Introduction

This essay is to consider the philosophical origin of naturopathic practice and the implications that such origins have for naturopathic methods of treatments. Many Naturopaths are now using the natural practical healings from “Complementary and alternative” therapies that effectively enhance quality of life. Firstly, we have to understand what does is mean the words “Complementary and Alternative” in order to answer the main question: “Naturopaths, who are we and what we do?”

An advantage of the currently popular phrase, “complementary and alternative” medicine, is that it highlights important distinctions between the two words. Alternatives may be seen as literally “other therapies” – they are promoted to treat disease and are used instead of mainstream therapy. Complementary or adjunctive therapies, in contrast, are used for symptom management and to enhance quality of life along with mainstream care.

Support for this distinction comes both from a major study in the medical literature, which showed that all 2% of those using unconventional remedies did so to complement, rather than replace, mainstream care (Druss, Rosenheck 1999:651-656) and from the National Institutes of Health, which changed the name of its Office of Alternative Medicine to the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

This distinction, however, is not universally applied. “Alternative” and “complementary” are often used interchangeably to describe a host of disparate activities and products. These terms are also used to include self-care, routine private responses to aches and pains, efforts to maintain fitness, and lifestyle activities as well as spiritual and nutritional care, energy healing and other support services that have been in mainstream use for decades.

The Philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine

Although the term Naturopath or Naturopathic Medicine was not used until the late 19th century, its history goes back thousands of years. Drawing from the healing wisdom of many cultures including Indian (Ayurveda), Chinese (Traditional Chinese Medicine), and Native American. The goal of Naturopathic medicine is to develop optimal wellness for each patient, and to teach the principles of ideal health:

The healing power of nature is ultimate and the role of the naturopathic physician is to facilitate this natural non-toxic therapies. Substances used by Naturopaths are naturally derived, rather than pharma manufactured.
Treat the cause rather than the effect avoiding suppression of the natural healing wisdom of the body than taking a tablet to eliminate the headache a Naturopath will explore the myriad reasons.
Treat the whole person not just the symptoms. The individual is viewed as a whole, composed of a complex of physical, mental, spiritual, social and other factors.
Prevention is the best cure. Naturopathic Physicians are teachers who educate, empower, and motivate and assume more personal responsibility for his or her health by adopting a healthy attitude and lifestyle.
Do no harm, by employing safe and effective natural therapies.

(www.cityapothecary.com)

The importance of homeostasis

To maintain health and life, the body regulates itself to stay within certain limits, whatever the outside environment. For instance, the body temperature needs to be kept constant. On a cold day, the body will conserve heat by constricting the blood vessels close to the skin and directing blood flow to favour internal organs. On a hot day, the body will dilate blood vessels close to the skin and evaporate body heat with perspiration. Many other elements – such as blood gases, hormones and water – also need to be maintained within strict limits. The process of maintaining this healthy internal balance is called homeostasis.

Naturopathy believes that illness is more likely to occur if the body is knocked out of homeostasis by lifestyle or environmental factors. The central idea is that the human body is capable of maintaining a healthy state, if barriers such as stress and poor diet are taken away. This power to self-heal is called ‘the vital force’. (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)

A rage of Complementary and Alternative treatments

Naturopathy maintains that the body can heal itself if given the right conditions. The treatments are non-invasive and are designed to stimulate the body’s own healing powers. They include:

Nutrition

Today’s proponents of dietary treatments typically extend mainstream assumptions about the protective effects of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and avoidance of excessive dietary fat as a potential means of reducing cancer risk, to the idea that food or vitamins can cure cancer. Proponents of this belief make their claims in books such as The Food Pharmacy: Dramatic New Evidence tat Food is your Best Medicine and New Choices in Natural Healing.

Mind-Body Techniques

The notion that we can influence health with our minds is an extremely appealing concept for many Americans. It affirms the power of the individual, a basic value of American culture. This is for example biofeedback for the effectiveness of meditation, and yoga in stress reduction and the control of specific physiologic reactions (Sundar, Agrawal, Singh et. 1984:313-318).

Ayurveda

The term “Ayurveda” is derived from the Sanskrit words “ayur” (life) and “veda” (knowledge). Ayurveda’s ancient healing techniques are based on the classification of people into one of three predominant body types, with specific remedies for disease and health-promoting regimens for each. This medical system has a stron mind-body consciousness in balance and utilizes techniques such as yoga and meditation. Ayurveda also emphasizes regular detoxification and cleansing through all physiologic system of elimination and orifices.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine views the body in terms of its relationship to the environment and the cosmos. Concepts of human physiology and disease are interwoven with geographic features of ancient China and with the forces of nature. Chi, the life force said to run through all of nature, flows in the human body through vertical energy channels known as meridians. The 12 main meridians, which correspond to the 12 main rivers of ancient China, are believed to dotted with acupoints. Each of the original 365 acupoints corresponds to a specific body organ or system, so that needle stimulation or pressure on the acupoint can redress the life-force imbalance causing the problem in that particular organs (Hsu hY.1982).

Manual healing methods

Manual healing includes a variety of touch and manipulation techniques. Hands-on massage is a useful adjunctive technique for its stress-reducing benefits.

Therapeutic touch – one of the most popular manual healing methods, which, despite its name, involves no direct contact between therapist and client. In therapeutic touch, healers move their hands a few inches above a patient’s body and sweep away “blockages” that are believed to obstruct the patient’s energy field.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a holistic form of treatment that has been integrated into naturopathic medicine. Virtually all Homeopathic medicines are produced from natural sources-plants, animals and minerals. Homeopathy was standardized by Samuel Hahnemann, MD (Germany). This chemist and physician discovered that when quinine, an effective treatment for malaria, was taken by a healthy individual, it produces symptoms similar to those found in people stricken with malaria.

What is a Naturopath?

A Naturopath is a highly trained practitioner of traditional medicine. A registered undergone at least 4 years full time training in the sciences related to the disease and health of the body. Naturopath is trained in the conventional sciences relating to the body; anatomy, physiology, pathology, symptomotology & diagnosis. These modalities are useful in the realm of acute or chronic illnesses. A naturopath is also trained to regard the emotional and spiritual requirements of a healthy person.
Expect your naturopath to look at your lifestyle. This includes eating habits and dietary evaluation, eliminatory patterns, stressors including work, environmental, and family /social stress (www.cityapothecary. com).

Conclusion

In summarizing: Naturopaths, who are we and what do we do?

Naturopaths use a range of non-invasive treatments from Complementary and Alternative medicine (the systems of primary health care) and recognize the harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual as being essential to health. Naturopathy is an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Naturopathic doctors are primary health care practitioners, whose treatment modalities include modern and traditional and scientific methods.

Naturopathic philosophy stresses that health and disease result from a complex of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, genetic, environmental, social and other factors. The prevention of disease and the attainment of patient’s optimal health are primary objectives of naturopathic medicine.