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naturopathy

Naturopathy

Naturopathic medicine is a non-invasive practice that addresses the root cause of the disease and promotes health and healing by employing evidence-based holistic therapies to support the body’s innate ability to heal naturally and prevent disease. Interventions are typically tailored for the individual and may involve dietary and lifestyle modifications, supplementation or natural remedies, mind–body therapies, physical or manual therapies, to restore the physiological, psychological and structural balance.

How can Naturopathy help with Allergies?

Allergies are one of the most common conditions affecting children and adults. From a naturopathic medical perspective, allergic symptoms are quite often associated with disruption to the microbiome in the gut, as well as to dysfunction of other organ systems including the adrenal glands/endocrine system, digestive disturbance beyond the microbiome, and altered immune responses1. Through nourishment, detoxification and healing of the gut, studies showed that Naturopathy is highly effective in the treatment of allergies and many other diseases 1.

Is there evidence to suggest naturopathic practice is effective in the treatment of chronic conditions?

In a systematic review, it was found that naturopathy was seen to be effective against cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal pain, type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome, depression, anxiety, and other chronic complex conditions2,3,4,5,6.

The practice of naturopathy is based on six key principles:

  • First, do no harm. Naturopathic treatments are gentle, keep harmful side effects to a minimum and do not suppress symptoms.
  • Promote and facilitate the healing power of nature.
  • Treat the whole person and consider all factors the affects the person’s health: physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social ones.
  • Identify and treat the cause of the disease rather than its symptoms. Naturopaths believe that symptoms are signs that the body is trying to fight disease, adapt to it, or recover from it.
  • The physician as teacher. Practitioners educate patients to understand and take responsibility for their own health.
  • Prevention is the best cure. Practitioners evaluate information necessary to uncover predisposition to future disease and discuss strategies and nutritional plans for prevention.

Conditions Naturopathy commonly treat:

  • Allergies (food, environmental).
  • Autoimmune diseases.
  • Chronic pain.
  • Diabetes and Insulin resistance.
  • Migraines.
  • Anxiety, insomnia and depression.
  • Arthritis and gout.
  • Hormonal Imbalances.
  • Cancer management and prevention.
  • Digestive health.
  • Endocrine disorders (adrenal fatigue, weight gain/loss).
  • Neurological conditions.
  • Skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, acne).
  • Stress and mental health (fatigue, depression, insomnia, anxiety).
  • Thyroid conditions.
  • Toxicity (mercury, lead).
  • Women’s health (PMS, infertility, menopause, breast health, endometriosis, PCOS, osteoporosis, low libido, breast health).

Is Naturopathy effective in the treatment of Infertility?

  • Infertility treatment:

Naturopathy plays an active role in both treatment and support of infertility, using a holistic, interdisciplinary and individualized approach to uncover what is preventing a couple from conceiving. Practitioners focus on biological but also environmental factors and the interactions of mind and body in infertility. We treat hormonal imbalances (irregular periods, luteal phase defects, impaired ovulation, polycystic ovarian syndrome), decreased sperm production or quality, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. 

Optimize Breast Health with Naturopathy and Functional Medicine:

 In 2020, there were more than 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer and 685,000 deaths. Projections indicate that by 2040, the toll of breast cancer is anticipated to surge, with over 3 million new diagnoses and 1 million deaths annually2.

About Breast cancer

Treatment options often include:

It stresses the use of whole and organic foods as a natural medicine to help restore balance and nutrient deficiencies and heal the gut. Gut health for example, plays an important role in the function of the immune system and overall health, contributing to a wide range of chronic conditions. Based on the underlying cause like SIBO, parasites or gut dysbiosis, a nutritional intervention plan is made to eliminate inflammatory diet and encourage food that can certainly be used as medicine to help heal your body and prevent illness. Because we have our own genetic makeup, health history, and lifestyle, Functional Nutrition promotes health and healing with an individualized approach, as it focuses on how food affects the biological mechanisms in different individuals.

Vitamins and supplements help in correcting deficiencies and support healing from chronic conditions. However, many sold supplements are harmful to the body due to contamination with chemicals, heavy metals or preservatives. Our practitioners prescribe high quality, non-GMO and natural supplements used with an evidence based holistic approach.

