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Guide to Naturopathy and Naturopaths
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Naturopathy and Naturopaths
Naturopathy
is a system of natural healthcare that believes the body has the
ability to heal itself and it is the naturopathic doctor's role
to facilitate this natural process. Naturopaths believe that the
right kind of conditions must be in place to allow the healing
process to begin, these include getting rest, relaxation and enough
sleep, exercising, feeding the body nutritional food and removing
toxins from the system.
Treat the whole person
Traditional Naturopathy is not a medical practice. While prescribing drugs and pharmaceuticals, performing surgery, and other invasive procedures clearly have their place in the hands of properly trained medical doctors, these practices are outside the scope of Traditional Naturopathy and are at odds with its fundamental principles. Instead Traditional Naturopaths focus on educating clients to lead healthier lives and on the use of naturopathic modalities such as light, water, herbs, healthy foods, and exercise to cleanse and strengthen the body and support its natural healing process. |
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What is Complementary Therapy
Complementary
Therapy (Alternative Therapy)
Is as the name suggests a form of therapy or medicine that "complements"
conventional treatments, it is variously known as Complementary Therapy,
Alternative Therapy, or Holistic Therapy. (Examples of further terminology
are described below)
Practitioners are consequently referred to as complementary therapists,
alternative therapists, healers, complementary medicine providers, holistic
therapists etc.
There
is evidence that many of these alternative therapies have been in use
for centuries, recent years have seen (particularly in the Western World)
a rise in the popularity of these Complementary Therapies. Millions
of people now subscribe to Complementary Health and use complementary
therapies worldwide, and demand for these therapies is still growing.
About half of GPs, in the UK, now provide some kind of access to this
form of therapy. Although Britain came late to complementary therapies.
It is estimated by practitioners that demand for these therapies has
increased by up to 30% in the last ten years.
It is currently estimated that 3 in 10 local health authorities in Britain
now offer some form of alternative therapy to patients and that as many
as one third of people in the United Kingdom have tried at least one
form of alternative therapy, usually for the treatment of various problems
such as backache, arthritis, or headaches migraine.
Much has been written on the subject of Complementary Therapies and Health (we have a wide range of articles elsewhere on our website) and a great deal of information and opinion is available on the internet.
Complementary Therapy is also referred to as Alternative Therapy, Holistic medicine is a narrower term. We have included a few definitions of Complementary Therapy showing how this "non conventional" form of healing is variuosly referred to.
Complementary
Therapy
Complementary therapies offer a variety of "complementary"
treatments, outside the scope of conventional medical practice, and
are often used alongside standard treatments -- e.g. nutritional supplements,
herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, energy work, etc.
Complementary
Medicine
The term complementary medicine is used by conventional medical practitioners
to refer to non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques which are used
in conjunction with medical treatments such as drugs and surgery. The
term implies that conventional medicine is used as a primary tool and
the non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques are used as a supplement
when needed.
Alternative
Therapy
A variety of treatments, outside the scope of conventional medical practice,
and used instead of standard treatments -- e.g. nutritional supplements,
herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, energy work, etc.
Alternative
Medicine
A broad category of alternative treatment systems (e.g. chiropractic,
herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, and spiritual
devotions) or culturally based healing
Integrative
medicine
Is defined for USA usage by the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Therapies, combines conventional medical treatments and
alternative and complementary treatments for which there is some high-quality
scientific evidence of their safety and effectiveness
An increasing desire for wellness, in response to today’s stressful
lifestyle, has led to the rising demand for Complementary Therapy and
Alternative therapies. It is true that many people are becoming disenchanted
with conventional medicine's drugs and the approach to healing. On the
other hand, Complementary therapies tend to be "holistic",
where an individual's health is considered as a whole and treatment
not just focused on the symptoms. Complementary therapy employs "natural"
methods to aid the healing powers of the body to return to a state of
health. Treatment is holistic; that is it takes into account every aspect
of a patient and not just on the health symptoms that he or she is experiencing.
It is highly recommended that you use a qualified practitioner who is a member of a regulatory body. By law, chiropractic and osteopathy practitioners must be registered with the appropriate professional bodies
In the United Kingdom, there is an organisation that monitors CAM therapists known as British Register of Complementary Practitioners. On their site, they say "The British Register of Complementary Practitioners (BRCP) is a professional register of practitioners who have proved their competence to practice by either completing an approved course or through an assessment made by the Registration Panel. They also agree to observe a Code of Ethics and Practice and have full practitioner insurance." This helps monitor the quality of CAM in the UK and reduces the risk of quackery.
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