Although many people are familiar with the word Naturopath there does tend to be some confusion as to what Naturopathy is and how that can benefit them. In general a Naturopathic Doctor takes the basic teaching of a doctor “above all, do no harm” and applies that to the whole “get well, stay well” philosophy of medicine. And, when a person has some kind of health problem, the first thing that the Doctor will do is get the body on a healthy diet, healthy exercise, totally cleansed, in order to make sure that a person isn’t the cause of their own bad health. Then, if any kind of a problem does persist, still the most likely solution will be to assist the body in treating itself, rather than just treating the symptoms of some disease with medicine. And logically speaking, many times if you just treat a disease with medicine, without discovering the root cause, you haven’t actually done anything but postpone the return of ill health.
Another key focus of Naturopathy is the prevention of disease, rather than the treatment after. By focusing on maintaining a proper diet designed to promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle, most diseases should never manifest themselves at all. When a patient loses their way and falls off of the path of wellness, then is when specific whole foods and herbal supplements can be used to return the body to its naturally balanced state, as it should be. In today’s world there are also many environmental factors beyond our control which can push a person into ill health such as air pollution, pesticides, herbicides, but still, in most cases the best protection is a complete and healthy diet, full of natural nutrients that block toxins from entering the cells so they can be flushed from the body on a daily basis.
Another consideration that the Dr. Naturopathy will be concerned with is the digestive track, including hydration, elimination, and absorption. Maintaining a healthy digestive tract through the use of probiotic foods and supplements has been found to be a key factor in the prevention of many chronic diseases including type II diabetes, arthritis, irritable bowel disease, ulcers and even some kinds of cancers and allergies. So, although it may seem unrelated to a particular disease, colon health can be a root cause of many chronic problems faced by patients after years of a diet dominated by fast foods and over-processed grains, meats, and snack foods.
So if years of poor eating has got you worried about your health, and you’re beginning to sense a general breakdown throughout your body, the first thing you should try is a consultation with a qualified Naturopath to see how far from the road of wellness you are, and what you can do to get healthy again.