Exposure to pesticides, preservatives, heavy metals and pollutants weakens our immune system and interfere with different hormonal functions in the body, leading to many chronic conditions, particularly chronic fatigue.

Detoxification helps in getting rid of toxins from the body and assists the organs to clear out any environmental and heavy metal toxicities naturally. Cleansing comprises of functional nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes along holistic evidence-based therapies in order to calm the inflammation. It promotes physical and mental well-being along with healing naturally without any use of chemicals.

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine involving penetration of the skin with fine thin needles on specific points along the body’s channels or meridians based on a diagnostic and clinical reasoning. This stimulates areas of high electrical conductivity in nerves under the skin and, after several sessions, it causes the body to release certain hormones such as endorphins, reducing inflammatory makers and promoting healing from chronic pain and other conditions.

Acupuncture helps to treat:

  • Neurological pain (Migraine, Tension headache)
  • Chronic pain (Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Back pain, Neck pain, Postoperative pain)
  • Gastrointestinal issues: IBS, SIBO etc.
  • Gynaecological conditions: (Hot flashes, Infertility, PMS)
  • Emotional disorders: (Stress, Anxiety, Depression)
  • Allergies: (Asthma, Allergic rhinitis, Sinusitis)

Hydrotherapy is a water-based therapy that uses steam, ice, cold and hot water, along with natural substances and minerals that has healing and cleansing properties, promoting your overall mental and physical wellbeing. It has numerous benefits including increased mobility, anti-inflammatory effects, cleansing, cellular regeneration, detoxification and stimulating the body for healing naturally. Hydrotherapy is used for many conditions including arthritis, autoimmune conditions, kidney stones, IBS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, migraines, neurological conditions, depression and sleep disorders.

Hydrotherapy treatments at Earthy include:

Baths and hot tubs including ice cold and hot baths, helping with pain and reducing inflammation. Adding Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts to the bath can promote detoxification and aid with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Compresses and wraps can provide a soothing effect to the body, increase circulation and reduce inflammation, which help with muscle stiffness and chronic pain. Herbs or aromatics are usually added to the wraps for detox and other therapeutic purposes.

Steam treatments and saunas: Saunas use hot water steams rooms that open up pores and assist in detoxification through sweating. Toxins are released through sweat, skin pores and through the stimulation of lymphatic system for lymph drainage. The heat, while relaxing all muscles, increases mobility helping with chronic swelling and pain. The removal of toxins through sweating gives a natural anti-inflammatory and energizing effect.

Balneotherapy uses a bath rich with natural mineral salts which is a natural intervention to treat fatigue, pain, sore muscles and to help in autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Mental and emotional wellness is crucial in a holistic approach and is a prime factor among the causes of disease. Anxiety, phobias, depression, insomnia and cognitive impairment are related to the gut health, nutritional deficiencies, biochemical imbalances, environmental stress and poor sleep. Naturopathic and functional medicine approaches seek and correct the root cause, as well as offer the patients different holistic treatments to help destress and restore mental and emotional health.

EMDR uses eye movements, imagery and other stress-relief techniques to help process trauma and disturbing emotions and memories. People with conditions like anxiety, panic attacks, addictions, depression, eating disorders and insomnia often find quicker resolution of their problems through EMDR therapy than simple talk therapy.

Homeopathy is a medical system that was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago, but the principle, which is based on “like treats like”, dates to Hippocrates. An example is caffeine substances; it can cause sleeplessness and agitation when taken in large doses, yet, it can be used in small amounts to treat the same symptoms (insomnia and sleeplessness).

This concept has been successfully used in conventional medicine to treat allergies by giving patients small doses of an allergen under the tongue to improve tolerance to the substance and reduces allergy.

In Homeopathy, remedies are used to trigger healing, and the advantage is that they are in very small doses that toxic side-effects are avoided.

Botanicals, also known as herbal medicine, are plants or plant parts that are used for therapeutic purposes. Botanicals have been used for centuries in traditional medicine systems around the world and it is the foundation of modern pharmacology.

