Naturopathy Lecture Notes PDF

Naturopathy DeWnition  Naturopathy is a multidisciplinary approach to healthcare founded on a belief in the power of the body to heal itself. It mainly relies on natural (modern or traditional) modalities to enhance body’s own selfhealing. Development & General principles  Historically, many o...

Naturopathy DeWnition  Naturopathy is a multidisciplinary approach to healthcare founded on a belief in the power of the body to heal itself. It mainly relies on natural (modern or traditional) modalities to enhance body’s own selfhealing. Development & General principles  Historically, many of the principles of naturopathy are based upon the teachings of the Greek physician Hippocrates who established the principle that practitioners should ‘Rrst do no harm’.  Naturopathy, therefore, can be traced back to ancient times and common ground is shared with systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  The two main principles:  Vitalism.  Holism. Development & General principles  There are several systems of naturopathy practised around the world, but they share a common philosophy, with the aim of maintain health by supporting and stimulating the healing power of nature. This might explain the variety of treatment modalities and diagnosis methods involved in naturopathy.  In naturopathy, all aspects (physical, mental, spiritual) of patient are considered. Disease Concept in Naturopathy  According to naturopathy theory, disease occurs due to an imbalance in the body and this imbalance should be treated in accordance with natural laws.  The cause of illness should be identiRed, since symptoms are not the cause of disease but a response and rebect attempts by the body to purify itself via, for example, sweating, fever or diarrhea and vomiting.  Thus, symptoms should not be suppressed as they are natural physiological mechanisms of detoxiRcation. Education and Licensure of Practitioners Education and licensing di6er for the three types of naturopathic practitioners: Naturopathic physicians: generally, complete a 4-year, graduate-level program at one of the North American naturopathic medical schools accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, an organization recognized for accreditation purposes by the U.S. Department of Education. Naturopathic physicians must graduate from a 4-year naturopathic medical college and pass an examination to receive a license. They must also fulRll annual continuing education requirements. Traditional naturopaths, also known simply as “naturopaths,”: may receive training in a variety of ways. Training programs vary in length and content and are not accredited by organizations recognized for accreditation purposes by the U.S. Department of Education. Traditional naturopaths are often not eligible for licensing. Other health care providers (such as physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, dentists, and nurses): sometimes o6er naturopathic treatments, functional medicine, and other holistic therapies, having pursued additional training in these areas. Training programs vary. “NCCIH” Diagnosis  A thorough case history will be taken to identify symptomology.  Questions asked will involve general health and well-being, social circumstances, heredity and environmental factors.  In addition, naturopaths may use conventional diagnostic tools and traditional methods such as Chinese tongue and pulse, rebex zones and iris methods.  The precise nature of the therapy(s) o6ered will be contingent upon patient history and approach of the naturopath.  However, naturopath, usually, are trained to refer patients with serious conditions for conventional practitioners. Treatment  The multidisciplinary nature of this approach (naturopathy) can make it diMcult to determine which facet of care ‘catalyzed’ the healing processes of the body.  Also due to its complexity, only elements of this approach have been studied rather than naturopathy in its entirety.  Any therapies incorporated within an individual’s program may need to be assessed independently.  At one end of the spectrum, there are practitioners who adhere closely to the ‘nature cure’ tradition, which focuses on diet detoxiRcation and lifestyle advice.  At the other end of the spectrum are eclectic practitioners who may use a wide range of therapies, including pharmaceutical-grade botanical medicines.  The basic principles of healthy nutrition, exercise and rest are well established as promoting health and well-being and are the foundations of naturopathy.  The use of additional therapies can then be tailored to suit the individual’s speciRc health concerns. Treatment  Some therapies used in naturopathy: • Fasting and detoxiWcation: often with a herbal detoxiRcation regime. • Acupuncture. • Homeopathy. • Hydrotherapy: bathing in hot hip baths; immersion baths; spa treatments. • Enemas and colonic irrigation: usually herbal enemas to ‘cleanse’ the system and remove undigested food ‘toxin’. • Hot or cold compresses: to manage inbammatory conditions. • Herbal medicines & Nutrition. • Physical therapies: soft tissue massage, electrotherapy, naturopathic manipulation etc. Safety considerations  Due to the basic premises underpinning naturopathy, some therapies are often only used after careful consideration.  SpeciRc therapies such as those involving excessive heat or cooling should be used under supervision of professional naturopath and avoided in weak patients, during pregnancy, and in liver or kidney disorders.  Contraindications to other therapies used as part of naturopathy should be referred to other health professionals.