Naturopathy

Naturopathy

Naturopathy is a system of medicine in which man building in harmony with the constructive principles of nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual planes of living. It has great health promotive, disease preventive and curative as well as restorative potential. Naturopathy is an art and science of healthy living and a drugless system of healing based on well founded philosophy. Gandhi ji was influenced by the book “Return to Nature” written by Adolf Just and become a firm believer of Naturopathy. He not only wrote several articles in favour of Naturopathy in his newspaper Harijan but did do several experiments on himself too, on his family members and members of his Ashram. It may be noted here that Gandhi ji used to stay at the Nature Cure Clinic of Dr. Dinshaw Mehta situated in Pune during 1934 to 1944. In his memory, the Government of India established National Institute of Naturopathy in 1986 at that place. Gandhi ji included Naturopathy in his constructive programmes.

Basic Principles of Naturopathy:

1. The body heals all by itself.
2. The main cause of disease is lowered vitality.
3. The accumulation of morbid matter is the cause for lowered vitality.
4. The acute disease in itself is the remedial process.
5. Germs don’t cause disease, but are found in diseased condition.
6. Food is the building material, but does not increase vitality.
7. Fasting does not cure the disease, but creates the needed environment to heal.
8. Exercise and physical activities keep the balance between nutrition and drainage.
9. External treatments facilitate the power of healing.
10. The patient’s own wish to get well, determination and faith in nature’s healing power play an important role in the healing process.

Some of the therapies in Naturopathy include:

Mud Therapy:

Mud is an important element of nature with many important minerals that have positive impact on our health. Mud is capable of absorbing number of toxins from body that benefits the body in prevention of many diseases.

Mud therapy is given in two ways-

Mud Packs:
It involves frequent application of mud packs to improve complexion, treat skin acne and spots effectively.

Mud Bath:
It involves application of natural salts and mineral rich mud over entire body (except head) to treat skin diseases like Psoriasis, Urticaria, Leucoderma, Leprosy and other skin allergic conditions.

Benefits:

• It relaxes the muscles
• Improves blood circulation
• Improves metabolism having positive impact on digestion
• It is good for skin and  hair
• Relieves pain and inflammation
• Loosens stiff joints

Sitz Bath:

The sitz bath is an immersion bath with the patient seated in a tub with water covering the hips, buttocks and lower abdomen. It is powerful in its ability to affect the lower abdominal and pelvic organs.

Spinal Bath:

This bath provides a soothing effect to the spinal column and thereby influences the central nervous system. It is performed in designed tub with its back raised for providing proper support to the patient’s head.

Enema:

An enema administration is a technique used to stimulate stool evacuation. It is a liquid treatment most commonly used to relieve severe constipation. The process helps push waste out of the rectum when you cannot do so on your own.