What is naturopathy?
Naturopathy focuses on and believes in the natural healing powers of the body to cure itself, as well as the healing abilities of medicinal properties that can be found in nature and our earth. In naturopathy, we focus on addressing the cause of a illness rather than the symptoms themselves. A lot of times, people reach out to me and ask, “what herb can I use for PMS” or “what can I use to lower my blood pressure?” While there are medicinal herbs known to assist with these issues, I don’t like to recommend herbs without a consultation and a chance to address a client’s foundational needs first.
Naturopaths are trained specialists in ancient natural healing arts, which uses natural medicine. We are not medical doctors (MD). Traditional naturopaths, or natural health practitioners (NHP) are trained in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, counseling, dietary evaluations, nutrition, herbology, acupressure, homeopathy, iridology, exercise therapy, thermal therapy, and more. We personalize the modality to the needs of the individual patient, as well as the areas we have chosen to specialize in.
As naturopath practitioners, our focus is to get down to the root cause of the symptom by addressing the organ system that is being affected, resulting in the PMS or high blood pressure, for example. Naturopathy is very effective when it comes to prevention. A preventative treatment plan can be given based on your consultation, including family medical history and acute symptoms of illness.
Some modalities that we offered are pH balance testing, which tests the upper and lower speed of digestion in your body when not balanced, can lead to illness and disease, and iridology testing, which is the study of the iris as the parts of your eye are correlated to your organ system. Both tests allow us to find underlying health issues, so they are a very important part of our client offering. In addition, clients who are already under a doctor’s care can benefit from naturopathy. It can be used as an additional therapy focusing on those foundations that will assist you in holistic wellness, as well as an alternative for some non-serious medical conditions.
Traditional naturopaths focus on the client as a whole and individual. We look to the cause and body system of a health concern rather than suppressing symptoms. The naturopath works to teach his or her clients on how to stimulate the body’s own natural healing energy. Although all naturopaths emphasize choices based on their own personal interests and experiences, we maintain a consistent philosophy.
The philosophy of traditional naturopathy is based on seven basic principles:
- First – do no harm
As naturopaths, it is our duty to provide treatments that are non-invasive and even gentle. We look at the whole picture, meaning all aspects of a client’s health and lifestyle, and use that, in addition to testing, to offer customized treatment for each client that brings them back to optimal health.
- Recognize the healing power of nature
Naturopathy is based on the healing powers already found in nature and in ourselves. By harnessing what is naturally already there, clients experience a healing power from within that they often did not know was there. Since these treatments are natural, there are no side effects like we often see in traditional medicine. Clients experience long-term benefits by utilizing these natural remedies that are backed by years of research.
- Identify the cause
In naturopathy, we choose to address the root cause of discomfort rather than the symptoms. We look at the psychology and pathology of each client to determine three factors: dispositions, environment, and poor lifestyle choices. Though it can take time to find the root cause, this way ultimately leads to overall better quality of life.
- Treat the whole person
Every individual has a set of factors that are unique to them, including lifestyle, environment, and physical state. All these factors can contribute to illness. While western medicine focuses on addressing one ailment, body part, or disease, naturopathic medicine addresses all foundational factors that contribute to health.
- The naturopath is a teacher
It is the job of the naturopathic health practitioner to teach their clients about their bodies and the healing process. For healing to continue long-term, it is imperative for naturopaths to share the knowledge needed to lead a healthy lifestyle, including exercise, diet, environment, relationships, sleep, hygiene, and more.
- Prevent disease
This principle is the ongoing treatment that continues even after seeing a naturopath. The goal is to prevent disease or stop it from growing. Naturopathy acknowledges that preventing disease starts at conception and continues throughout our entire lives. We prevent disease through lifestyle, relationships, and the health of our homeostatic mechanisms as well as our mental health.
- Establish health and wellness
Finally, we must establish health and wellness that goes hand in hand with preventing disease. This principle is all about how a client can adjust their current circumstances to be in harmony with nature.
Traditional naturopathy is not recommended for traumas, such as a serious automobile accident, a childbirth emergency, or orthopedic problems that need corrective surgery. While it can contribute to faster recovery, these situations are best suited for conventional medicine or medical doctors who also have a background in natural medicine. Allopathic medicine excels in emergency health care. However, naturopathy excels where allopathic medicine does not: treating the cause of the issue and not just the symptoms.
Naturopathy is dedicated to the study of nature’s healing powers. The core practice of naturopathic has been here since the beginning of time and have been planted here by our Creator for overall wellness.
What to expect during a visit with a naturopath:
- You will be viewed.
Since naturopathy focuses on holistic healing, the naturopath will want to understand all aspects of your life in order to analyze the mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual factors that are affecting your overall health.
- The naturopath will facilitate your connection with nature.
Our bodies are capable of more than we give them credit for, including healing themselves. Your naturopath is responsible for acting as a facilitator who guides you through the process while doing no harm.
- You will get the cause addressed.
Symptoms are simply a warning that something is wrong – they are not what needs to be fixed. Your naturopath will look for the root of the problem which is causing the symptoms and treat it.
- You will be educated.
You are the only one who can change your life, so you need to be empowered with knowledge. Your naturopath will provide you will all the information you need to have a healthy lifestyle and mindset. By understanding what you need for a natural return to health, you’ll feel motivated and empowered to take control.
- You will learn prevention.
Ultimately, prevention is the best thing you can do to avoid disease. Your naturopath will educate you on the lifestyle habits that will support your health and prevent disease.
Ready to take charge of your health? It can be overwhelming to know where to start, but that’s where the naturopath comes in. By taking a small step, like booking a consultation, you can get started on a lifetime of health and well-being. I offer many modalities: pH balance, iridology, Bach flower essence, herbal remedies, and aromatherapy. After an in-depth consultation, you’ll receive a carefully crafted plan based on your individual needs. In my practice, there’s no such thing as throwing supplements at you to see what works. I utilize my education and research to review the body system, to address the root cause of illness before recommending a plan and offering up my wealth of knowledge. When you choose naturopathic medicine, you choose to build a strong foundation, on which you’ll experience lifelong health and wellness.
Get started today by booking a consultation with our Natural Health Practitioner through our website, www.sacreddivinefemininity.com, or call 814-299-9550. For a limited time, you can get 10% off your first consultation by texting your name and email address to 814-299-9550. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about alternative medicine!
