What is naturopathy and why study it?

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Naturopathy, or Nature Cure, is underpinned by a fundamental principle - vis medicatrix naturae - the healing power of nature. This was made clear twenty-five centuries ago when Hippocrates said Health is the expression of a harmonious balance between various components of mans nature, the environment and ways of lifenature is the physician of disease.

Man was part of nature and the universe, and health was achieved by living in accordance with this principle. Harmony was fostered with proper nutrition, water treatments, rest, sunshine and fasting.

Medicine, religion and science were intimately related and man was seen as a whole - a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being. The same vital force or chi (qi) that made up the universe and nature flowed through man and it was his dislocation from this source that caused illness. Early naturopaths realised that if you could restore the vital force to the patient, the body would naturally heal itself.

The body has this capacity to heal itself if given the right conditions and naturopathy along with acupuncture, homoeopathy and most other holistic modalities s to this basic understanding of the bodys own innate intelligence.

Modern orthodox medicine, apart from all its positive and beneficial attributes, does not to this idea of wholism or to the importance of prevention. As long ago as the second century BC, the Yellow Emperor, in the Classic of Internal Medicine, said A doctor who treats a disease after it has happened is a mediocre doctor..a doctor who treats a disease before it happens is a superior doctor. Indeed Chinese physicians were paid to keep their patients healthy and were either dismissed or not paid if the patient became ill. This ensured a health system, not an ill health system, as we know it. Unfortunately this understanding has changed to a new paradigm-wait until it is broken and then fix it. This is not intelligent medicine and part of a naturopaths role is empowering the patient to take responsibility for his or her own health. This is not always an easy task amid a hostile environment of toxins and chemicals.

The modern day naturopath faces many more challenges than those of their forefathers. Most of us now live in a sea of electromagnetic pollution, coupled with a plethora of chemical pollutants which were completely alien to man 40 years ago. Add to this a dose of denatured food fast-tracked by technology and we have a heady mix of health problems waiting to happen. In short most people have too much of what they shouldn't have in their bodies and not enough of what they should have.

Steven Langley MSc, ND, DipHom, DBM, DipAc, OMD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Naturopathic_Medicine_UK_and_Ireland