Philosophy

Rumana firmly believes that health reflects your whole being; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually as well as the external environment and lifestyle.

This is why multi-disciplined programmes can achieve optimum health; this approach addresses and embraces all factors.

To restore and maintain good health, effective treatment lies mainly in changing the inner environment of your body and making appropriate mind, emotion and lifestyle adjustments.

A Natural System of Healthcare

Naturopathy is a system of health and follows the principal of providing the individual with the right tools to allow the body's own inner healing to take place. This involves use of natural therapies to build up, improve, and create harmony within the body. It draws on the healing wisdom of India (Ayurveda), China (Taoism) and Greece (Hippocrates).

Naturopathy is based on living according to the laws of nature and that a violation of these laws is the causes of disease. It follows common sense reasoning to find a solution to the problems of health, disease and cure.

Cause of Disease

In Naturopathy it is believed that the causes of disease are:

1. Transgression or violation of laws of nature.
2. Circumstances beyond our control (e.g. accident, poisons, bites, vaccination, inhalation, war, etc).
3. Hereditary.
4. Pernicious fashions of the time can lead one to eat, drink, sleep and dress against the laws of nature.
5. Insufficient or too great amount of exercise.
6. Sudden changes from hot to cold or vice versa.
7. Mechanical or chemical injuries: wounds, cuts, burns and freezes.

Naturopathic Principles

Much of the philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine is based on time-tested principles where Naturopaths seek to:

1. Do no harm – employ therapies that are safe and effective.
2. Apply the use of natures healing powers – the body heals itself; the physician facilitates and enhances this process.
3. Treat the cause – Naturopaths will seek to treat the cause of disease rather than suppress the symptoms.
4. Treat the whole person – the individual is composed of a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social make up.
5. Teach the Patient – empowering the patient and help them to understand health.
6. Prevention is best – understanding health allows individuals to support their health throughout life.
7. Promote wellness – the Naturopath will aim to achieve optimum health.

Violation of the laws on the body result in a) lowered vitality b) abnormal composition of blood and lymph and c) accumulation of toxins. Toxins are substances that do not sit well in the body and can include: drugs, toxicity generated in the bowel, lead from petrol, smoking, cleaning and chemical agents, chemicals used within the garden and in foods such as pesticides, herbicides and man made hormones.

The above was written by Rumana and originally published in a handbook for 4th year medical students.

To read the full article click here.

Factors that Need to be Addressed

The factors that will be addressed during treatment include the following:

For everyone

• Balance your body’s acidity and alkalinity.
• Fine tune your body’s blood sugar levels.
• Eliminate food intolerances and allergies.
• Improve digestion, assimilation and elimination.
• Suffuse your body with super nutrition.
• Strengthen your immune system.
• Detoxify and cleanse your body organs and systems.
• Balance your body’s energy levels.
• Understand your ‘symptom profile’ in accordance with your lifestyle factors.

For women

• Track your natural monthly cycle and understand how it underpins your life.
• Balance your hormones naturally.

For men

• Maintain male reproductive and sexual health.
• Support hormonal health.

For the mind

• Re-assess your current thought processes.
• Learn constructive thought processes.
• Achieve clearer thinking and easier decision-making.
• Gain clarity on life goals and purpose.

For your emotions

• Re-establish your emotional well-being.
• Learn how to process stuck emotions.
• Build a healthy relationship with your emotions.
• Get to know your archetypes, including your inner critic.
• Identify your disruptive emotional triggers and learn how to diffuse strong reactions to them.

Find out more about planning your health here.