Naturopathy
is based on the belief that the body has a natural ability to heal itself, if
circumstances are right. Illness is said to result when the individual's 'vital
force' or 'inner vitality' weakens, allowing viruses, bacteria and allergens
to get through the body's defences. In common with many other complementary
therapists, naturopaths believe that body, mind and spirit are inter-related.
Imbalances caused by stress, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise and fresh air
and an accumulation of 'toxins' from processed foods and environmental pollution
can affect the whole person. Emotional strain, for example, can cause bodily
symptoms like a skin rash.
Rather than tackle symptoms independently, the naturopath will try to identify
underlying causes of an imbalance and then seek ways of restoring the inner
self-regulating harmony, known as 'homeostasis,' that sustains the vital force.
Treatment is as non-invasive as possible and draws on a wide range of therapies,
depending on the naturopath's areas of expertise.
Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, laid the guidelines for naturopathy
2,500 years ago. Health, he said, could be maintained by the correct balance
of rest and exercise and plain food in moderation, and cures should be as natural
as possible. Modern naturopathy developed with the 19th century water cures
and spa towns of Germany and Austria. In the 1890s it was introduced to the
US where it continues to flourish, thanks to the revival of interest in natural
medicine in the 1960s. In some US states, naturopaths are recognised as family
doctors. In Germany, there are several thousand state-licensed naturopaths.
What it's supposed to do
Naturopathy is claimed to help a wide range of conditions, but is said to be
particularly effective for skin problems, degenerative and chronic ailments
like arthritis and asthma, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood
pressure, atherosclerosis, PMS and gastrointestinal disorders like irritable
bowel syndrome.
What happens
The first appointment may last an hour, during which the practitioner takes
a full medical history and asks detailed questions about your lifestyle, eating
and sleeping patterns and personal habits. You may be given a routine medical
examination that checks blood pressure, lungs and heart, reflexes and spinal
joints. Further tests could include X-rays, and blood and urine samples. Some
naturopaths also use more unconventional tests - for instance an examination
of your irises, said to indicate the state of internal organs (iridology), sweat
or hair analysis for any mineral imbalances or toxic metal accumulations, or
muscle resistance testing (kinesiology).
Treatments are tailored to the individual and may be cleansing or strengthening,
and often both. Cleansing, or detoxification, is aimed at removing an accumulation
of waste products from the system. It may include fasting, which could be as
extreme as three to five days on only water, fruit or vegetable juices. Strengthening
treatment aims to build up a weakened constitution with nutritional supplements
and dietary changes (generally more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, water and
less animal fat, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and processed and refined foods).
Hydrotherapy, or water treatment, is important as it improves the circulation,
which in turn nourishes and decongests the tissues, helps flush waste products
from the body and even boosts the immune system. Cold water is stimulating,
sending blood to the internal organs and relieving inflammation; hot water is
relaxing, easing stiffness by increasing blood flow to the skin and muscles
and reducing blood pressure. Water treatments are given either as hot or cold
showers (sometimes alternating), baths, whirlpools, water jets, steam rooms,
saunas, body wraps and compresses.
Other treatments can include herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage therapy, osteopathy,
chiropractic, shiatsu, reflexology, yoga, light therapy, acupressure and counselling.
You may also receive advice on breathing patterns, exercise and relaxation techniques.
Between 4 and 30 weekly sessions may be needed, depending on your condition,
but the naturopath would expect steady improvement, perhaps punctuated by relapses
known as 'healing crises'.
What's the evidence?
Medical research confirms the importance of many of the tenets of naturopathy.
A diet with a plentiful intake of antioxidant-rich fresh fruit and vegetables
and low in saturated animal fats has been shown to help build resistance to
disease and protect against cancer, coronary heart disease and degenerative
eye disorders.
Precautions
Go to the safety first section of 'before you start' for some general precautions
to take into account when considering a complementary therapy.
" Do not fast or follow a restricted diet without supervision of a qualified
naturopath.
" A responsible naturopath should refer you to your GP if diagnosis reveals
a serious or life-threatening condition.
" Always check any symptoms with a doctor.
" Don't discontinue conventional medication without consulting your GP.