Naturopathic physicians use botanicals to help restore their patients’ health and achieve balance in the body. This may be done through preparing extracts or tinctures of specific plants, or through recommending the use of whole plant parts. Some common botanicals used in naturopathy include echinacea, ginkgo biloba, ginger, and turmeric, among many others.

Botanical remedies can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions, including digestive issues, respiratory conditions, stress and anxiety, skin conditions, and hormonal imbalances.

In naturopathy, lifestyle counseling plays a significant role in assessing a patient’s overall state of health and creating a personalized treatment plan. Lifestyle counseling involves examining a patient’s dietary habits, exercise routines, sleep patterns, stress levels, and environmental exposures to determine how these factors may be contributing to their illness or symptoms. For example, exposure to toxic chemicals or dehydration can be the reason behind headaches or other worrisome symptoms.

Once these factors are identified, a naturopathic doctor will work with the patient to develop a tailored treatment plan that involves making lifestyle changes and incorporating natural therapies to support their healing. This may include recommendations for dietary modifications, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, acupuncture, yoga and meditation, exercises, and physical therapy.

The goal of lifestyle counseling in naturopathy is to support the body’s natural healing processes by addressing underlying issues that may be contributing to a patient’s symptoms. Through a comprehensive approach to healing that includes lifestyle counseling, naturopathic doctors can help patients achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

Aromatherapy is a complementary therapy that uses essential oils to promote physical, and emotional well-being. Essential oils are extracted from various parts of plants such as flowers, leaves, stems, bark and roots. These oils are then used in different ways, including diffusion, massage, inhalation, and bath salts.

In naturopathy, aromatherapy is used as a part of the holistic treatment approach. It is believed that essential oils have the ability to positively affect the body, mind and emotions. Aromatherapy is used to address a wide range of conditions including stress, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, digestive problems, pain, menstrual disorders and respiratory infection.

A naturopath will work with their patient to determine the best essential oils and treatment method for their specific needs, taking into consideration medical history, allergies, and other factors. Along with other natural therapies such as nutrition, exercise, and herbal remedies, aromatherapy can help promote healing and achieve optimal health.

Gemmotherapy is a form of naturopathic medicine that uses the buds, shoots, and young stems of plants that are gathered at the highest point of the natural cycle of growth to support healing and wellness. These plant materials contain concentrated nutrients, enzymes and active compounds that are easily absorbed by the body.

In naturopathy, gemmotherapy is used to address a range of health concerns, including inflammation, detoxification, and immune support. The preparations are typically taken in liquid form, either orally or applied topically.

Different plant materials are used for different purposes. For example, black currant buds are used for inflammation, while rosemary shoots are used for detoxification. Some common gemmotherapy remedies include birch, raspberry, walnut, and fig.

  1. The Six Principals of Naturopathic Medicine. Available at: https://aanmc.org/6-principles/Accessed February 15, 2021
  1. Myers, Stephen P, & Vigar, Vanessa. (2019). The State of the Evidence for Whole-System, Multi-Modality Naturopathic Medicine: A Systematic Scoping Review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 25(2), 141–168. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2018.0340
  2. Edla, Srinivas Reddy, Kumar, Ajay M.V, Srinivas, Bairy, Raju, Manthena S, & Gupta, Vivek. (2016). ‘Integrated Naturopathy and Yoga’ reduces blood pressure and the need for medications among a cohort of hypertensive patients in South India: 3-months follow-up study. Advances in Integrative Medicine, 3(3), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aimed.2016.11.001
  3. Bairy, Srinivas, Kumar, Ajay M.V, Raju, MSN, Achanta, Shanta, Naik, Balaji, Tripathy, Jaya P, & Zachariah, Rony. (2016). Is adjunctive naturopathy associated with improved glycaemic control and a reduction in need for medications among type 2 Diabetes patients? A prospective cohort study from India. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 16(1), 290–290. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1264-0
  4. Stange R., Hackermier U., Franzen G.: 1-year sustaining efficacy of multi-dimensional therapy for inpatients with different conditions of chronic musculoskeletal pain. BMC Complement Altern Med 2012; 12: pp. p228. Cross Ref
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