Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a holistic medicine which focuses on life style, nutrition and detoxification as major factors in the prevention of disease and illness. Naturopathic physicians utilize various techniques and healing modalities combined with medicinal substances to assist patients with the prevention of disease and the treatment and healing of diverse maladies, illness and health conditions.
The three tenants of naturopathy are ;
- Do No Harm
- Minimize Risk
- Avoid Suppressing Symptoms
The principles that underpin this widely used modality are based on treating each person in a holistic way as an individual, not just the affected area of a particular malady.
Using the healing power of nature and the bodies inherent ability to heal itself and encouraging patient participation and the recognition of the self healing process is a common thread among practitioners.
Herbal Medicine or the use of plant based tinctures like essential oils, is another common thread with the naturopathic practitioner for treatment and prevention. This falls in line with the second tenant of the naturopaths oath, to minimise risk. If an ailment can be treated with natural product’s, the side effects of pharmaceutical based products is minimised.
Complimentary medicines are often used as a first line of diagnoses and treatment for patients such as colon Hydrotherapy or iridology. This is because they follow all three tenants of the naturopathic model. Any treatment that is low risk and low harm, which does not mask symptoms is considered the best practice model for identifying health factors and diagnosing illness.
Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is based on the law of similars. This means that any substance that can produce a response in a patient can be used to cure maladies where these responses manifest as symptoms of illness. For example; onions make people cry and have a runny nose. Therefore Homeopathic remedies made from onions will cure symptoms of illness where runny noses and watery eyes are prevalent like allergies or hay fever. “like cures like”.
