NATURAL MEDICINE MAN - NATURAL HEALTH SUBSTITUTE OR PRIMARY CARE???

Natural Medicine Substitute or Primary Care?

In this day of medical controversy over the use of “natural” or alternative supplements, you must ask yourself (and your doctor) if there is a theoretical and physiological basis for natural medicine. Better yet, you should ponder your own beliefs on how the body heals and decide what type of practitioner is best to assist your therapies.

A cursory examination of Classical Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Native American Medicine, and even the Monastic Medicine of old Europe will demonstrate an emphasis spiritual meditation, diet, digestion and lifestyle as the fundamental preservers of health. The evolved state of Naturopathic Medicine in the late 1800’s incorporated the eclectic use of diet, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, spinal manipulation, acupuncture, and spiritual development as the mainstays of therapeutic intervention, which have not changed to this day. Upon analysis, one can see a common understanding of the causes of illness and the restoration of health; this understanding developed from the observation of nature, and particularly from observing the natural progress of illness and recovery.

The foundation of what historically has been referred to as “nature cure” is based upon the observation that it is the nature of things to heal themselves. With human beings this is reflected as some disturbing factor, or a number of factors disrupt the stable ecology of the body and illness occurs as a response or reaction. The illness goes through a more-or-less predictable process, the intention of which is the reestablishment of the normal functioning of the body as a whole. If these disturbing factors persist, we will see a chronic response by the body. The basic assumption is that nature is benign, ordered, intelligent, wise, and can be trusted.

The objective to stop disease progression is to identify and remove the causative or disturbing factors, while supporting and stimulating the body to restore function. To do this effectively, a physician must come to understand the nature of health, and both that which establishes health and that which disturbs it. This simple understanding creates a set of instructions or guidance for the physician.

The principles of Naturopathic Medicine are self-explanatory and can be found at the web site for the American Association of Naturopathic Medicine (www.naturopathic.org). These principles are: 1) Vis Medicatrix Naturae – The Healing Power of Nature, 2) Tolle Causam – Remove the Cause, 3) Primum Non Nocere – First, Do No Harm, 4) Docere – The Doctor as a Teacher, 5) Tolle Totum -Treat the Whole Person, and 6) Prevention.

This can be contrasted with the standard medical approach, which is not based upon the study of health, but upon the study of disease. If nature cure is based upon the restoration of health, standard medicine is based upon the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The standard physician determines the specific nature and name of the disease process, and then brings to bear the various tools that science and experience have provided to eliminate the disease or symptoms from the body. A term to sum up the basis of modern medicine, with all of its miracles, is suppression. From a Naturopathic viewpoint, the suppression of acute reactive states not only weakens the body's capacity to mount healing reactions, but also allow the disturbing factors and toxic substances to further accumulate. This occurs until we exist in chronic reactive states, which we call chronic disease. Ask you doctor to name one medicine that is “curative” in its action, instead of taking care of the symptoms. They all use antibiotics as the answer, but have you identified and eliminated the cause of why you were susceptible to a particular infection?

How does all this fit into what is happening today? Most of you reading this article have tried some form of nutritional supplement or herb in an attempt to find a better state of health, or eliminate or reduce the need for medication. What I’m here to tell you is that the philosophy of natural medicine suggest that more is involved than a nutritional or herbal replacement for your prescribed medicines. The art of Naturopathic Medicine is based on a set of principles and practice that involves individualized therapy with identification of the causative factors for illness. In addition, in today’s health management one must be able to integrate traditional and alternative therapies being aware of interactions, while working towards a drug free “holistic” state of health whenever possible.

To examine some of the things that disturb health, the top of my list would be inappropriate diet, weakened digestion, and lack of sufficient rest. In addition, you will find an excess of devitalizing nourishment, coffee, alcohol, various drugs (prescription/over-the counter/"recreational"), lack of sufficient and appropriate exercise, unhappiness, and poor mental/emotional coping mechanisms to daily stress with the difficulties of modern day life.

