Naturopathy is a holistic form of medicine that uses natural and non-toxic therapies to treat illnesses, prevent diseases and improve health. It presents a non-invasive and a complete form of treatment. Discovered in the 1800s naturopathic medicine borrows from a wide array of traditional healing practices; acupuncture, herbalism, botanical medicine and the use of nutritional supplements. Naturopathic medicine encourages the self-healing process of the body using modern and traditional, empirical and scientific techniques. The treatment works by first finding the cause of the problem, unlike modern medicine that aims at treating the symptoms.
Naturopathic Physicians conduct lengthy interviews with patients focusing on their physical wellbeing, diet, lifestyle and emotional health. As such, they base their treatments on some beliefs:
· The self-healing nature of the body: the body has an innate self-healing ability, and naturopathy only facilitates this process by eliminating any obstacles.
· Use of gentle and non-invasive therapies.
· A holistic approach to treating patients: physicians identify any imbalances in the body and tailor the treatment to rectify it (depending on the symptoms presented).
· Symptoms denote an underlying internal imbalance caused by emotional, physical or mental problems.
· Focus is on proactive prevention: naturopathic physicians believe in preventing rather than treating diseases through an evaluation of subjective and objective information. As such, doctors can quickly decipher any future vulnerability in patients.
Naturopathic medicine is known to deal with all kinds of medical ailments the most common being; chronic pain, cancer, allergies, hormonal imbalances, fibromyalgia, fertility problems, menopause, respiratory conditions among others. In our discussion, we will look at 4-5 cures of using Naturopathic Medicine
1. Naturopathy to treat heart disease
Heart disease is also referred to as cardiovascular or coronary artery disease. Different medicines have been developed to treat the disease but most effective remedy requires diet changes. Naturopathic doctors recommend various natural ways of addressing the problem:
Mediterranean diet: it is a plant-based diet that is rich in fiber, fruits, whole grains and vegetables. It also emphasizes on monosaturated fats like olive oil and foods rich in Omega 3.
Supplements and herbs: they help fight atherosclerosis (the major cause of heart disease). Herbs like Coenzyme Q10 (an antioxidant that aids in energy production), Hawthorn (helps in the relaxation of blood vessels) and Taurine (protects and improves symptoms related to heart failure).
Meditation: it reduces physical, mental and emotional stress correlated with cardiac problems. Naturopathic doctors also recommend adding other forms of relaxation like listening to music, walking, dancing to your daily routine to reduce stress.
2. Naturopathy to treat fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a health condition that causes chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depression, memory problems, irritable bowel syndrome, and headaches. It is a multi-casual health condition that requires a deep understanding of the body organs to treat the multiple factors that initiate the problem. If the multiple stressors occur over an extended period, they cause fibromyalgia, destroying the body’s natural healing ability. The condition requires an integrative approach of treatment i.e. through the use of conventional and alternative diagnostic techniques like naturopathy. Naturopathy physicians recommend the following therapies for patients suffering from fibromyalgia:
· Gentle exercises like yoga, dancing, Tai Chi, and walking.
· Eating foods rich in minerals like potassium citrate and magnesium maltase.
· Eating foods rich in anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes.
· Foods that contain anti-oxidant vitamins like Beta-carotene, B-complex, C and E.
· Adding foods rich in fatty acids to your diet; fish oils, flaxseed oil, and primrose oil.
· Detoxification program that includes liver cleansing, mercury detoxification and amalgam removal.
3. Naturopathy to treat chronic pain
Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than six months. The pain can be mild, excruciating or in the form of sporadic episodes. The most common causes of chronic pain include headaches, backaches, joint pain, and pain from an injury. Other kinds of chronic pain include pain affecting certain parts of the body such as the leg, neck, arm, shoulders, and the pelvis. It may also originate with an infection or initial trauma. Physicians recommend various medicines to treat/relieve chronic pain but most of them offer modest results and cause a host of side effects.
Naturopathy provides a more holistic alternative of treating chronic pain with or without cause by identifying imbalances in the body that irritate tissues, or nerves causing pain. For example if the pain occurs on both sides of the body, it indicates an underlying disorder; if it occurs on one location it is more likely to be caused by an injury. Naturopathic medicine provides various solutions for treating pain:
Acupuncture: it relieves pain by helping the body to release endorphins, reduce pain signals to the brain and stimulate the body’s healing ability.
An anti-inflammation diet: naturopathic physicians prescribe herbal medicines that reduce inflammation.
Hydrotherapy: here water is used to increase circulation, reduce inflammation and promote detoxification thus managing chronic pain.
Supplementation: natural supplements like curcumin, and fish oils reduce inflammation, muscle tension without causing adverse side effects.
4. Naturopathy to treat fertility problems
Infertility is a health problem affecting both men and women. Studies show 30% of infertility problems are caused by female factors, 30% due to male factors and 40% due to unknown causes. Modern medical diagnosis and remedies involve lots of invasive tests, surgery, drug therapy and now artificial conception technology.
Naturopathic therapy, on the other hand, provides a more holistic view of treating infertility problems. The couple is treated individually while addressing their emotional, spiritual and psychological aspects. Some naturopathic remedies used include herbalism, making nutritional adjustments, flower essences (helps relax the mind), osteopathy and homeopathy. The treatments enhance the body’s natural processes without the use of invasive surgical methods, artificial conception technologies or toxic drugs.
5. Naturopathy to treat allergies
An allergy is an aggressive immune response triggered by inhaling irritants like pollen or ingesting certain kinds of foods. People suffering from allergies are sensitive to mold, dust, spores, and pollen. Naturopathic medicine associates allergies with weak immune and digestive functions thus naturopathic remedies help improve their function and eliminate the symptoms. Patients suffering from seasonal allergies should start the natural therapies a month or two before the season commences to minimize the severity of the symptoms. Other naturopathic remedies include:
· Herbal medicines like Dong Quai (has anti-inflammatory properties), eyebright (ideal for sneezing and itchy eyes), and the red clover (enhances the body’s resistance to allergies). Patients may make a tea of one or more herbs.
· Nutrition: include dark green, leafy veggies, deep yellow veggies, carrots, yams cabbage, ginger, onions and garlic.
· Hydrotherapy; hot foot baths, castor oil packs and placing a cold cloth on the forehead.
Sources
www.cancercenter.com
www.naturopathic.org
activebacktohealth.com
www.thehealthsite.com
Looking for non-invasive medical remedies; Try Naturopathic Medicines
