What is Naturopathy?

     

Naturopathy is a natural healing technique using the healing powers of nature. The principle of Naturopathy is that the accumulation of toxins is the root cause of all diseases. Prevention and elimination of toxins is the route to health. Naturopathy is a system of medicine aimed to diagnose and treat any human ailment, pain and injury through the use of natural elements, mainly 5 in numbers - Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. It is a system of non-invasive healthcare and health assessment, in which neither surgery nor drugs are used ; dependence being placed only on education, counseling, naturopathic modalities and natural substances, including the use of foods, food extracts, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, digestive aids, botanical substances, topical natural substances, homeopathic preparations, air, water, heat, cold, sound, light, the physical modalities of magnetic therapy, naturopathic non-manipulative bodywork and exercise to help stimulate and maintain the individual's intrinsic self-healing processes. Naturopathic medicine is a distinct healing philosophy and practice, which seeks to promote health, by using the body's life force and inner protecting mechanism for stimulating and supporting the body's inherent power of regaining harmony and balance.

 Naturopathy or cure through Nature is as old as life on earth. Animals have used the bounty of Mother Nature for aeons, for every ailment ever encountered by them. Ever since our advent on planet earth, we have not only used the cures offered by nature, but with typical human ingenuity, have created diverse applications and usages of herbs, medicinal plants, leaves, barks, roots. Entire systems of medicine have grown around the curative processes of extracts from plants. Entire cultures, from the Druids of the West to Medicine Men of Africa, to the Vaids of India, have discovered, sustained, enhanced and preserved the curative power of Nature in different, but complementary ways.

Resurgence in Naturopathy is due to recognition of the limitations of the current medical system and the efficacy of Naturopathic medicine. Although the term "naturopathy" was first used at the turn of the century, the philosophical basis and many of the methods of naturopathic medicines go back at least to 400 B.C. when Hippocrates became famous for his treatment of diseases in accordance with natural laws. Particularly in terms of his teaching that "nature is healer of all diseases" and his formulation of the concept vis medicatrix nature -- "the healing power of nature.