What is naturopathy?

What is naturopathy?

Many people mistakenly classify various alternative therapies under the category of naturopathy, as few people know what the term naturopathy actually means.

Traditional medicine or naturopathy?

There are many therapeutic methods known today, but they can be divided into two main areas: traditional Western medicine, which uses symptomatic treatments, and naturopathy, which offers patients a natural, holistic approach to treatment. It seems that the only alternative to traditional Western medicine is naturopathy. For this reason, all therapies that do not belong to traditional medicine are automatically classified as naturopathy or naturotherapy.

However, it is important to note that naturopathy is not a form of therapy in itself, and only a very small number of so-called naturopathic therapies correspond to the original meaning of the word 'naturopathy'. It is therefore worth taking a closer look at this concept.

Naturopathy is life itself

Originally, the term "naturopathy" did not describe a therapeutic method, but nature's ability to heal itself. The self-regenerative power of nature has existed since the beginning of life and is therefore an integral part of life.

During evolution, the structure of different living organisms (plants, animals, humans) has changed considerably and their complexity has increased greatly. This evolutionary process has necessitated changes that nature has created and carried out. This shows the enormous capacity of nature to control and correct. In relation to the body, this means that nature intervenes in malfunctioning processes and thus heals the body.

Healing is fundamentally and exclusively a gift of nature.

Natural medicine has been around since the beginning of life, so it is by no means a therapeutic invention of a particular century. Nor is it of the last century, nor of antiquity, nor of any other ancient culture - at least not by definition.

There are, however, various natural healing methods that can stimulate the body's self-healing abilities by means of natural remedies. It is still not correct to classify these procedures as natural medicine, but it is apt to call them natural therapies.

Nature represents the life-sustaining order

The word "nature" comes from the Latin "natura", which translates from the Greek "physis". "physis" was an umbrella term for organisation, autonomous regulation, energy formation and use - the basic principle of life-supporting order.

This strict order keeps a person healthy and vital. Only when this order is disrupted by influences that the body can no longer compensate for does disease develop.

This clearly shows that health can only be restored by restoring the internal order.

Therefore, the aim of naturopathic therapy is always to support the body in restoring its biological order. To this end, measures are taken to enable the body to start the necessary healing processes.

This shows that it is not the therapist who heals the patient. Instead, however, it can provide the body with the necessary impulses it needs to heal itself.

Everything in the body is connected

Many people know that connective tissue, as a highly complex system of tissues, connects parts throughout the body. This includes our organs, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, etc.

But few people know that this connection also involves a constant exchange of information, as every cell in the body is able to communicate with light signals that are generated during cell division.

Light signals from healthy cells are much stronger than those from diseased cells. The weaker a cell becomes, the less light it emits, which prevents smooth communication between cells.

The overall interconnectedness of the organism clearly shows that a disturbance of internal order (disease) can in no way be confined to a specific part of the body, such as a diseased organ. Because everything is interconnected, disease can affect other areas of the body or mind.

This becomes even more obvious when we consider that behind a disease there are always highly weakened cellular structures. These prevent smooth communication between cells and thus cause further functional disturbances with different symptoms.

This shows, on the one hand, that the disturbance of the internal order can affect the organism in many ways and, on the other hand, that the body expresses this in many different symptoms.

As our grandparents knew: a disease rarely goes alone.

In reality, however, there is only one disease, because when a person loses his inner order, he is simply no longer healthy, but sick. Usually there are only these two possibilities.

When several parts of the body are affected by a lack of order, the body develops different symptoms, which are mistakenly called different diseases. But there is no plural of disease, just as there is no plural of health.

A person is either in good health or ill (disorder of the internal order) - even if it manifests itself in myriad forms.

*Naturopathic diagnostics based on perception

Older people remember how doctors used to work:
First, they looked at the patient's facial expression and complexion. Then they looked deeply into the eyes (nowadays naturopaths sometimes use iridology). Sometimes they also examined the fingernails, before finally looking closely at the tongue. Naturopathy is fundamentally based on nature's ability to heal itself, and is not a modern invention or therapeutic method. The maintenance and restoration of health depends on the preservation of natural order and inner balance. Naturopathic therapies are designed to support the body in these processes and to promote natural healing processes.

Natural medicine - How disease develops

According to naturopathy, disease is the result of an imbalance in the body and its regulatory mechanisms. Disease can only develop when the body is out of balance. Therefore, if we want to become healthy again, we must do everything we can to help the body to return to a healthy balance.

Phase 1: Lack of what the body needs The first phase is the lack of substances and actions that the body needs to stay healthy. This includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbal substances, nutrients, sleep, exercise and rest.
Phase 2: Overabundance of harmful thingsIn addition to lack of necessary substances, overabundance of things that weaken and damage the body can also cause illness: unhealthy foods, stress and anxiety, drugs and medications, environmental pollutants, injuries/accidents, radioactivity
Phase 3: Acid-base imbalanceAs a consequence of phase 2, acid-base imbalance is associated with an imbalance of the whole body. The pH of the body shifts from the right direction: the colon should be acidic but becomes alkaline; saliva should be alkaline but becomes acidic; the stomach should be strongly acidic but becomes less acidic.
Phase 4: Disruption of the body microbiome The previous phases together lead to disruption of the body microbiome. This means that the intestinal flora, skin flora, vaginal flora and salivary flora are all negatively affected. Beneficial micro-organisms are repressed, while harmful ones overgrow. It is only then, when the organism is weakened and out of healthy balance, that pathogens can colonise and cause further problems.
Phase 5: The state of mind The state of mind always plays a major role in the development of disease and should be part of the treatment. Only a healthy body can have a healthy soul, and vice versa: if the soul is sick, the body cannot heal.
Natural medicine procedures and therapies can be divided into three broad categories:

1. Classical naturopathic methods

2. Naturopathic methods requiring special programmes or preparations

3. Naturopathic methods performed by therapists

4. Classical naturopathic methods

Classical naturopathy is one of the oldest branches of natural medicine. It uses the five elements of nature (air, water, light, nutrition, movement) to revitalize the human ability to regenerate itself.

