Naturopathy

Lack of government regulation on alternative medicine practitioners, herbalists and naturopaths has become a major concern in Australia. Absence of legislation for these traditional treatments may prove dangerous for consumers as pointed out by Prof. Kerryn Phelps. She is president of an organisation called the Australian Integrative Medical Association that promotes coexistence of alternative and conventional treatments.

Due to the fact that Naturopathy is not a branch of medical sciences such as allopathy, it is often difficult to gauge the efficacy of the medicines and therapies prescribed by this form of medicine. In order to remove much of the ambiguity regarding the success of the techniques employed by naturopathy, a method called the ‘evidence-based medicine’ (EBM) has been devised. The objective of EBM is to apply to decisions pertaining to patients and medicine, the best available evidence. This evidence would be based on the scientific methods of medical science.

Naturopathy form of medicine relies on completely natural therapies to cure an ailment alongside the natural healing process of the body. The treatment lays emphasis on a person’s ‘vital force’ to take shape and thwart the disease, rather than using chemical drugs to cure the patient. Therefore, when a patient decides to adopt the naturopathy form of treatment, he usually has to provide a detailed history of his medical health as well as lifestyle. It is only after investigation that a physician of naturopathy can start the treatment.

An alternate form of medicine, Naturopathy, as the name suggests, aims at eliminating the disease of the body with the help of natural cures. Naturopathy provides holistic healing to the body, instead of simply focusing on the specific problem and its solution. The principles of naturopathy attach equal importance to both the healing of the body using natural methodology, as well as by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Old has always been gold, and this is well proved when I look at the people worldwide embracing our alternate systems of medicines like Ayurveda, homeopathy. The age-old or time-tested traditional system of medicines has seen such a striking growth recently it has become an apple of eye worldwide.

Himachal Government has decided to promote Yoga and Naturopathy in all the schools and hospitals of the state. The decision was taken in a meeting which was presided over by Dr. Rajeev Bindal, Health and Ayurveda Minister Himachal Pradesh.