Naturopathy is a health care system which promotes the body’s own self-healing mechanism, using natural therapies such as Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Fasting, Exercise and other modalities, in accordance with Naturopathic Principles.
The principles of Naturopathy were first used by the Hippocratic School of Medicine around 400 BC. The Greek philosopher Hippocrates believed in viewing the person as a whole in regards to finding a cause of disease and using the laws of nature to induce cure. It was from this school of thought that the principles of Naturopathy were formed:
Six Principles of Naturopathy:
- The Healing Power of Nature – nature has the innate ability to heal
- Prevention is better than cure – a naturopath may remove toxic substances and situations from a patient’s lifestyle to prevent the onset of further disease
- Treat the Whole Person – when preparing a treatment plan, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects are all taken into consideration
- Identify and Treat the Cause – there is always an underlying cause, be it physical or emotional
- Empower the patient to take responsibility for their own health by teaching self care
- All disease starts with a disruption to the body’s homeostatic mechanisms. Health is a return to balance.
By asking specific questions, Naturopaths aim to identify the underlying cause/s of dis-ease and, employing Naturopathic Principles, find the correct treatment to improve a patient’s Vital Force and support the return to better health.
For example, a Naturopathic Nutritionist may recommend a tailored diet regime and possibly supplements or superfoods, knowing that every person is an individual and requires a personalised nutritional approach to health.
Naturopathic therapists may use more than one diagnostic approach which may include medical and laboratory tests. The advantage of Naturopathic Diagnostics is that constitutional weaknesses can be identified and a link between a symptom and an underlying cause revealed.
The most commonly used Naturopathic diagnostic tools are:
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Iridology
Kinesiology and
Bioresonance
As a Naturopathic Nutritionist I focus on:
The use of whole and organic food, the importance of detoxification and I use additional Naturopathic therapies such as Bach flowers, Tissue salts, herbs and first aid homeopathy.
As a health coach I help people to gain knowledge and confidence in order to reach their health goals