Nature Cure

    When I discovered the profession of naturopathic medicine, I was very attracted to its focus on the foundations of health. The fundament of this practice is that the body has an inherent wisdom to correct itself or self-heal. When naturopathic doctors employ things, medicines of any type, we do so with this principle in mind. What many naturopathic physicians might do to promote the overall health of an individual would be therapeutic modalities such as hydrotherapy, botanicals, physical and mental health practices, nutrition, and other natural remedies. Even with those modalities, therein lies some difficulty in separating what might be considered natural and promotive of balance, and those that are suppressive or in a more conventional sense, pharmaceutical. Many of today's medicines come from natural sources. Antibiotics, for example, are derived from microorganisms that produce these molecules to compete against other species that are threatening their resources. Botanicals are often reduced to their constituents such as the curcuminoids found in curcuma longa, or turmeric. This is why one can find naturopathic physicians using IV therapies, as well as advanced surgical techniques to restore a pain free life or achieve balance where patients are in their lives.
There are many physicians in the naturopathic profession that commit to a form of healing they call nature cure. This is the reliance on food, water, shelter and other basic needs to restore the balance to their patients. Nature cure employs many modalities still, with botanicals that are consumed regularly in culinary and medicinal ways still frequently utilized. The hydrotherapy modality is often used when there is acute illness, and physical restoration including the manipulation techniques that chiropractors similarly practice would likely also make the list. It is difficult to say how reliant nature cure can be for those individuals who are so far removed from nature that little can be done in their present moment to ensure they get plenty of nutritious foods, healthy sunlight, exercise, and the other usual foundational steps taken by a naturopathic Doctor Who relies strongly on the nature cure model of practice. I do have a belief though that when there are priorities for these things the intention becomes what steps are taken to promote that and the easiest manner stepwise in a sustainable way. The naturopathic position is uniquely trained and identifying what are known as the obstacle to cure. This can include supplemental nutrition, and it can work slowly in a way which individuals can achieve that level of nutrition required for a balanced system.
An example of how nature cure can save time and money is that there is not a heavy reliance on testing, extensive laboratory, or imaging studies to know when a system needs healing. This is why the skin is one of the more important organ systems, because it can be observed quite readily with the naked eye. Other examples include stool and sleep as signs to be monitored. The system will tell us frequently its state of health just from looking in the mirror or checking and on signs of your physical state. How you feel is more important than what some laboratory numbers suggest. When the system is running well it is apparent, the mind is sharper, and energy is abundant. The skin should reflect that, and so would your stools and your quality of sleep.
Many naturopathic positions straddle the line between conventional allopathic treatment and that of what might be considered nature cure. Even within my own practice I regularly review lab studies and order them, but I still don't know sometimes how much they really help. At the very least, some regular blood bloodwork on my patients has help rule out serious conditions. Given the population that I see, most of them do not have any serious life-threatening disease. I still find issue though, even among those who are in a more serious condition, are given very harsh and irreversible therapies that may ultimately do more harm than good. There is a lot more incentive, it seems, to proceed with expensive procedures than there is to press more heavily on the foundations of health. Both the consumer and the industry loves a quick fix, and although there are numerous fast acting natural therapies, at times, relying on nature to do the work requires more patience. Ultimately, those who choose the shorter option have much more complicated future issues to deal with. Gallbladder removal is one of those that unfortunately, see far too often. Without this organ, fat is not digested or absorbed properly nor are there the fat-soluble vitamins made available, and bile salts will leach from the liver continuously instead of timed specifically when food enters the small intestine. This results in not only potential medical complications such as hormone dysregulation, nutrient deficiencies, and more, but also a green colon, which I have witnessed and a cadaver which had undergone that procedure.
If you are an individual who wishes to restore one's balance and work with a naturopathic physician to remove those obstacles to cure, reach out to those of us at Moon Ridge Medicine. Physicians with naturopathic doctorates are specifically trained to help identify when there is a need for higher intervention. Naturopathic doctors like me will work in concert with specialists in the allopathic profession or any other physician licensed in your area that you have a therapeutic relationship with. It is common that there are conflicting views towards how someone should move forward of course because of the training differences, but you are your best doctor and you should listen to what your body is telling you while making those important decisions. I encourage you to reach out, and if nature cure is something that intrigues you as it did me, I would be happy to share with you my professional opinion on how you may achieve it.
 
1. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the body's innate ability to self-heal, employing various natural modalities such as hydrotherapy, botanicals, and nutrition to promote overall health and balance.
 
2. Nature cure, a form of healing within naturopathy, relies on basic needs like food, water, and shelter to restore balance. It prioritizes observing physical signs, such as skin, stool, and sleep, over extensive testing, and lab studies.
 
3. Naturopathic physicians can bridge the gap between conventional medicine and nature cure, seeking to remove obstacles to cure and encourage patients to prioritize foundational health, avoiding harsh and irreversible treatments. Collaboration with other medical specialists is encouraged for a holistic approach to healthcare.