There is no perfect system of healing, but what we have in this method is a set of instructions based upon the observation of how healing occurs in nature. It is a comprehensive system, which honors the wisdom of the body and how it interacts with the universe in which we live. Quantum physics suggest that all things are possible, just not probable. Naturopathic medicine recognizes the possibilities that lie within each individual, and a good physician helps each individual along their health path to reach for the possibilities that lie within their reach. So the place for you to start on your path is to meditate and respond to what you believe is your primary method of health.

Natural Medicine Man - Green Allopathy vs Traditional Naturopathic Medicine

Green Allopathy vs. Traditional Naturopathic Medicine

Green allopathy is an ethical challenge among naturopathic physicians that questions the direct beliefs of the practitioner on how the body heals. Today’s society encourages a “green” effort to promote the preservation of our world by using natural methods that avoid polluting our bodies and the environment.

To better understand this concept, we must first define the term allopathic medicine. Allopathic medicine is the traditional medical model of today with a focus on drugs and surgery as the basis of “treatment” for a presumed “diagnosis” of some disease. So, green allopathy is the use of natural substances in an effort to support the body as “treatment” for a presumed disease or diagnosis. In other words, treat your symptoms with nutrients, herbs, etc., instead of using drugs or surgery. Unfortunately, this mindset has had a direct influence on the care provided within the naturopathic community and the training of today’s health care practitioners, naturopathic or alternatively trained physicians.

The indoctrination through social beliefs that “there is a pill for every ill”
affects how your practitioner supports you and what you expect when seeking “alternative” health care. If you expect a drug, nutrient, or herb for your fatigue, low thyroid, or high blood pressure, and your alternative health provider only talks about diet and lifestyle change, you most likely will not follow through due to the difficulty of change and look elsewhere for something to help your symptoms. Therefore most naturopathic physicians, which have a desire to meet you where you are, fall right into this pattern of care. In today’s economic based system, why should a practitioner require you to change verses offer some “fix” to your concern where you will come back for more and spend more money.

So how does true traditional naturopathic medicine differ? The answer lies in the principles and laws of healing along with a physician who fully understands and believes in the endless possibilities that lie within your body and what nature can offer. The true physician has the key of observation and the ability to recognize healing movements of physical change towards a state of physical balance and health restoration. If the basic belief is that the body heals itself, than the physician’s job is to identify obstacles to healing and support and/or stimulate the body to move in the appropriate direction. Yes, the physician will use the arts of homeopathy, herbalism, clinical nutrition, and therapies to restore health, but the focus is on the whole person – not the disease. However, within this process lies one problem – time…

The traditionally trained naturopathic physician understands that all disease has a cause. The cause of each person’s illness is a combination of that individual’s personal environmental exposure history over time and their body’s inflammation response to that burden as determined by their genetic make up and weaknesses. The problem with time, as mentioned above, is that many illnesses are due to years of accumulated environmental toxins reaching a cellular saturation point followed by insidious chronic symptoms. In order to clear these symptoms you must reduce the chronic cellular burden through detoxification techniques. This is not an overnight or even 2 week process - it may take years in some cases. The focus must be on a persistent commitment to a lifestyle where the daily toxic burdens are less than the supported body’s ability to eliminate them and the stored burdens as described above. The 5 Phase Optimal Health Program™ as outline at our website (www.PittsburghAlternativeHealth.com) respects the laws observed in nature and follows this holistic approach to a quality long and healthy life.
The final question is what do you believe? Quantum physics suggest any possibility on a physical level exists, just differing probabilities exists. I personally believe this as mentioned in God’s Word that all things are possible, yet you must only believe and a way will present itself. Start your health today by believing and speaking out loud each morning “I have the potential for optimal health in me, and I know that today every cell in my body is working towards my health desires.” As you do this consistently, you will begin to see choices present themselves like a path towards the health you desire.