The Truth about Naturopathic Treatment

Naturopathic treatment is a healthcare system that uses natural remedies to facilitate the self-healing process of your body. It embraces several therapies including massage, herbs, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, and exercise. The treatment is a combination of both traditional and modern treatments.

How Naturopathic Treatment works

The main focus of naturopathy is on:

• The body’s self-healing capacity
• Prevention of health problems
• Optimization of health

Education and prevention are the main areas of focus of this form of treatment plan. The plan emphasizes exercise, stress management, and diet.

The main goal of naturopathic medicine is treating the body, mind, and spirit of the person. Instead of just stopping the symptoms, it aims at getting at the root of the problem. When you go to a naturopathy clinic, the naturopathic doctor will examine you and ask for your health history, lifestyle habits, and stress levels. They may also order some lab tests.

After that, the doctor will discuss your health plan. Because the main point of focus of the treatment is education and prevention, your doctor will give you exercise, diet, and stress management tips. In addition to the treatment, he may use complementary medicine.

Principles of Naturopathy

To come up with treatment plans, there are principles and beliefs used by naturopathy.

• Self-healing: Naturopathic doctors identify and remove obstacles to recover. This allows your body to heal naturally.
• Underlying symptoms: Instead of concentrating on alleviating the symptoms, naturopathic doctors get to the root of the illness by treating your mind, body, and spirit to resolve underlying mental or physical issues.
• Harmless treatment: The treatment plans shouldn’t pose any harmful side effects nor negatively control symptoms.
• Holistic treatment: To effectively treat all your health aspects, a naturopathic doctor must recognize individuality.
• Education: Doctors teach their patients self-care to empower them against ill health.
• Prevention: It is recommended to detoxify your lifestyle to shut out any problems that may arise.

Therapies include homeopathy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine.

Naturopathic Practitioners

People supporting naturopathic medicine can be found in clinics, hospitals, private offices, and community centers. They can be placed under three categories based on their backgrounds and education:

• Naturopathic Physicians: They are commonly known as NDs (Naturopathic Doctors). These attend an accredited graduate-level school for four years. Just like conventional medical doctors, they learn basic sciences only that they add psychology, nutrition, and complementary therapies like homeopathy and herbal medicine.
• Traditional Naturopaths: These neither attend medical school nor get licensed.
• Healthcare providers: Some dentists, medical doctors, nurses, chiropractors, and osteopathy doctors have been trained in naturopathic medicine.

Before settling for a naturopathic practitioner, make sure you ask about their education, training, and licensing requirements in their state.

Possible Naturopathic Treatments

The treatment plans that naturopathic doctors come up with are meant to suit individual health conditions and needs. This means although the treatment plans offered follow the same principles, they can vary.

Food and nutrition are included in most of the treatments. Typically, whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat will be uses in your diet plan. Your doctor may then advise you on how to maximize the nutritional value of foods by consuming seasonal, local foods. Let us have a look at the treatments offered by naturopathic doctors:

• Recommendations on diet and nutrition
• Behavioral change e.g. lifestyle and exercise
• Homeopathy (a kind of natural medicine)
• Hydrotherapy (a water-based treatment)
• Manipulative therapy e.g. exerting pressure on some body parts for balance
• Dietary supplements
• Detoxification
• Psychotherapy

Uses

People often opt for naturopathic therapy where all other treatments have failed. According to a study conducted in 2019, naturopathy can help cure:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Musculoskeletal pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Anxiety
• Several other chronic illnesses

Although there exists anecdotal evidence that naturopathic treatments e.g. acupuncture can heal chronic disorders, there is no scientific evidence to support the same. In a 2018 review, it was found that these treatments can help control pre-op problems. Acupressure and acupuncture, for instance, can reduce vomiting and nausea symptoms. Similarly, music and aromatherapy may reduce pain, anxiety, and stress.

Are you in search of a naturopathic doctor near you in Lafayette? Visit our clinic today. At Reddy Natural Medicine, we offer free Quicksilver scientific consultations that last for at least 25 minutes. Come meet Dr. Matthew T. Reddy who is committed to restoring, maintaining, and advancing your health.