No matter how much faith you place in Western medicine, sometimes it just fails to get the job done. After a while of syrups and pills, you may find yourself turning to alternative or complementary wellness, and this is where naturopathy comes in. This is a completely natural and holistic approach to your health and wellbeing, without the dangerous side effects of constant drug use.
Naturopathy has been around for hundreds of years and was first introduced here in Europe in the 19th century. It works on the basic thinking that your body has everything it needs to heal itself, such as your immune system and disease-fighting fluids. According to naturopathy, the foods you eat pollute an otherwise healthy and safe environment – your body – and this is when your wellness starts going haywire. However, naturopathy tackles this discord with a combination of herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, hydrotherapy, exercise therapy, physical therapy, lifestyle and counselling.
There are several diseases and ailments that naturopathy can deal with, including headaches, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, weight problems, arthritis and menstrual disorders. Let’s look at how it works in just three of these conditions:
1. Cholesterol – An increase in cholesterol is recognised by naturopathy as the culprit behind cardiovascular diseases, and so practitioners target this by offering a programme of dietary modification. This means you are advised on what foods to eat and avoid.
2. Abdominal diseases – Again, this is where a natural nutritional programme can lead to a solution, under the beliefs of naturopathy. Whether you suffer from constipation, obesity, piles, hernia, appendicitis or ulcers, practitioners believe that these disorders are linked to your body’s intake of fat and fibre content, and so will aim to treat all abdominal diseases in this way.
3. Headaches – Everyone gets the odd headache now and again, but the reasons behind them (and their severity) have a wide range. It could be something as simple as bad food and drink habits, anaemia or a lack of sleep, or there may be a bigger underlying problem involved, such as a tumour. However, naturopathy will often turn to digestive disturbances as a major cause of headaches, and so will concentrate on bowel elimination, stomach wash and hot compresses on your neck and feet. According to naturopathy, you’ll automatically find relief if you rest in a quiet and dark room, and fast with only fruit juices for two to three days.