Air-based natural medicine methods. Sleep with the windows open. Breathing consciously

Water-based natural remedies: drinking cure. Drinking adequate amounts of clean water. Alternating showers. Bathing outdoors all year round. Enema, i.e. flushing the bowels with water

Light-based natural remedies: daily walks - even in 'bad' weather. Moderate sunbathing. Outdoor sports instead of gym. Providing natural light for indoor lighting.

Nutrition-based naturopathic methods: taking time to prepare and eat food. Take time to prepare and prepare food. Experimenting with eating rhythms, such as intermittent fasting. Experimenting with certain food combinations or eating patterns. Fasting, such as fasting from the basal fast, which is easier on the body.

Exercise-based natural medicine methods:Walking, hiking, Nordic walking. Walking instead of driving, climbing stairs instead of taking lifts. Using mini-trampoline at home. Dancing, jumping, singing to your favourite music. Pool bottom training. Yoga. Stb

1. Naturopathic methods requiring special programmes or preparations.

This group includes special cures or programmes that are often for a specific period of time, such as a four-week detox, a six-week bowel cleansing or a three-day lymphatic cleansing. These usually combine different methods to achieve maximum effectiveness.

Examples of specific natural medicine methods

• Detoxification
• Deacidification
• Intestinal cleansing - intestinal restoration
• Liver cleansing
• Blood cleansing
• Lymphatic system cleansing

1. Naturopathic methods performed by therapists

Some naturopathic methods can only be performed by expert therapists or in well-equipped naturopathic practices. For example, colon hydrotherapy requires special equipment, while homeopathy, Ayurveda or traditional Chinese medicine require years of training and practice.

Diagnostic procedures in naturopathy

Invasive diagnostic procedures (blood sampling, colonoscopy, contrast MRI, etc.) are not always necessary. Naturopathy often uses urine tests, saliva samples, iris diagnostics, facial analysis, pulse diagnostics, meridian measurements. Stb

Naturopathy offers a wide variety of methods to restore the body to a healthy balance. The aim of all naturopathic measures is always to strengthen or reactivate the body's self-healing and self-regulating abilities, so that the body can ultimately heal itself.

The Natural Medicine Approach to Disease

Nowadays, we take it almost for granted that people suffer from various illnesses. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung diseases (such as COPD), cancer - these are no longer just problems for the elderly. But why is this and how can we get our bodies healthy again?

The Body's Self-Regulating Mechanisms

The human body is normally able to counteract the stresses of everyday life. It can even compensate for temporary overload - provided it has enough energy to activate self-regulating mechanisms. As long as this is the case, you are in good health.

Unfortunately, the modern lifestyle puts a lot of strain on us. Excessive stress, tension and negative thoughts (e.g. fear, hatred, envy) take their toll on both body and mind. In addition, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet further reduce the body's energy levels.

Loss of Energy and Disease

The body needs a lot of energy to compensate for the constant stress. Since the above factors consume almost all the energy, it is only a matter of time before the body loses balance and disease develops.

Before the disease develops, the body signals the problem with subtle symptoms, such as persistent colds, frequent headaches, skin problems or indigestion. If these signs are ignored, the symptoms worsen and eventually a disease develops that can no longer be ignored.

Whether it's rheumatism, arthritis or osteoporosis, lack of energy is always a contributing factor. This lack of energy affects the whole body, so restoring energy levels is essential for recovery.

Understanding and Treating the Disease

When disease appears, it is not worth treating it as an enemy to be conquered as soon as possible. The body is only showing symptoms to indicate that it has lost its balance and to warn you of its need. Therefore, the most important thing is to interpret the illness as useful information from the body, accept it and act immediately.

Although therapeutic treatments can help regenerate the affected organ, this is usually not enough. The patient must also be an active participant in the healing process, as there are many opportunities to support his or her body in restoring health. In theory, it is very simple!

The Road to Health

We know that illness always develops when the body's energy levels are so low that it cannot heal itself. So our job is to re-energise the body - at least in theory.

However, the practicalities of doing so are a huge challenge for many people, as it requires a fundamental change in lifestyle, eating habits and mental attitude. But it is worth the challenge to reduce energy depletion.

Steps to Health

1. Managing Stress: Stress can lead to physical and mental illness. Although difficult to avoid, it can be managed effectively by learning to stay calm and finding the right balance, for example through relaxation.
2. Whether it's regular exercise, fitness, swimming, cycling or hiking, the possibilities are endless.
3. Healthy eating: A healthy diet has a double benefit. On the one hand, you avoid overloading your body with chemicals and toxins, and on the other, you get a range of health-promoting nutrients that your body can use for energy.

We can see that everyone can contribute to the development of disease, but it is also clear t

hat each patient can actively contribute to his or her own recovery. Let's use this knowledge to support our bodies through lifestyle and dietary changes. This way, the disease as information will soon become redundant, as our bodies are already on the road to health. https://yangsheng.hu