| Herbs and naturopathy are two approaches | | | | salad with each main meal is a simple |
| that complement one another to form a | | | | and extremely beneficial way of |
| whole system of healthcare - herbal | | | | increasing the quantity of minerals, |
| naturopathy. To see how, it is useful to | | | | vitamins and enzymes consumed each day. |
| look at some of the significant features | | | | The health-giving properties of a salad |
| of the two individual disciplines. | | | | can be enhanced by using a dressing that |
| Herbs | | | | includes, among other ingredients, extra |
| For thousands of years herbs were the | | | | virgin olive oil, organic cyder vinegar, |
| principal form of medical treatment. | | | | fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper and |
| They have overshadowed only in the last | | | | mustard. |
| hundred years or so by western | | | | Fasting |
| science-based medicine, which views the | | | | Although not usually considered to be |
| body as a set of chemical reactions | | | | part of a diet, fasting allows the |
| rather than an organic whole. Modern | | | | energy usually expended on digesting |
| medicine tends to use drugs to suppress | | | | food to be diverted to the body's |
| the symptoms of illness. Herbs, on the | | | | natural self-healing processes. |
| other hand, aim to assist the body's own | | | | There are a number of options when |
| healing processes which, by definition, | | | | fasting. The most severe method is to |
| work on the body as a complete whole. | | | | abstain from eating food completely for |
| Herbal means of promoting health are | | | | a number of days. This fast should be |
| becoming more and more popular and | | | | supervised by a naturopath. A milder |
| people are becoming increasingly | | | | version of fasting is to eat only fruit, |
| distrustful of the powerful and | | | | or drink nothing but fruit juice for two |
| frequently toxic drugs prescribed by | | | | or three consecutive days. Several |
| mainstream medical practitioners. | | | | pounds of fruit or several litres of |
| Newspaper and magazine articles dealing | | | | juice, plus additional water to drink, |
| with herbs appear with increasing | | | | would be needed each day. If you are |
| frequency, and herbal treatments are | | | | basically well, you can safely use these |
| becoming more accepted among some | | | | milder forms of fasting on your own, and |
| general practitioners and other members | | | | repeat each two weeks for two or three |
| of the medical profession. | | | | days. Otherwise a naturopath's help is |
| Sometimes a strong herbal remedy is | | | | again recommended. |
| required and in these cases it is | | | | Three considerations when carrying out |
| necessary to consult a practitioner who | | | | any type of fast are: |
| has an extensive herbal training. These | | | | 1. Plan to have extra rest. |
| stronger remedies can provide a very | | | | 2. Expect some headaches at first - |
| effective treatment, but they can be | | | | especially if you suddenly cut out |
| costly and time-consuming. | | | | drinking tea and coffee. Headaches can |
| Milder herbal products can be found at | | | | occur as extra toxins pass from the |
| health food shops or mail-order | | | | tissues into the blood stream. This is |
| suppliers of which Specialist Herbal | | | | much more likely if you suddenly |
| Supplies is one. These products can be | | | | withdraw from caffeine consumption. It |
| used safely without the need for | | | | is better to slowly reduce then |
| supervision. Being milder in their | | | | eliminate tea and coffee over a week or |
| effects, however, they are likely to be | | | | so. The likelihood of headaches reduces |
| more effective when combined with | | | | each time you fast. |
| naturopathy. | | | | 3. After the fast, take a day to gently |
| Naturopathy | | | | re-introduce starchy foods and protein |
| Although the term 'naturopathy' is only | | | | to allow your body to get used to them |
| beginning to become more widely | | | | again. |
| recognised, many of its methods are | | | | Exercise |
| familiar and include the following: | | | | It is surprising how many people take |
| - Exercise | | | | virtually no exercise other than walking |
| - Diet | | | | around in the normal course of their |
| - Relaxation, including some | | | | lives. This contributes to widespread |
| psycho-therapeutic approaches such as | | | | heart problems and obesity. For many |
| meditation or counselling | | | | people, introducing moderate exercise - |
| - Moderate exposure to sunshine | | | | such as taking up a sport, having a long |
| - Hydrotherapeutic (water-based) | | | | walk twice a week or learning to dance - |
| treatments, such as hot baths, | | | | would greatly benefit health. Exercise |
| alternating immersion of parts of the | | | | increases the circulation of body fluids |
| body in hot and cold water, and hip | | | | that carry nutrients to, and waste |
| baths for the pelvic areas | | | | products from, every organ, muscle and |
| - Bowel cleansing through enemas or | | | | tissue in the body. |
| colonics, and liver cleansing | | | | With exercise, there is the same range |
| - Bony and soft tissue manipulation | | | | of options of 'mild' to 'extreme' that |
| Naturopathy uses various combinations of | | | | are found in the in the other |
| these methods to promote health. Here is | | | | naturopathic activities listed above. |
| more detail on some of these. | | | | Exercise needs to be carried out, but |
| Diet | | | | not to the point where it's distressing. |
| Health can be improved in a variety of | | | | Exercise need not cost anything. |
| ways with the help of dietary changes. | | | | Although it's possible to join a gym, |
| One of the simplest improvements to make | | | | you could do at least as well by taking |
| is to increase the quantities of fruit | | | | a long walk every day which would cost |
| and vegetables in the diet. A mixed | | | | you nothing |