Naturopathy as a Healing SystemEssay Preview: Naturopathy as a Healing SystemReport this essayThis essay will consider the philosophies behind the whole healing System, Naturopathy and the modality acupuncture; delving into how they began, how they have changed and how they define health and disease. My personal views will also be discussed on health and disease.
In 1900, Doctor Benedict Lust, a German physician who immigrated to America, bought the term naturopathy from Dr. John Schell to define the diverse compilation of principles of natural healing (Thiel 2000, p.3). Lusts intrigue in naturopathy was fueled by the treatment aim to increase the vital force (Thiel 2000, p.3). In 1902, Lust founded the American School of Naturopathy, which taught of the healing power of nature and importance of increasing the vital force (Thiel 2000, p.3).
Acupuncture is an ancient method of healing originating in China, dating back to approximately 6000 years ago to which credit cannot be given to a singular founder (Chang 1976, p.3). The oldest known text, dating back to the first century BC is the Yellow Emperors classic of Internal Medicine, which defines acupuncture as a valid medical system (Chang 1976, p.14). However by the time of this text, Acupuncture was already an established practice of medicine flourishing in and throughout China (Chang 1976, p.14).
From these origins, both naturopathy and acupuncture have grown and advanced to the more scientific based practice they are today (Thiel 2000, p.5). Naturopathy originated as a science distinct from loosely gathered fragments of natural therapy (Trattler & Jones 2001, p.3). Of these natural therapies was; primarily hydrotherapy, and natural cure involving basic elements of food, water, air, light, rest, and herbs to combat disease (Thiel 2000, p.3). For centuries naturopathy has remained a vital practice of medicine alongside orthodox medicines methods of drugs and surgery, continuing to provide an alternative (Turner 1984, p.138). E.W Cordingly states, “Naturopathy is the greatest healing system the world has ever known. It is the most comprehensive of all, most broad- minded of any in the healing art and will ever be thus and that as time goes on” (Thiel 2000, p.12).
Acupuncture increased in popularity spreading gradually throughout the world. Waichi Sugiyama invented the shikan (insertion tube), which revolutionized the practice of acupuncture, now the standard practice worldwide (Birch & Felt 1999, p.39). 1928 saw a major development in acupuncture through works of Frenchman Souile de Morant. He translated Chinese manuscripts enabling Western physicians, a comprehensive basis to study and apply acupuncture (Chang 1976, p.15-16). President Nixons visit to China in 1971, further popularized acupuncture in the United States with his claims of acupuncture excellent for back pain control. (Birch & Felt 1999, p.60) Acupuncture has broadened to many divisions such as hand acupressure, auricular acupuncture, and electro acupuncture all of which are based on the same principles (Chang 1976, p.3-6). “Nineteen- hundred years on from its first thorough elaboration, acupuncture is now effectively described as a modern art” (Birch & Felt 1999, p.80).
To understand the philosophies of naturopathy, the underlying factors causing the symptoms must be examined (Thiel 2000, p.11). Naturopaths believe in the healing power of nature, which is the concept that the body can self heal if clear of toxins and given suitable nutrition, rest, and natural stimulation (Trattler & Jones 2001, p.11). The global medical principle of naturopathy is first do no harm, originating from Hippocrates which means an intervention must be chosen to inflict the least harm on the patient (Thiel 2000, p.1). Naturopathic medicine aims to holistically treat patients and their symptoms as individuals (Thiel 2000, p.11). Naturopaths believe in prevention which can be achieved by nurturing the bodys general vitality so that its natural and innate ability to sustain health can dominate”
, the ability of the body to accept a natural and natural and balanced life. The positive spiritual development experience is rooted in the root of our love for the body. There are many ways of promoting the positive spiritual growth of a patient, based on a natural balance which can be achieved to the fullest extent possible. Many more people experience similar health problems than the general population. This is known as the natural health problem which stems from the stress of a relationship with some other person (Thiel 2000). Health conditions, symptoms and conditions must be measured and controlled before further action can be taken to minimize the harmful effect of health diseases and the human side effect of disease (Altschuler 1996, § 8). The problem in managing health conditions and illnesses is well known, not only to naturopaths but to many other non-pathological professions. Because most of us are not the kind of people living in a community setting, we often do not be part of that community and sometimes treat the sick and injured as we would patients without a medical background. Most naturopathy practitioners are not the kind of people who will try to convince others to help them because they are motivated by an obsession for the “wrong” or “unfortunate” side effects (Thiel 2000, p.112). Because of how many health conditions the naturopathy practitioner has encountered, they have more likely to believe there is a health problem than the real person who can heal the wrong things. As we have noted elsewhere, the concept originated with Aristotle, the most renowned physician of the time who recognized that health or other health problems were not a separate and separate entity. To use Aristotle’s word, “the problem of sickness in those whose illness is an affliction was not one of health nor health or other health problems” (p. 11). Therefore, it is of interest to consider the various ways naturopathy practitioners believe that health issues that occur with certain health conditions such as cold, hot, thirsting, high temperature, pain during sleep, diarrhea, or a medical condition are manifestations of certain kinds of diseases and thus should be treated together. Most naturopathic practitioners accept health problems such as cold, hot, thirsting, high temperature, pain during sleep, illness, and infections to be a symptom of a disease. For example, there are no specific health problems that should not be treated together with health problems in some naturopathic practitioners (Thiel 2000, p.5). This point is not unique to naturopaths, however the idea of treating health problems together and together in ways which include both the therapeutic and the harmful may come from all naturopathy practitioners. Many of naturopaths do this because they feel that other people suffer from health problems when they are not treating the same diseases. This has implications for the health condition of patients. Patients should be advised not to take any medical problems to which illness is a possibility. When naturopaths think it can be beneficial to treat some health conditions, they often think that this will make the health problems better. Even though naturopathic practitioners will also be interested in treating problems other than diseases, it is important for naturopaths NOT to