Naturopathic Medicine

An introduction to Naturopathic Medicine - The General Council & Register of Naturopaths

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of healing - a philosophy, science, art and practice which seeks to promote health by stimulating and supporting the body's inherent power to regain harmony and balance. Although the term "naturopathy" was first used at the turn of the century, the philosophical basis and many of the methods of naturopathic medicine are ancient, some dating back at least 400B.C., when Hippocrates became famous for his treatment of disease in accordance with natural laws. In fact, although Hippocrates is called the Father of Medicine, modern medical science completely ignores the self-evident laws of health laid down by him, which state:

Only nature heals, providing it is given the opportunity to do so;
Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food;
Disease is an expression of purification;
All disease is one.

The philosophy of naturopathic medicine is based upon three basic principles. The first principle is that the body possesses the power to heal itself through its internal vitality and intelligence. This vital force is the foundation of naturopathic philosophy and all the naturopathic practitioner does is to create the most favourable conditions to stimulate and enhance this healing power of nature.

The second principle is that disease is a manifestation of the vital force applying itself to the removal of obstructions to the normal functioning of organs and tissues. The naturopathic practitioner always seeks to discover and remove the basic causes of disease whether they be:

Chemical; i.e. an imbalance in the chemistry of the body fluids due to dietary deficiency or dietary excess, retention of waste products due to inefficient functioning of the lungs, kidneys, and bowels, or poor circulation of body fluids;
Mechanical; i.e. muscular tensions, strained ligaments, stiff joints, poor posture due to occupational factors, as well as spinal mis-alignments leading to an interference in the functioning of the nervous system and the musculosketal system generally;
Psychological; i.e. impaired function induced by stress, which may be due to worries and upsets in personal and domestic life and/or anxieties and pressures at work.

The third principle is that naturopathic medicine is a holistic approach to heatlh. In other words, disease affects the whole person - body, mind and spirit, and not simply an isolated organ or system. Each person responds in unique ways to his or her environment, each has individual strengths, weaknesses and needs. Their body's reactions to the same stress may be very different depending on their level of health, inhereted tendencies, previous medical history, etc. In treating the whole person the naturopathic practitioner searches for causes at many levels, and attempts to eliminate the fundemental cause of illness, not simply to remove symptoms.

The task of naturopathic practitioners is twofold. First, to educate their patients to take more responsibility for their health and to assist them to understand the fundamental laws of health relating to rest, exersice, nutrition and life-style. Second, using natural therapies, to increase the vitality of the individual and to remove any obstructions; chemical, physical, or psychological, which may be interfering with the normal functioning and internal harmony of the organs and tissues.

In 1990 a Commission on Naturopathic Medicine, sponsored by the General Council and Register of Naturopaths, drafted a definition of Naturopathic Medicine, its philosophy and its practice. In it the following therapies were defined as of primary importance in the naturopathic treatment of disease.

Nutrition and Dietetics: This includes the prescription of a balanced, wholesome, natural diet based on the principles advocated by naturopathic practitioners for nearly 100 years and only now accepted as correct by the medical profession. Also specific, controlled diets may be given at the discretion of the practitioner to patients requiring a more rigid regime.
Fasting: The controlled abstinence from food has been used therapeuti-cally for over 2,000 years. It was advocated by Hippocrates as a treatment for many diseases, because it allowed the body to concentrate its resources on dealing with the disease rather than the processes of digestion. Although largely ridiculed by orthodoxy for many years, fasting has recently begun to gain a reputation as an excellent and safe treatment for obesity, high blood pressure, arthritis and rheumatism, various allergies and some psychiatric diseases.
Structural adjustments: By such methods as osteopathy, chiropractic, neuromuscular technique, postural re-education and remedial exercises, the naturopathic practitioner seeks to balance and integrate the spine, muscles, ligaments and joints of the whole body.
Hydrotherapy: This is the use of water, both internally and externally in the form of baths, packs, compresses, sprays and douches. Hydrotherapy is of value in most conditions and correctly applied can give remarkable results in the treatment of both acute and long-standing conditions.
Healthy life-style: This includes the general care of one's body, the use of moderate physical exercise and relaxation techniques, and the cultivation of a positive approach to life and health.
Education: In naturopathic philosophy it is just as important if not more so, to explain to the patient why disease occurs and what the patient can do for him or herself to maintain the new, improved level of health given to them by naturopathic treatment. In this way the patient is given responsibility for his or her health.

The Commission also accepted that specialized therapies which are naturopathic in principle and practiced by those qualified to do so may be considered complementary to the above methods. The therapies considered acceptable include osteopathy, chiropractic, relaxation techniques, herbalism, electrotherapy, nutritional biochemistry and homeopathy.

Any naturopathic therapy should at all times assist the inherent tendency present in all living organisms, which is striving to restore biological integrity and balance. Observation of the effects of naturopathic treatment in establishments all over the world for a period of 100 years or more have established that a therapy that is truly naturopathic in its application gives rise to the following phenomena:

There is a progressive raising of the general level of health attended during the process by healing crises (which are signs that the body is dealing with the disease);
There is a return of old symptoms usually in reverse order of their appearance. This is especially true of those symptoms which have been previously suppressed:
There is a movement of the disease process from the deeper tissues to the more superficial, and from the more vital organs to the less vital.

Professional help should be aimed at restoring a patient to a point where he or she becomes independent of treatment and is able to maintain normal health by such means as whole food, fresh air, exercise, positive thinking, etc. It is necessary to bear in mind that the terminally ill, the elderly, those overwhelmed by the stresses of modern life and those of congenitally weakened physique may well require continuing naturopathic treatment.