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Naturopathy and its
associated Therapies
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Definition
• Naturopathy is a multidisciplinary
approach to healthcare that recognizes
the body’s innate power to heal itself.
• It is primarily a preventive discipline with
education in the basics of healthcare as
one of its most important goals.
• The philosophy of naturopathic medicine also
includes the treatment of disease through the
- stimulation,
- enhancement and
- support
of the inherent healing capacity of the person.
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Theory
• Naturopaths work from the premise that
the body needs certain basics to function
properly: the correct nutrients, adequate
rest and relaxation, appropriate exercise,
fresh clean air, clean water and sunlight.
They are skilled in adapting natural health
programmes to patients’ unique
requirements.
Theory
• There are considered to be six important
principles for naturopathic practice:
1. The healing power of the body (vis
medicatrix naturae) has the ability to
establish, maintain and restore health.
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Theory
• 2. The cause of the illness must be
identified and treated (tolle causam) –
underlying causes of a disease must be
discovered and removed; symptoms are
not the cause of a disease, and the
causes of diseases include physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual factors,
which all must be dealt with.
Theory
• 3. First do no harm (primum no nocere) –
therapeutic action should be complementary to
and synergistic with the healing process.
• 4. Treat the whole person.
• 5. The physician as teacher (docere) – he or she
should create a healthy interpersonal
physician–patient relationship.
• 6. Prevention is the physician’s aim and the best
cure; naturopathy is the building of health rather
than fighting the disease.
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Theory
• Professor Hans Selye of Montreal was the first
to postulate the concept of a general adaptation
syndrome, by which an individual reacts
positively to an episode of injury or disease.
• According to Selye the body’s response to any
physical or emotional stress initiates a three-
phase sequence:
• 1. Alarm: there is pain from an injury
• 2. Shock: from bad news
• 3. Inflammation: due to friction.
Theory
• Naturopaths attach great importance to
the body’s adaptive capacity and
recognise that symptoms such as
inflammation, fever and pain are signs of
the defences at work and should not be
suppressed.
• Furthermore, the process of recovery from
chronic ailments may necessitate a return
to the stage of resistance, known in
natural therapy as the healing crisis.
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Practice of naturopathy
• W hile recognising the limitations of our
modern world, the naturopath seeks to
assist patients to create a healthier diet
and lifestyle that will help their health
return.
• Thus, a cold might be considered as being
self-limiting and not treated directly, but
the patient will be supported in a return to
good health using various naturopathic
measures.
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Variety of treatments
• Nutrition: dietetics, nutritional supplements
and the maintenance of optimum health
through good wholesome food (see below)
• Hydrotherapy: hot and cold water
treatments to encourage circulation (see
below)
• Detoxification: cleansing programmes that
allow healing to take place (see below)
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Variety of treatments
• Physical therapy: to restore structural
balance and improve tissue tone; may
include gentle manipulation, massage and
ultrasound, and exercise
• Administration of homeopathic or herbal
medicines
• Minor surgery: in some countries
naturopaths may perform simple surgical
procedures, e.g. removal of warts.
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Variety of treatments
• In addition patients receive prescriptions
for botanical and nutritional
supplementation, often in combination with
conventional medication.
• Naturopathic medicine as a whole medical
system supplies evidence-based lifestyle
recommendations as suggested in
management guidelines for diabetes,
hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, set
forth by the respective national
organisations.
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