The General Naturopathic Council defines Naturopathy as a therapeutic system which, amongst other distinguishing features, has four principal hallmarks;
It seeks to facilitate and promote the body’s inherent physiological self-healing
It recognizes the uniqueness of each patient
It always attempts to establish and support the cause of a condition, not merely the end effect
It requires a holistic approach, taking into consideration the inter-relationship of all organs and systems of the body, not just consideration of the local area or organ that may seem to be affected.
A Naturopathic Practitioner may use a number of treatment modalities based on these principles, recognising that health is more than the absence of disease, but instead is dependant upon a multitude of factors and is a reflection of harmonious interaction with our environment.
Naturopathic Nutrition
Naturopathic nutrition is a holistic therapy that treats everyone as an individual, taking into account the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the whole person when assessing health problems. Naturopathic nutrition recognises food selection and preparation as a healing art that seeks to address imbalances in the body. By creating the most favourable conditions to stimulate and enhance the body’s natural healing power through diet, lifestyle and possibly supplementation.
A naturopathic nutrition practitioner can help people with a range of health problems such as :
- Digestive complaints e.g Reflux, IBS, IBD, Constipation, food intolerances
- Stress
- Depression and anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
- Hormone problems – e.g acne, infertility, menstrual complaints, menopause
- Cardiovascular disease – e.g high blood pressure
- Skin conditions – eg Eczema, psoriasis, (fungal) skin infections