Naturopathic medicine is not a new concept; it has been practised from the beginning of time. For example, the first humans to not eat because they felt poorly were actively applying naturopathy. The first people to bathe in hot springs to relax stiff and aching muscles were following naturopathic methods and the first individuals who used relaxation or breathing techniques to calm them down from anxiety or stress were behaving naturopathically.

 

In earlier times man was seen as a being integral to nature and as such it was recognised that maintaining good health was necessary to remain in harmony with nature and the universe. It was thought that the way to achieve this was by using the basic essentials of life – air, light, water, food, movement and rest. As time passed however, it seemed that this way of thinking gradually became less important and more emphasis was placed on analysing disease and putting it into recognisable categories. Western medical science approached illnesses in the human body as conditions caused by external agents that had to be eradicated and cured using often powerful medications and treatments.

 

Eastern philosophies, however, took another view and believed in preventative health measures and natural healing. They advocated the use of plant and vegetable based substances to bring the body back to its ‘perfect state’ so that it became strong and healthy and capable of resisting potential pathogens from within, without the need for aggressive externally administered medications.

 

Although many of us are now aware of the benefits of a healthy diet, we are often not fully aware of the true healing properties of foods. Naturopathic nutrition provides a simple practical approach to managing disease and treats everyone as an individual. The aim is to find and treat the root cause of the problem, rather than simply treating the symptoms themselves. It is more a case of discovering the "why", the underlying cause of a condition and not  focusing just on the "what", that is, the symptoms. Such an approach can help on a number of different levels, physically, emotionally and psychologically and treat those with both acute as well as chronic conditions.

 

I Believe that naturopathic nutritionists, along with herbalists, homeopaths and many other alternative therapy practitioners have re-established the principles of natural therapy and in some ways rediscovered the lost art of natural medicine. However, the art of natural healing and science of modern medicine do not have to be at loggerheads; naturopathic nutrition therapy can work just as effectively either on its own or in conjunction with other types of treatments both conventional and non-conventional.