Natural Health

"All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature, the challenge of science is to find it."
Paracelsus (1493-1541)

“The physician should not treat the disease but the patient who is suffering from it."
Maimonides

“Foolish the doctor who despises the knowledge acquired by the ancients”
Hippocrates Entering the World

Philosophies and Principles
Naturopathic medicine is distinguished in its practice by certain underlying philosophies and principles. Naturopathic techniques combine modern and scientific methods, along with traditional and empirical. Consistent treatment methods are also based on the client’s individuality. 

The Healing Power of Nature
Naturopaths recognize an inbuilt, ordered and intelligent healing power in nature that establishes and maintains the balance of health, as well as restoring to health when the balance is lost. The naturopath supports and augments this process by identifying and removing obstacles to health and recovery, and encouraging the creation of a healthy environment internally and externally.  

An important principle is to ‘Treat the Whole Person’.  Both health and disease result from a complex of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual factors.

What is Naturopathy?

Who sees naturopaths?

Many people will visit a naturopath for philosophical reasons.  They believe that non-invasive diagnosis, natural remedies with a very low risk of side-effects and a subtle form of health care is more beneficial for them.
Many people come to a naturopath with a condition that has not been resolved by modern pharmaceutical medicine and naturopathy is seen as a last resort. This is not to say that a naturopathic treatment can offer a cure for these conditions (though often we do have success where others have not) but often an individual's quality of life is improved in some way.  These conditions will prove more challenging for the naturopath, as obviously they have reached a chronic stage.

Identify and Treat the Causes

As the body is a complex system, with many systems within the body impacting on one another, the causes of disease may originate in many areas. These underlying causes must be identified and removed for a complete recovery of health. Symptoms can be expressions of the body’s attempt to defend itself, to adapt and recover, to heal itself, or may be results of the causes of disease.  A naturopath will attempt to treat the causes of disease, as well as the present symptoms, rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms. A good example would be a headache.  A naturopath would seek to discover the cause of the headache, as well as to give something for the symptom.  The analogy would be like getting up to fix the hole in the roof, rather than just putting a bucket under the hole to catch the drops (which will only have to be emptied again and again anyway).

First Do No Harm

Naturopaths follow three precepts to avoid harm:

1. Using methods and substances that minimise the risk of harmful effects, and applying the least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness and promote health.
2. Avoiding the suppression of symptoms whenever possible, as this generally interferes with the healing process. 
3. Working with the client’s natural healing power.

Doctor As Teacher

An important philosophy behind naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient in self-responsibility for their health.

Prevention

Naturopathy is the study of health as well as disease. The prevention of disease and the attainment of optimal health are the main objectives. In practice, this is accomplished through education and the promotion of healthy ways of living. Naturopaths assess risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease, and make appropriate interventions to prevent illness in partnership with their clients.

Diagnostic Tools

Diagnostic tools to help establish the underlying causes of illness include: questioning and consulting the client, iridology, nail and tongue diagnosis, bio-impedance testing and urine, hair and saliva samples.

Treatments

Naturopathic treatments include herbal medicine, nutrition (including vitamins and other nutrient supplements, as well as diet), flower essences, massage and lifestyle advice.

Naturopaths rely on medical science to understand the disease process and develop an approach for treating a client.

Consultation Time

In regards to the usual experience with one’s GP, a Mobile Naturopath practitioner will spend a lot more time with you, trying to understand your condition.

Typically a first consultation can take from 30 to 45 mins; probably quicker if you have filled out the questionnaire fully.  Follow up consultations will usually take a maximum of 30 mins.

As mentioned above, the body is a very complex system, with many systems interacting, so don’t be surprised if the practitioner seems to ‘get off the track’ with some of the questions he or she is asking.  Rest assured, they are seeking the root cause of your problem.

Naturopathy is a very broad term that includes what has been mentioned above in the way of diagnostic tools and treatments.  This is by no means exhaustive of naturopathy in general, but rather to describe the philosophy, tools and treatments that Mobile Naturopath practitioners use.  There is boundless room under the ‘umbrella of naturopathy’ for a practitioner to major in all sorts of well-known and not-so-well known tools and treatments.

