Positive Health Online

The term ‘Naturopath’ describes the profession of somebody who applies natural therapy in practice. Whereas in the UK the Naturopath is  concerned  with fasting, nutrition, diet, water and exercise, the Naturopath in Europe and the USA covers approved natural healing practices such as Homeopathy, Acupuncture and Herbal medicine as well as the use of modern methods like Bio-Resonance, Ozone therapy and Colonic Hydrotherapy.

At  a time where modern technology, environmental pollution, bad eating habits and stress play an enormous role in health issues, the profession of the Naturopath is increasing in importance. According to the latest surveys, 80 % of the population prefer natural medicine and the Naturopath complies with this demand. In using natural therapies he is able to treat both acute and chronic ailments successfully.

Frequently the Naturopath is the last resort in a patient’s long search for health. Giving individual time and care to each patient, he sees each person as a holistic unit of body, mind and spirit. In using a range of alternative methods of diagnosis, he can often successfully pin-point a predisposition in the body before the onset of acute disease and he is therefore able to treat this by specific therapies and changes in the patient’s living habits.

While the MD or GP normally regards the symptoms as the disease, the Naturopath is concerned with underlying processes that have led to the symptoms.

For example heart attacks, constipation, allergies, skin problems and pain mostly each have their own history. They are not the ‘disease’ as such. They may, indeed, manifest themselves as an acute condition, but there must be an underlying, on-going prior process which has led to the situation. In the case of the publisher of my first book, his heart attack was preceded by tens of years of unhealthy diet and lifestyle (a high intake of meat, sweets, fast food, coffee and a low consumption of vegetables and fruit; no sport and a chronic lack of sleep).

This led to an over-acidity of the body, with the resulting narrowing of the capillaries of the heart. The actual event which sparked off the heart-attack was his wife’s sudden and final demand for divorce.

My treatment was to prescribe the homoeopathic remedy Cactus grandiflorus (night-blooming cactus) in 6C, five drops, three times a day for four weeks. This was in order to strengthen the heart muscle. His diet was changed to steamed vegetables, salads and sprouts. Coffee was replaced by herbal tea and distilled water. He reduced the stress in his office by delegation and a spread of the managerial load, which gave him time to do physical exercise and other recreational activities. We undertook marriage counselling with his wife and it emerged that his mother-in-law had run a campaign to turn her daughter against him. Once this was brought out into the open the situation resolved itself. Normally such a heart attack is followed by more crises and finally a heart-bypass operation and so on. However, the holistic set of treatments meant that he has no further heart problem, despite the expansion of his business.

Who can become a Naturopath ?

The Naturopath normally operates on a freelance basis, but also has possibilities to work in hospitals, spas, research, health care, administration or management in the retail industry or in the media. One can find the Naturopath in nutritional and family consultancy as well as in a Beauty Clinic. Specialisation in work with animals, sports, children and geriatrics is also possible. Increased acceptance of Naturopathy worldwide, and greater movement and communication within the EU, offer possibilities for future development and income, subject to the academic and legal requirements in force within each particular country.

Not only young people, but also those looking for a second career or to expand a health-care practice, can train as a Naturopath. Many become a Naturopath in order to help themselves, family members and others, or to fulfil a long-term wish to be active in the medical field. For example: nurses, midwives, health visitors, physiotherapists paramedics, chiropodists, art and breath therapists recognise the naturopathic education as a desirable further qualification.

The syllabus

To undertake the responsibility of a therapist effectively, the practitioner must first be able to identify and diagnose severe conditions in his client, then recognise his own boundaries and possible limitations as a therapist. For this reason a good college, before embarking on the therapies, will ensure that students are given a thorough grounding in medicine and diagnostic skills. The future therapist should also be trained in hygiene, sterilisation, First Aid and infectious diseases. I am not in favour of colleges which cover all areas, but none in depth. On the other hand, it seems important to me, that a Naturopath should be familiar with the most important treatments and have a clear concept of their possibilities and boundaries. If this therapeutic overview is given early in study, it enables the student to identify the therapy in which he has most interest and will want to specialise.

