What Does A Naturopath Actually Do?
image from unsplash
Naturopaths are like the general practitioners of natural therapies. They study a four-year Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy to learn how to blend modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine, making them a great starting point to access the world of holistic health care.
Your Body Can Heal Itself
Naturopathy is based on the principle that the body can heal itself. Physical symptoms are examined, as well as the influence of lifestyle factors and emotions on the person’s whole health. Nutrition from wholefoods and superfoods can be used to strengthen and nourish the body. There are a range of practitioner-only products and medicinal herbs that are safe to use and are evidence-based.
Treat the Whole, Address the Cause
Naturopathy focuses on the underlying cause of a condition and uses treatments that work in alliance with the natural healing mechanisms of the body rather than against them
Take a skin issue such as eczema, which is conventionally treated with a topical steroid cream. The steroid suppresses the local immune response and makes the rash go away. However, when you stop the cream, the eczema usually comes back.
On the other hand, a naturopath, having looked at your whole picture of health, can uncover why the eczema is occurring. They would assess your diet, stress levels, sleep quality, family history, digestion, hormones, mental and emotional health, immune health and so on to gather a more thorough understanding of your overall wellbeing. Once they know which body systems need support, they would formulate a health care plan for your individual needs.
Naturopathy can work in harmony with traditional western medicines
If you can find a naturopathic practitioner who works alongside GPs and allied medical practitioners to safely integrate evidence based natural medicine with western medicine – then you’ve hit the jackpot! With expert help, combining prescription medicine with natural medicine safely and effectively is possible.
As in the eczema example above, you might want to keep using steroid cream whilst you work on treating the underlying causes of the eczema. Once you have improved your gut health and perhaps your sleep, stress and emotional health then the eczema would likely have completely resolved. The beauty of this holistic approach is not only is your skin healed (and you no longer need the steroid cream) you feel better all over because of the changes you’ve made to your whole wellbeing.
Common Reasons to Visit a Naturopath
Naturopaths can assist with many of the most common health conditions including cardiovascular health, hormonal imbalance, infertility, menopause, digestion, immune system support, stress, sleep disorders, allergies and skin conditions, migraines, degenerative illness such as arthritis and also preventative health and health optimisation.
If you’d like to make an appointment with our naturopath Shanna Choudhary, please call our reception team on 62950400 or book online.
By Wesley Smith
