naturopathy

Naturopathy and homeopathy are both used as alternative treatments for healing the body. Many people are under the assumption that homeopathy and naturopathy are one and the same, whereas they are both different. The reason for the confusion is that a naturopath may use homeopathy in their treating of patients.

Naturopathy is a form of alternative medicine which is based on the theory that diseases can be treated without the use of drugs. Instead, techniques such as a balanced diet, exercise, and massage are used to prevent and heal disease. This type of treatment encourages the use of therapeutic methods to help with the self-healing process.

Naturopathy also helps a person improve their diet as proper nutrition plays a significant part in any naturopathic treatment.

Modern and traditional medicine, such as drugs and vaccinations, are greatly discouraged by naturopathic physicians because they disrupt and get in the way of the self-healing process.

Using The Healing Power of Nature

Naturopathy is founded on the principle of the healing power of nature, which is in each person. Physicians who specialize in naturopathy are charged with identifying and removing obstacles that would prevent proper healing and recovery, rather than just eliminating and suppressing symptoms.

Naturopathic physicians assess all risk factors, and make appropriate interventions with their patients in order to prevent disease and illness.

Naturopathic Guidelines

Naturopathic physicians follow 3 guidelines when it comes to treating a patient:

1. They utilize methods and natural medicines to help minimize the risk of possibly harmful side-effects.
2. Whenever possible, avoid treating a patient’s symptoms with invasive methods.
3. Always acknowledge, respect, and work with each patient’s self-healing process, and treat each person as an individual case.

In naturopathy, the physician often holds the role of teacher. They would rather educate you and encourage self-responsibility in taking care of your own health. After all, your body is yours and you are the one responsible for its care.

Total Health and Wellness

They also treat each patient by taking their individual physical, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors into account. Naturopathic physicians encourage their patients to pursue spiritual development, as naturopathy believes that total health also includes spiritual health.

Treatment Options

Naturopathic treatment includes the following different approaches depending on individualistic needs:

1. Dietary and/or lifestyle changes
2. Stress reduction
3. The use of herbs and/or other dietary supplements
4. Homeopathy
5. Manipulative therapy
6. Exercise therapy
7. A detoxification process that is practitioner-guided and approved
8. Psychotherapy and/or counseling if needed.

If you consult a naturopath, you may receive dietary advice, vitamin and mineral supplementation and if required, herbal medicines. Your naturopath is to be your general practitioner.

Naturopaths may include homeopathy in their overall healing program. Botanicals, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, hydrotherapy, physical medicine and nutrition and manipulative therapy are also used in naturopathic treatment plans.

Naturopaths encourage their patients to expose themselves to natural substances, such as sunshine, certain herbs and foods, to exercise regularly, meditate and relax. Doing these things helps the body heal itself without the unwanted side-effects of traditional medicines.

 

A naturopathic physician is one who has studied naturopathic medicine and has gone through a four year doctoral program and is licensed to practice. When you go to a naturopathic doctor, you’ll find that the experience is quite different from a traditional medical doctor.

For example, if you go to a medical doctor complaining of a gastrointestinal problem, you might be tested and then prescribed medication to treat the symptoms. But a naturopathic doctor will try to understand the underlying cause of your problem.

He or she might look at food allergies, nutritional deficits, and possible environmental toxins. Then you’ll be given a treatment plan to overcome these underlying causes and eliminate the symptoms naturally.

When choosing a naturopathic doctor, it’s important to look for someone who is licensed to practice as an N.D. and who has attended four years of naturopathic medical school. Sometimes word of mouth is the best way to find someone.

However, you can look for one in your area by going to http://www.naturopathic.org/ and searching for a provider near you. By doing this you can be assured that you’re dealing with a licensed professional.

You’ll then want to contact that naturopathic doctor and ask some questions about philosophy, cost of treatment, and length of visit. When you visit a naturopath you’ll find that your visits are typically much longer than a medical doctor.

