This system of medicine emphasis the value of restoring and promoting the human body’s own self healing processes is known as naturopathy. Naturopaths use a wide range of natural treatments, the most important of which are dietary management, herbal remedies and a variety of physical therapies, selected according to the individual needs of the patient.

Beginning with the earliest civilizations, healers have made careful observations of the body in sickness and in wellness and used natural resources – food, water, air and herbs – to help in the healing process. In the nineteenth century, a group of doctors began to develop this way of treating people into the science of naturopathy. The movement began in Europe and involved dietary regimes, fasts, baths, sprays and compresses. As word of their success spread, these techniques were refined, in the early twentieth century, they were introduced in Australasia.

When you adopt a healthier lifestyle, eating more fresh natural foods, getting more exercise and learning methods of relaxation, you may experience an improvement in general wellbeing, but after a few days or weeks, you may find that some of your old problems, such as colds or fatigue, return. Dr. Henry Lindlahr, the pioneering American naturopath, called this worsening of symptoms the healing crisis. He viewed it as a sign of the body increasing its normal ability to deal with toxins, infections and waster products as it gains vitality. The symptoms usually clear in a few days with the help of appropriate naturopathic treatments.

The naturopathic pioneers made a number of recommendations – such as the medicinal use of botanicals and the consumption of more fresh vegetables, fruits and wholegrain cereals – that have been borne out by modern research. The diets they designed are intended to rest the body from unhealthy foods, which increase the burden on the digestive processes and the body’s detoxification and elimination systems, and to substitute foods that are easily processed and that strengthen the immune system.

Today’s naturopaths also often use water treatments and physical therapies to help the skin, lungs, intestines and kidneys eliminate waste products that might otherwise hamper the healthy functioning of the body. Cold-water therapies are considered especially beneficial for boosting the effectiveness of the immune system.