Naturopathy cure is underpinned by a fundamental principle “Vis medicatrix naturae” – the healing power of nature.
Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine) said “Health is the harmonious balance between various components of man’s nature, the environment and ways of life”. Naturopaths seek to work in a way very close to this definition of health. They are practitioners of what is nowadays termed functional medicine. Naturopathy and functional medicine are one and the same.
Functional medicine practitioners look at an illness from a holistic perspective whilst at the same time recognising where the person is at in terms of their journey with conventional medicine. In fact the FM practitioner or naturopath is actually much more in tune with the way emerging scientific research is trending in the area of management of complex diseases than current medical practice. There can be as much as a fifty year gap between new scientific research and its integration into medical practice according to the institute for functional medicine www.functionalmedicine.org
The naturopathic model of treatment is extremely comprehensive and will cover mind body and spirit approaches where deemed necessary. Dietary and lifestyle changes will be recommended. Certain food supplements may be offered in addition to herbs, acupuncture or homeopathy depending on an individual practitioner’s training. Certain laboratory tests also may on occasion be offered as a valuable tool in assembling the pieces of a complex illness puzzle.
Many conditions not well recognised by or not very easily treated by conventional medicine respond well to naturopathy such as
- candidiasis
- leaky gut
- irritable bowel syndrome
- ulcerative colitis and crohn’s disease
- food intolerances
- unexplained tiredness
- acne
- adrenal exhaustion
- ongoing stress
- migraine
- unexplained itch
- foggy thinking
- repeated colds and flus
- sinus congestion
- hay fever
- non seasonal allergic rhinitis
- poor circulation
- constipation
- abdominal bloating and flatulence
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- pcos
- infertility
- benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate)
Whatever it takes to restore wholeness, where fragmentation has become the norm, the naturopath will do. A return of equilibrium to a human being is worth its weight in gold and a visit to a naturopath may just tip the scales in favour of abundance. The music within us should not be deadened or drowned out by our worries about health. Our body music is an ensemble piece and the challenge for the complementary therapist is to allow all that makes us who we truly are to play in harmony and with perfect synchronicity.