Because most civilisation diseases are related to incorrect diet and lifestyle, the student must also learn early on, how to detoxify and alkalize the body and what constitutes an optimum diet.

My own experience to date with ME, candida and parasites has been that the organism, in almost every case, has been weakened by long years of poor diet. As a result of this the body becomes more prone to picking up infections; which are frequently treated with antibiotics or steroids. This results in further deterioration which in its turn led to candida, parasites and ME.

I have also found that allergies and skin problems are often caused by antibiotics. Antibiotics suppress the symptoms and weaken the body. To get rid of the resulting toxic condition, there are two main homoeopathic remedies: Sulphur and Nux Vomica. Sulphur is given if, after antibiotics, the person feels hot, sluggish and suffers from skin irritation. Nux Vomica is the remedy if the person displays irritability, sensitivity to cold, and seems to be constantly stressed and hurried. Both remedies are given in 30C, five drops, once a week, for three weeks.

After antibiotics I always recommend that the patient builds up the lactobacteria in his colon. Colonic irrigation and enemas work wonders. By the way, potentised own blood or own urine therapy is extremely effective in treating all kinds of infection, allergies and even asthma. In the long-term, of course, the diet of the client must be changed.

Once toxins concentrate in certain areas of the colon, they can negatively affect all the organs of the body. For example, I suffered from a lower back problem for more than 20 years. I tried therapies like, homeopathy, acupuncture and osteopathy, with no success. But after cleansing out the colon, I immediately got rid of my lower back problem. Another way of identifying weak organs is through tongue-diagnosis.

The Specialist training

A Jack of all trades is master of none. Therefore, only the specialist practitioner can deal with the most difficult cases which might be beyond the scope of the average therapist. If you prefer ‘hands-on’ work, the area of Chinese Medicine might suit you best. If your inclination is towards more theoretical practice, then homeopathy might be your better choice. I, for example, chose homeopathy as a student, because I had astonishing success in treating people with it during my training. I cured not only my aunt’s migraine but the hair-loss of my neighbour’s cat!

Once a friend visited me when her pregnancy was two weeks overdue. After I gave her the homoeopathic remedy Tuberculinum, she was safely delivered of a child that same night. This was no coincidence, I’ve had similar pregnancy problems quite often in my clinic. Of course, Tuberculinum is not the only homoeopathic remedy in these cases; remedies like Medorrhinum, Pulsatilla or Lycopodium could be used, depending on the symptoms.

Clinical practice

Only the well-trained Naturopath who is able to put his studies into practice will be successful. Therefore the practical part of each course should be held in small groups where students will apply diagnostic means and therapies to each other. Once the student has acquired the necessary skills, he or she is able to assist in a clinic. There the student will learn how to deal with patients and gain experience in the organisation and the management of a professional practice.

The Diploma

Provided you have reached the required standard throughout the course, you will receive a diploma. A diploma on display assures the patient that the therapist is competent in practice. Moreover it enables him to obtain insurance, which inspires high confidence in the patient.

Miscellaneous

The cost of a good college training in Naturopathy varies from £1,500 to £2,500 per year. However, the most expensive college is not necessarily the best one for you. Before you make up your mind, write down a list of the points which are important to you. For example:
•    Place of study?
•    Study times (weekend, evening, full-time)?
•    Is the course practice-orientated?
•    Is the college recognised?
•    Do I get recognised qualifications?
•    Breadth of syllabus?
•    Cost of books and material?
•    Quality of lecturers?

In my opinion, class tuition is more effective than correspondence courses. Subjects such as Iridology, Acupuncture, examination methods or any hands-on therapy cannot be taught effectively without actual demonstration and participation. It is also true that a high percentage of correspondence course students give up study for no apparent reason.

The expenses for literature should be not more than £500 for the basic study. Some colleges insist upon large reading lists, offering several opinions on every area. Experience shows that this can be very confusing to a student at this stage of his training. Two to three good books on medicine, a medical dictionary and introductory literature on Complementary Medicine are ample for the basic study.

Further Information

If you have any questions regarding how to become a Naturopath, you are always welcome to contact me on Tel: 01342 410505; info@naturopathy-uk.com   https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/