Naturopathy is a form of medicine practised widely throughout the world. It has the longest tradition of any healing system and is the forerunner of modern medicine. Naturopathy is a health care system that practises holistic medicine - it considers all the systems of the body when looking for the underlying causes of disease. It also considers all aspects of a person - body, mind, spirit, and emotions - as important in the quest for optimal health and wellness. It is considered to be complementary, not alternative, medicine as we are happy to work alongside allopathic (doctors). Both streams of medicine have an important place in the health of an individual.
An example of how naturopathy differs from allopathic (doctors) might be seen looking at a case of someone suffering from osteoarthritis in their hands. The allopathic view might be to look at inflammation in the hands and the use of anti-inflammatory medication or pain killers. A naturopathic view would be to look at systemic inflammation, the role of digestive health, food intolerances, over acidity of the body and look at diet overall. Herbs or supplements may be used to clean the blood, improve circulation, reduce inflammation and diet may be adjusted.
It is our philosophy to do no harm as taught by Hippocrates, a Greek physician who first created the holistic view of medicine and the concept of “the healing power of nature”. This concept has long been at the core of medicine around the world and remains one of the central principles of naturopathic medicine. One of the main tenants of Naturopathy is well-being, which relates to maintaining wellness and preventing ill health where possible, and not necessarily treatment of disease.
The latest developments in this area are genetic testing, which looks at an individual’s genetic predisposition to certain types of disease. This allows for personalised tailoring of well-being solutions in order to best maintain healthy ageing.