Traditional Naturopathy

Naturopathic practice is guided by the art, science and philosophy of naturopathy. The latter is based upon seven tenets or principles. These principles not only define naturopathy, but also direct the practitioners assessment of, and responses to, the individual client's needs.

The seven principles are:

• First do no harm
• Identify and treat the cause
• Facilitate the healing power of nature
• Treat the whole person
• Establish health and wellness
• Prevention is better than cure
• Doctor as teacher

First do no harm

The methods employed by naturopaths are non-toxic, non-invasive and non-violent in their execution. Naturopaths are also aware of the option to "leave intelligently alone" where meddlesome interference may do more harm than good. At the same time a competent naturopath will be ready to refer a client to the appropriate health professional when the need arises. Naturopathic methods tend toward simplicity, safety and efficacy, and are not intended to be demonstrative nor impressive to the recipient.

Identify and treat the cause

In any state of dis-ease, the underlying root cause must be sought, identified and addressed for complete healing to take place. Root causes often become maintaining factors in ill-health and may exist on many levels: environmental, emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, etc. It is the naturopath's ultimate challenge to point out root causes and to offer strategies for their eradication.

Facilitate the healing power of nature

The healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae) is the body's inherent ability to recover from disease or injury, given the raw materials and the appropriate conditions. Simple measures such as regulating the diet and getting enough rest may be enough to optimise the conditions for the healing power of nature to restore the body to health. More often this is achieved by lifestyle counselling and simple naturopathic methods - perhaps including nutritional or botanical supplements to the diet. This approach has the advantage of gently moving the individual toward enhanced overall wellness rather than merely suppressing disease symptoms.

Treat the whole person

Naturopathy is above all a way to wholeness. The naturopath recognizes that true healing must involve the whole person; mind body and spirit. It has been said that naturopathy is "not so much a therapy - more a way of life". This is no mere cliché, but a profound truism. For this reason, naturopaths often employ a broad range of therapeutic modalities although many specialise in one or more areas, such as bodywork, homeopathy or hydrotherapy.

Establish health and wellness

The ultimate objective of naturopathic work is the enhancement of overall wellness and the maintenance of good health. The emphasis is therefore on building vitality and thus supporting immunity rather than on treating or "fighting" specific diseases conditions once they have occurred. This is achieved by a program of wholistic self-care under the guidance of a naturopath.

Prevention is better than cure

Although this statement seems self-evident, many are surprised to learn that prevention means more than simply not getting sick. It is a matter of self-motivated, active participation in the work of staying optimally well, without becoming an obsessive "health-nut". The naturopath works to inform and empower the individual to find the ideal, healthy balance on his or her path to wholeness.

Doctor as teacher

The primary role of the naturopath is to educate and inform the individual with regard to lifestyle and dietary practices which promote good health, thereby empowering them to take responsibility for their own well-being. The word "doctor" derives from the Latin "docere" which means "to lead" or "to teach". Many naturopathies therefore insist on the use of this prefix, on the understanding that it is in no way meant to imply that they are conventionally trained medical doctors.

Naturopathic Modalities

Naturopaths employ a broad range of healing modalities with the intention of promoting health and vitality. These include, but are not limited to the following:

Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselling

Dietary intervention along with lifestyle modification are the bedrock of naturopathic work. The naturopath will often begin with an evaluation of the individual's dietary and lifestyle habits, and may then give information with regard to improving both food intake and quality of life. Food allergies or hypersensitivities may also be identified and addressed, along with environmental hazards such as airborne pathogens or toxic chemicals. Exercise and rest are also fundamental to well-being, and should be appropriate to the individual. Thus much of the work done by a naturopath could be described as "one-on-one health education."

Constitutional Hydrotherapy

Water is a very powerful and versatile therapeutic agent. An infinite array of applications are possible, in a wide range of temperatures, according to the available facilities. Many forms of hydrotherapy can be performed at home, but on occasion constitutional hydrotherapy may be recommended. This procedure involves the alternating application of hot and cold wet towels to the trunk of the body in a specific sequence. it is a powerful detoxifying treatment which stimulates circulation and lymphatic drainage as well as tonifying all of the body's major organs.

Classical Homeopathy

Homeopathy generally involved the use of infinitesimally small dilutions of substances from the animal, vegetable and mineral realms, prepared according to specialised procedure prepared according to specialised procedure which potentiates their therapeutic properties.

Classical homeopathy focusses on the selection of a single remedy rather than a combination, and emphasises minimal intervention with infrequent repetition in most cases. Homeopathic remedies are often favoured by naturopathics because they are safe, effective and inexpensive.

Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral therapy is an extremely gentle and subtle form of hands-on bodywork in which a highly trained practitioner is able to sense the innate rhythmicity of the central nervous system through all the body tissues. This movement is known as the craniosacral rhythmic impulse, and can be felt anywhere on the body, although the head (cranium) and the base of the spine (sacrum) are usually key areas of attention by the practitioner. Because craniosacral therapy is a hands-on approach to energy work, it is a useful method of integrating the physical/biomechanical and the energetic/emotional aspects of the whole person.

Botanical Therapy

The use of herbs by naturopaths to facilitate healing and promote well-being is a time huonored tradition. Many herbs not only possess powerful therapeutic properties, but also serve as concentrated sources of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, essential fats and trace elements. Thus herbs are often employed as food supplements in cooking, or made into teas. Some naturopaths recommend the use of herbal hand, foot or whole body baths.

Graham Montague us happy to discuss naturopathy as a way of living, and welcomes your call at (812) 322-5605 Monday through Friday 1-5pm or emails at montagueND (at) hotmail.com. Graham is also available for talks, lectures and workshops.

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