You also should check with your medical insurance to see if any services are covered. Most insurance plans don’t cover naturopathic medicine. However, your insurance might cover tests and some treatment options.

Finally, once you arrive at your appointment, make sure that you’re honest about what works for you. For example, your naturopathic doctor may prescribe a specific diet. But if you’re not able or willing to follow it you’ll waste your time and money.

A naturopathic doctor will usually be fine with trying to help you reach a solution that works for your lifestyle. If not, you may need to keep looking for someone who can help you by meeting you in the middle with something that you feel is realistic for you.

A good naturopathic physician will listen and try to really understand your health. He or she will also be confident in prescribing a protocol to improve your health. But rather than popping few pills you’ll be asked to be a partner in your healthcare.

Using a naturopath means that you’ll need to be willing to make some tough changes but often those changes help you to have better health and wellness.

More and more people are looking for more natural treatment methods for illness and also to live a more naturally healthy lives and improve wellness through more nature based means.

A form of alternative medicine, naturopathy is a healing approach that utilizes your own body’s natural ability to restore health, focusing on wellness promotion and disease prevention rather than treatment.

Naturopathy is an alternative approach to healing that primarily involves nutritional and lifestyle modifications to facilitate healing and may include:

• Nutritional support
• Introduction of dietary supplements
• Exercise and stress management
• Acupuncture
• Massage therapy
• Hydrotherapy
• Homeopathy

Uses and Benefits

Naturopaths have been successful in treating a number of conditions such as headache, back pain, skin problems, fatigue, menstrual cramps, pain, sleep problems, and digestive conditions. Often, people turn to naturopathy to seek relief for chronic conditions that have been unresponsive to conventional treatments.

Botanical medicines are often the most prescribed form of naturopathic treatment, followed by vitamins and homeopathic remedies. But more than providing herbs or nutritional supplements to treat the patient, naturopathic physicians understand the art of healing in relation to illness. Naturopaths communicate with their patients to identify the issues that need to be addressed in order to come up with a suitable action plan.

The Six Principles of Naturopathy

Nature heals. Proponents of naturopathy believe that the body has a natural ability to maintain and restore state of health. Naturopathy taps into this ability by identifying and removing any obstacles to healing.

Do no harm. The goal of naturopathic medicine is to provide non-invasive and gentle treatments, ones that are safe and effective. Naturopathic physicians make sure that the methods they employ do not suppress the symptoms or produce adverse effects.

Identify and treat the cause. With naturopathy, the focus is treating the underlying causes of diseases and not just the accompanying symptoms. Naturopathic practitioners believe that symptoms arise as manifestations of physical, emotional, or mental imbalances.

Teach patients. Primarily, it is expected of the naturopathic physician to educate, motivate, and empower patients so that they’ll be able to take over in maintaining their own health. Doctors include in their plans how to educate the patient regarding a healthy diet, lifestyle, and attitude.

Illness prevention. Naturopathic doctors also evaluate necessary information that makes a person susceptible to certain diseases, and include in their plans specific strategies to prevent diseases rather than treating them.

Holistic treatment. With naturopathy, treatment is focused on the individual, not on the disease itself or the symptom. Naturopathic physicians take into account external factors such as emotional, social, genetic, and environmental factors, and tailor treatment strategies according to the patient’s uniqueness.

Naturopathy and Conventional Medicine

It is important to note that despite the many benefits of naturopathy, it is not meant to take the place of conventional medicine. Not just because treatments are natural means that they are perfectly safe, as they may be able to interact with other drugs or treatments that you are undergoing.

While naturopathy is something worth looking at, make sure that you consult with your physician first before seeing a naturopath. Once you do, be sure to keep your primary care provider updated about any herbal medicines or supplements that you were advised to take in order to avoid potential drug-to-drug interactions.

It is also important to note that some states do not require a license for someone to practice naturopathy, so you should be very careful in choosing your practitioner. If you want to be sure about the physician’s professional background and qualifications, you may inquire through the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and they can help you find a local practitioner in your area.