Complementary Medicine vs. Alternative Medicine

Naturopaths at Mobile Naturopath see our form of natural medicine as being an integral part of medicine in general.  We don’t believe we have all of the answers for every health problem and there are also some conditions that a naturopath is prohibited to treat by law.  We often refer clients to their local G.P. (where we know of one that is ‘naturopath friendly’, we will refer to them first) for specialized diagnostic tests that we cannot perform and sometimes we even refer on to other ‘natural medicine practitioners’ (such as acupuncturists) if we believe that the client will experience better treatment than what we can give.  Because of this, we see our medicine as being ‘complimentary medicine’, rather than ‘alternative medicine’.  To say that there is no place for modern pharmaceutical medicine is ignorant and arrogant.  If you were hit by a car on your way back from lunch, I’m sure you wouldn’t be crying, “Take me to a naturopath!”  You would want a surgeon, perhaps X-rays, CAT scans, etc.  (Don’t call us if you need surgery!)
At different times, we need to engage the expertise of professional health workers of all kinds to help us with a specific diagnosis and understanding of medical options available.  We encourage cooperation between all professions, keeping the client's best interest at heart.

Treatment time, repeat visits, etc. 

After reading the above, you may now have a grasp of the principles of naturopathy.  It is a very thorough discipline and one thing to stress here is that by targeting the cause of the problem, combined with the nature of the herbal, nutritional and lifestyle remedies used (gentle and gradual), even though results may be experienced almost immediately, the full healing process may take some time to be completed. 

There is no ‘magic bullet’. 

Your Mobile Naturopath practitioner may suggest further appointments and/or further courses of remedies.  Every consultation will end with a review and a modification of the prescription if necessary.

An example to consider is skin problems.  Skin disorders are noted for their stubbornness.  They can be successfully treated, but the naturopathic rule of thumb is, ‘one month’s treatment for every year the problem has existed’.  i.e.  if you have had the complaint for ten years, this amounts to ten months of treatment time.  This will mean seeing a naturopath here and there, but continuing with the remedies for ten months.

These are things to be considered.  It’s probably little benefit (looking at the scenario above) in taking something for two weeks and then leaving off.  It would be better not to have commenced.  You must ask yourself, ‘how important is it to me to have this issue resolved?’  Fortunately, not all problems are as stubborn as skin disorders.

Practitioner Qualification.

A Mobile Naturopath is trained in medical sciences, as well as herbalism, nutrition, iridology and massage.  They have all received accredited schooling at tertiary level to at least the Advanced Diploma, but usually to the level of Bachelor of Health Science and some are currently studying for their Masters Degree.  Our massage therapists have also been trained and qualified at an accredited tertiary institution.

Can't anyone call themselves a Naturopath?

At present there is no legal restriction on use of the term Naturopath (Naturopaths are not statutory registered practitioners in Australia), but at Mobile Naturopath we guarantee your practitioner will be qualified, experienced and professional.
All Mobile Naturopath practitioners are members of professional bodies such as ANTA (www.anta.com.au), or ATMS (www.atms.com.au). These bodies investigate and set academic standards and will only accept members from approved colleges or courses. It should be noted that membership of the ATMS and equivalent bodies is a form of self-regulation.

What do naturopaths treat?

Common ailments that naturopaths seek to treat or relieve the underlying causes of include:

• allergies, including food allergies;
• arthritic conditions;
• asthma; 
• chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia; 
• constipation; 
• mild depression; 
• digestive complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers; 
• fertility;
• hypertension (high blood pressure); 
• menstrual and menopausal problems; 
• men’s health problems;
• migraine;  
• skin conditions, such as eczema and acne;
• Weight loss.

This list is by no means exhaustive.

Who should I complain to if I am concerned about a consultation or practitioner?

As part of our After Service Care, you will receive a call from us to see how pleased you were with our service.  We will ask questions concerning the practitioner you saw, but you are welcome to take the initiative to contact us first with any grievance about anything whatsoever.

Naturally, the After Service Care and any other correspondence or communication will be treated confidentially.

Alternatively, there are still other avenues for complaint. You may also lodge a complaint directly with the naturopath’s association (this will be emailed to you, along with their other details after the appointment has been set).

Obviously, any group protecting the rights of the consumer can also be contacted.