When you are on the naturopathic path to healing, you are enwrapped by the protective wings of nature and in its beatific warmth, you experience healing in the purest way. You are indeed travelling inwards to recognise and acknowledge the innate healer. In this rejuvenatory experience, the concept of good health goes beyond the mere absence of ailments and treatment is not limited to addressing the symptoms.
Naturopaths identify the root cause of ailments and work towards the elimination of these causes. This part of the treatment process, which is important in attaining permanent cure, is overlooked or often avoided in the fast-paced and quick-fix approach of modern systems of medicine. By treating the person as a whole, Nature Cure touches the physical, mental and spiritual planes of well-being and also works towards the prevention of ailments. These holistic aspects show the relevance and the scope of Naturopathy as a medical system apt for the physical and mental ailments affecting the humankind today.
Vitality is the innate healing force or the self curative force within each of us. Vital energy preserves and promotes health and prevents and cures diseases. As our way of life becomes antithetical to the ways of natural living, the innate healing mechanism gets weakened, leading to poor health and vulnerability to all kinds of ailments. Revitalising the vital force and strengthening it to rekindle the self-healing mechanism of the body are the primary steps in Nature Cure.
Toxaemia is the accumulation of toxins in the body. This condition, caused by prolonged imbalances in our lifestyle, is identified as the sole underlying cause of ill health.Improper eating habits and stress, anxiety and other factors disturbing the mental health are among the key reasons that lead to toxaemia. These unhealthy practices have a detrimental effect on the digestive and eliminative processes. When the removal of toxins from the body is disturbed, it falls into a toxaemic state.
Our body has an elaborate healing mechanism that strives to maintain and restore optimal health. This therapeutic power is an intrinsic part of our being and makes the body capable of self-healing. Adequate rest, which includes physical, physiological, mental, emotional and sensory rest, lets the curative forces carry out the restorative and regenerative processes. Naturopathy helps you reconnect with your innate healer and the treatment process is the way to create a conducive environment ideal for self-healing.
Good health is a state achieved through the convergence of physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. We often perceive good health as a state where an ailment is not outwardly manifested or being felt in the physical realm. By ignoring the thoughts, feelings and emotions of a person and limiting the concept of well-being to the physical body, we can only develop a false notion of healthiness. Harmonious integrality of the body, mind and spirit and attunement of our way of life with the forces of nature bring about holistic well-being.
Vital energy works towards sustaining good health. Having fresh and natural food, adequate exercise and rest for the body and mind, a good environment, healthy relationships, a good balance of work and recreation are among the everyday practices that can preserve and maintain vitality. As we fail to practise these concepts of mindful living, we prepare the way for ill health.
Acute diseases, such as fevers, colds, inflammations, digestive disturbances and skin eruptions, are efforts made by the body to combat toxemia. They are efforts made by the inner healing force to facilitate the elimination process and thus, get rid of the abnormal composition of blood and lymph, repair any damage caused to the organs, and protect the body from falling into a diseased state. Continued suppression of acute diseases leads to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, rheumatism and kidney disorders. In many of the modern systems of medicine, attempts made by the body to remove toxins are often portrayed as diseases when the real disease is toxaemia.
Chronic disease never develops suddenly in the human body. Nature always tries to prevent its gradual development by acute and sub-acute healing efforts. If these, by any means whatever, are checked and suppressed, then they are followed either by fatal complications or chronic after effects, the mysterious "sequelae" of medical science.
Dr. Henry Lindlahr , a Naturopath regarded as one of the founders of Nature Cure in America
Every living cell has intelligence and contains sufficient resources to overcome temporary disabilities caused by internal and external circumstances. The ideal way to communicate with the cells and assist the self-healing process is to do so using the elements from which the cells are made. These elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. Therapies like Hydrotherapy and Mud therapy are the ways to let the elements interact with the body. These interactions stimulate the healing, repairing and curative functions of the body.
Every living cell has intelligence and contains sufficient resources to overcome temporary disabilities caused by internal and external circumstances. The ideal way to communicate with the cells and assist the self-healing process is to do so using the elements from which the cells are made. These elements are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. Therapies like Hydrotherapy and Mud therapy are the ways to let the elements interact with the body. These interactions stimulate the healing, repairing and curative functions of the body.
While the elements promote self-healing, your diet plays a key role in detoxifying, revitalising and nourishing the body. The diet therapy happens in three stages called the eliminative stage, the soothing stage and the constructive stage. Fasting, which is a part of the eliminative stage, provides the ideal condition for elimination, repair and maintenance. In the soothing stage, the focus is on revitalising the body with juices and the constructive stage comprises of a plant based full course diet.
Yoga complements and enhances Naturopathic healing. Together, Naturopathy and Yoga form a complete healthcare system that stimulates an individual’s self-healing process in the different koshas (layers) of existence. Yoga, an invaluable treasure from our ancient wisdom, has answers for all the physical and mental issues of an individual. Yoga boosts inner health and harmony and its regular practise is a path to self-healing. This treatment combination is a way to bring about holistic cure.
Being a system of medicine that works on the energy layer of the body, Energy Medicine is a tool to facilitate holistic healing. To maintain cellular metabolism and thus keep the body healthy, Energy, called ‘praana’ or ‘chi’, has to flow freely in the body through specific channels. Any blockage in this flow can lead to ailments. Therapies in Energy Medicine like acupuncture, acupressure and reflexology, help in removing the blockages and bringing back the body to good health.
Naturopathy is the science of non-invasive healing. The treatments do not disturb the natural rhythm or any systems of the body. Unlike most of the other medical practices, Naturopathy does not have any side effects.
Nature Cure finds the underlying cause of an ailment and works towards resolving this cause. The real reason for the diseased state of an individual is addressed rather than treating or suppressing the outwardly manifested symptoms.
Nature is the sole force that can bring about cure. Naturopathic treatments awaken and strengthen this healing force present within each of us. A naturopath is a guide and a devoted companion who reconnects you with the healer.
Educating the patients about their health condition and the self-healing journey is a major part of the consultation process of naturopathic physicians. They help in understanding why every person is responsible for his / her own health.
The well-being of every person is affected by physical, emotional, dietary, genetic and environmental factors. In diagnostics and treatment, all of these factors are taken into consideration. The focus is on the whole person and not on an illness or individual parts.
Prevention is of great importance in Naturopathic Medicine. Naturopathy promotes a nature-friendly lifestyle or ‘Prakriti Jeevanam.’ This way of life helps an individual in maintaining good health by preserving and strengthening vitality.
Even though Naturopathic Principles are as old as history, they are as new as tomorrow because nature and truth never change. Any system that cured people years ago will help people today, and we can now scientifically validate and explain the clinical success of these approaches.
Arno R. Koegler , a prominent Canadian Naturopath
