Also known as ‘naturopathic medicine’, naturopathy is an extremely broadly-based system of medicine that combines a wide variety of natural therapeutic and healing techniques under one umbrella, and it can perhaps be best described as a mixture of traditional folk wisdom and modern medicine. The main underlying principle of this alternative therapy is that the root-cause of all disease is the accumulation of waste products and toxins within the human body, this usually being the result of a lifestyle that is ‘deficient’.

Like homoeopaths, naturopaths believe that the human body has the innate wisdom and power to heal itself, providing we enhance rather than interfere with this power. As far as actual treatments are concerned, naturopathy relies heavily on herbal preparations and diet management techniques, but depending upon his training, a naturopath may offer any – or even all – of the following therapies: physiotherapy, this based on water, ultrasound, heat or cold; yoga or other breathing exercises; biofeedback techniques; corrective nutrition; as well as many others.

Naturopaths rely heavily upon the practitioner and the patient discussing and agreeing upon what therapies should be used. There is also much emphasis upon the promotion of psychological health and the benefits of stress reduction. Generally, this is an alternative therapy that has a good track record in helping people with chronic ailments of all kinds, especially when the symptoms arise from or are made worse by tension, anxiety or stress.

You can get more information from: The General Council and Register of Naturopaths, Goswell House, 2 Goswell Road, Street, Somerset BA16 OJG; The Natural and Therapeutic and Osteopathic Society and Register, 14 Marford Road, Wheathampstead, Herts AL4 8AS.

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