Natural Medicine

“The natural healing force within each of us 
is the greatest force in getting well, the true healer of disease.”

~ Hippocrates

What is natural medicine?

Natural medicine is a way of healing and living inspired by the harmony and perfection found in nature around and within us.

It is a complete system of understanding the body, diagnosing the cause of illness, determining the most efficient method of treatment and suggesting preventive measures to prevent reoccurrence.

Natural medicine is about observing and following the natural cycles and rhythms. There are external rhythms like the sun and moon cycles, the seasons, the different weather patterns, etc. And there are internal rhythms related to the circulation of energy through the different channels and organs. By being more in tune with these rhythms we can keep our bodies healthier, our minds calmer and our emotions more positive.

The purpose of natural medicine goes beyond just the physical treatment of illnesses. It attempts to support individuals through life to recover the sense of who they are and be of service to their communities and humanity at large.

Natural medicine vs. modern allopathic medicine

Natural medicine is not a substitute to modern medicine. It must be used in conjunction with all the great advances in research, testing and solutions that of modern medicine offers. But it certainly differs greatly in the view of the organism and the methods of treatment.

One of the main differences between modern and natural medicine is that natural medicine considers the place of humanity within the universal order and therefore promotes harmony between nature and us.

Natural medicine practitioners are aware we are part of the natural world and that our health is directly related to the health of our environment and our planet at large. Without any doubt we are directly exposed to whatever toxins and poisons are dumped into the waters and the air; it is our responsibility to be sensitive to this reality and act accordingly if we want to experience true health and the wealth of a happy life.

Natural medicine works based on prevention and stimulation of the natural mechanisms of elimination and defense. Contrary what often happens with modern medicine, natural medicine doesn’t wait until a disease has fully developed and manifested in the body to then try to suppress it or manage it. Instead it attempts to prevent from by adequate lifestyle and holistic methods the manifestation and development of disease. The objective of natural medicine is to help the body remain in a healthy state where it by itself can prevent or properly deal with it by itself or with the minimal help of some natural treatment.

Modern medicine has many wonderful qualities and has brought great relief to many situations, especially situation of emergency medicine and general sanitation. But when faced with chronic disease its approach to healing is usually not so beneficial. While nowadays there is a lot of emphasis on early detection, even when something is detected the methods of treatment start by just monitoring and then attacking with antitoxins or removing surgically. This is because it perceives disease as result of external factors such as viruses, parasites and bacteria or as idiopathic (without apparent explanation). Its idea is to kill the germ to cure the disease by attacking and suppressing. Very often this involves using substances that have many side effects and present poisonous results for the body. While they might be effective to make a symptom disappear the cause other problems. This is easy to see just by reading the contraindications and secondary effects listed in any prescribed medication. This often causes to have to prescribe several other medications to minimize the secondary effects of the previous one, turning into big cocktails of unknown and unresearched effects.

How does natural medicine view disease? (2)

According to natural medicine philosophy disease is the result of an accumulation of toxins:

– acute disease is the result of a “purifying, healing effort of nature,” eliminating from the organism waste material, foreign matter and poisons, and to repair injury to living tissues.

– chronic disease is defined as a lowered vitality due to the accumulation of waste material and poisons, with the consequent destruction of vital parts and organs, so that the healing forces are no longer able to react in order to restore function.

How does the body eliminate toxins? (1)

Normal physiological function is capable of removing all the endogenously produced metabolic waste products plus any accumulated exogenously acquired wastes. All cells produce metabolic waste, and they are discharged into the blood stream. These metabolic wastes, or toxins, pass through the liver and are filtered out, and the liver metabolizes them to a form which can be eliminated. The natural routes of elimination (primary emunctories) are:

– Sweating through the skin

– Solid waste through the intestines

– Liquid waste through the kidney and urinary bladder

– Gaseous waste through the lungs

What is the role of the emunctories? (1)

An emunctory is any tissue that is capable of allowing excretions to exit the body.

A pace of detoxification commensurate with the ability of the emunctories to freely discharge toxins is essential for efficient elimination of toxins. Insufficient elimination is at the base of any pathology. With insufficient elimination, the toxins accumulate in the blood. Then the secondary excretory organs kick in to attempt to eliminate these excess toxins. The secondary emunctories include the skin and mucous membranes of the urogenital tract, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract.

Examples of typical pathological eliminations include Diarrhea with blood and mucous, sputum, genital infections, urinary tract infections and eczema.

If these secondary routes are stopped from eliminating, then toxins will continue to accumulate in the tissues, leading to more serious disease.

The basic tool: Common sense:

While herbs, supplements and vitamins are often used as part of the treatments methods, natural medicine is not about popping supplements and vitamins instead of drugs. First of all we should use common sense and follow a healthy lifestyle.

The basic tools of natural medicine are: good wholesome foods, fresh air, clean water, spending time in nature, having a good loving relation with oneself, one’s family and community, being of service to others, regular exercise combining cardiovascular and stretching, stress management meditation and breathing techniques, laughter and prayer or other form of connecting to one’s higher self. Applying this in our life is applying the basic principle of prevention.

References

(1) Thom, Dick, DDS, ND, Biotherapeutic DrainageTM using the UNDA Numbers, JELD publications, 2001

(2) Lindlahr, Henry, MD, The Philosophy of Natural Therapeutics, Saffron Walden publications, 1922

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