hippocrates who wanted to cure diseases based on the laws of nature. Dr, benedict Lust was the first person in North America to use the term “naturopathy”. In his definition, naturopathy is a clinical practice that makes use of medicine, homoeopathy, nutritional therapy and lifestyle counselling. He was the founder of the American School of Naturopathy in the year 1896.

After the Second World War, there came a period where more faith was placed on the healing power of scientific methods and chemical medicines. In the past few decades, the growth of lifestyle-related problems and the dissatisfaction of the public towards the medicinal approach has brought the focus back on naturopathy.

Today, naturopathy is a widely accepted alternative healing technique that is practised throughout the world. It is currently being defined as a “drugless, non-invasive, rational and evidence-based” form of medicine that can tackle various diseases effectively. The modern challenges brought about by various chemicals and ill-effects of technology have made the work of a naturopath more challenging than his predecessors. Today, a naturopath needs to use various wholesome methods to guide their patients through the path to recovery.

The main principles of naturopathic medicine

Naturopathy has the following main principles:

• It aims to use the healing power of nature in the best possible manner. The process tries to remove the obstacles that prevent the body from acting in its natural way and enhance the body’s healing ability for all the patients.
• Naturopathy aims at targeting the root cause of the disease and eliminating it. All external symptoms of a disease are controlled by an internal factor and the same is dependent on various physical, mental and emotional factors. Finding the chief cause behind any disease and taking the right steps to address it is the main goal of a naturopath.
• Naturopathy also lays strass on using techniques and practices that are safe for the body and comes without any side effects. The process is non-invasive and gentle and it does not aim to suppress the symptoms that are the part of a disease.
• One main aspect that a naturopathic practice is educating and empowering the patient to take charge of his or her own health. Health is the personal responsibility of the patient and that has to be maintained through a healthy lifestyle that balances all aspects of living. For these reasons, naturopaths are often considered not only as doctors but also as teachers.
• A naturopath treats the entire patient and not just the symptoms of the disease. According to naturopathy, taking a wholesome view of the patient is important as it allows the treatment to be more effective in every way. It is because of the fact that understanding the patient will lead to the successful treatment of the disease.
• Naturopathy believes that preventing a disease is easier than treating it. So it lays stress on the evaluation of the patients to judge their susceptibility to various kinds of diseases in the future. Specific lifestyle and diet-related suggestions are given to help the patient lead a healthy life in the long run.

Is naturopathy backed by scientific evidence?

Conventional medicine is evidence-based and is verified by specific methods of trial. Such trails conducted over naturopathic treatments have found it to be effective for curing a wide range of diseases including fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, hepatitis C, asthma, hypertension, and type II diabetes.

Present evidence also shows that naturopathy is more effective in treating certain hormonal conditions in women than conventional medicine. It has also shown its effectiveness in treating conditions like PCOS and menopausal symptoms in women.

Emerging evidence has also found it to be effective in reducing chronic pain in many cases and increase the survival time for cancer patients. In addition, naturopathy is also effective in treating psychosomatic conditions like depression, anxiety and others. While some experts doubt the efficacy of naturopathy due to the absence of direct evidence, the wide variety of treatments available under the umbrella makes it difficult to judge the subject on the whole.

A naturopathic treatment

For any naturopathic treatment to be effective it is necessary to maintain a good communication between the doctor and the patient. Naturopathy is based on individual needs and the treatment methods are customized to suit the specific requirement of a patient.

For this reason, the first appointment with a naturopath can involve a lot of paperwork that needs various details from the patient. It also needs time and patience where the patient is given ample time to tell all the necessary details about the disease. A naturopath can also make use of the following tests to analyse the symptoms in detail.

• Kinesiology
• Iridology
• Blood analysis
• Stool and urine analysis
• Hair analysis
• Various forms of functional testing.

Advantages of Naturopathy

The following advantages of naturopathy is making it a popular choice in the present times.

• It aims at preventing the disease from occurring by boosting the body and the immune system. This is achieved by various methods that are based on a holistic outlook.
• The process is non-invasive and being natural, it is free from side effects. One of the major disadvantages of conventional medicine is the adverse side effects that it has on the body. Naturopathy is free from side effects which is a major reason behind its rising popularity.
• Naturopathy aids in sleeping and for patients suffering from various forms of insomnia. The herbal remedies that it offers complemented by an effective lifestyle help the patients to sleep better.
• Naturopathy allows the patients to re-establish their connections with their inner selves and learn to listen to the body. With the right level of attention, the patient can understand the symptoms exhibited by the body and understand what is needed. It also helps patients in understanding the importance of mental and spiritual elements in maintaining a good health.
• Naturopathy is also a cost-effective process of treatment that can help patients coming from a variety of economic backgrounds. It can result in a significant amount of savings not only for the patient but for the entire healthcare segment as well.

Naturopathy in future

The scope of Naturopathic medicines is growing at the rate of around 10% in one year and the future looks very promising for those who want to pursue this path.  The segment is expected not only to create a whole range of new jobs in the coming years but also to provide patients with new hope and direction in life. With the rise in chronic ailments, patients are more interested in learning about the root cause of their ailments and tackle them effectively.

There is also a rising demand for natural healthcare products as well as nature-based treatments all around the world. Since the doctor-patient relationship plays an important role in naturopathy, it also allows the patients to place more trust on the doctor confidently. Considering the fact that naturopathy will play a mainstream role in the coming days, it is necessary that the right regulations and standards of practice are established in various countries to ensure ethical practices in all fronts.

References

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