History And Philosophy

Question 1

Define naturopathy

Answer 1

A system of healthcare which encourages and promotes the bodies own self healing mechanisms

As naturopath, we don’t heal the body, we activate the force within the body that is capable of doing the healing

Question 2

What are the principles of naturopathy?

Answer 2

1. The healing power of nature, meaning that the body can heal itself and whatever disease it has produced it is able to reverse.
2. Treat the cause, not symptom. The question is not what is the disease, but why is it there, where did it come from and what is the cause?
3. Treat the whole person. No two patients. Even if they present with the same symptoms will be treated with the same treatments. There is no one size fits all approach.
4. Prevention is preferable to cure.
5. Education. Help bring a better understanding of health to patients and empower them to take responsibility for their own health.

Question 3

What is naturopathic nutrition?

Answer 3

Following the naturopathic principle and focusing on:

• whole and organic food, his medicine
• detoxification and cleansing
• Looking at the individual constitution of a patient
• Understanding the cause of an individual symptoms

Question 4

What is a superfood?

Answer 4

Food containing all, or nearly all the vitamin minerals and trace elements of body needs.

They are fundamental for human health.

They carried the vitality of the plant itself, and bring that vitality into the body.

Eg:
- algae
- sprouts of for example seeds,lentils beans etc. when a seed splits open and starts putting up a shoot l, the nutrition that it contains explodes 40 fold
- bee pollen for bees
- wheat grass

Question 5

What is a junk food, and why are junk foods a problem?

Answer 5

Junk foods hinder cell communication and are therefore detrimental to health and well-being.

They’re not natural and have been altered, or they are not suitable to maintain health and growth.

Eg: GMO’s, trans fats, sweetness, pesticides, artificial colourings, microwaved food

Question 6

List five junk foods that you think are commonly consumed as part of a typical western diet. This one nutrition alternative for each of these incorporate Superfoods were possible.

Answer 6

Microwaved food -
Crisps - kale crisps
Chocolate - blueberries and nuts
Coffee - grain coffee, dandelion coffee
Pastry’s - make your own without refined ingredients

Question 7

The client asks why they should choose organic food? What do you say?

Answer 7

The best option for growth and maintenance.

Non-organic food is perhaps grown in a genetically modified way, it may have pesticides, fertilisers.

Animals fed on growth hormones and additives, such as antibiotics.

Question 8

Explain what is meant by treating the whole person

Answer 8

This is about individuality and recognising individual differences so that two people that present with the same symptoms might have a completely different treatment approach.

Whole person means not just looking at the symptom but the whole environment at the physical, emotional, mental, social genetic level and any other factors that make up that person.

Question 9

Who are the parents of natural medicine?

Answer 9

Hahnemann - like with like (eg: China for Malaria)

Sebastian Kneipp - Hydrotherapy

Dr Max Bircher-Benner -
Gut health - 50/50 raw food

Dr John Harvey Kellogg - intestinal microflora

Henry Lindlahr - formulated ideas of healing crisis

Dr Max Gerson - alkalised body, detoxification, deficiency

James C Thomson - advocated fibre’

Dr Bernard Jensen - iridology , bowel cleansing

Question 10

What is hydrotherapy?

Answer 10

The therapeutic use of water as a healing agent .

Question 11

What are the basic principles of hydrotherapy?

Answer 11

Cold water decreases circulation and numbs the area

Hot water, relaxes muscles and increases circulation

Alternating hot and cold, water stimulates blood flow, which increases oxygen and therefore nutritional supply to cells .

Question 12

What are three key differences between allopathy and homeopathy

Answer 12

The general idea is that allopathy is working against the bodies self healing systems and homeopathy is working with them

1. Allopathy treats the symptoms and not the disease. Homeopathy view symptoms as an expression of disease, not as the disease
2. allopathy aim to suppress a symptom which drives the disease deeper into the body. homeopathy treat the whole person.
3. Allopathy uses chemicals and drugs to treat symptoms. Homeopathy cures like with like

Question 13

What is the law of similar?

Answer 13

Cure like with like.

For example…

Bee venom for a bee sting
China for malaria
Coffee for insomnia
Onion for watery eyes and a runny nose
Snake venom for a snake bite

Question 14

What are some examples of like. with like full heat issues?

Answer 14

For a fever, do not use cold water, but use lukewarm water to mimic the bodies, natural cooling.

Sunburn… Apply warmth, drink something warm. Avoid shocking the body with cold applications.

?????Burns – Apply something warm. To use cold as a shock and suppression of symptoms.

Question 15

What are some examples of treating like with like for cold issues?

Answer 15

Frost Bite. Start cold and gradually warm things up.

Question 16

What are Herings Laws of Cure

Answer 16

1. From inside out
2. From the more serious organs, the vital organs such as Lungs whose malfunction could
   mean death , to the less serious ones such as skin.
3. The mind gets better before the body. Eg anxiety starts improving before IBS does.
4. Symptoms disappear in the reverse order to when they arrived.
5. From above to below

Question 17

What are the key differences between traditional Chinese medicine and modern western medicine?

Answer 17

TCM v MWM

1. Primary aim:
   Maintaining health Vs Managing disease.
2. Based on observation Vs experimentation.
3. Individualised (patient centred Vs standardised.
4. Emphasis is on stimulating the bodies self healing mechanisms Vs medication and procedures
5. Holistic and therefore looking at the person as a whole versus reductionist and therefore looking at the structure and function of individual parts

Question 18

What is the yin and yang concept?

Answer 18

It is at the core of Chinese medicine. Healthy meal should achieve a balance of Yin and Yang. Whilst they are opposites, this is not in absolute terms. Nothing is entirely Yin or Yang and it is relative to each other.

Raw foods are Yin compared to warm stews but Yang compared to ice cream

Question 19

What is Yin and give examples of Yin types of food

Answer 19

Yin is cool, contracting and cooling in property.

It includes
* plant foods in general
* raw food in general
* Wet or sweet foods are more Yin
* Refined foods are more Yin and diminish Qi
* Foods that grow in the spring and summer are generally yin and should be eaten in season

The nightshade family, tomatoes, potatoes, aubergine, bell peppers) and sweet tropical fruit are particularly Yin

Question 20

What is Yang and give examples of Yang types of food

Answer 20

Warm and warming foods generally with a high calorific value and therefore generating more energy for us

• meats in general are more Yang than plant foods
• chocolate, tea, coffee, and alcohol
• most root vegetables are warming (yang) quality and good to be eaten during autumn winter
• fresh food has more Yang energy which also enhances the Qi
• spices such as black pepper, ginger, chilli, onion, garlic

Question 21

Explain relativity in relation to yin and Yang foods

Answer 21

Fish is generally considered Yin but in relation to foods like raw vegetables. In comparison to raw vegetables it is Yang.

Food in the same family can be more or less Yin or Yang for example sweet fruit is more Yin but bitter fruit is less Yin

Question 22

????How might we use Yin and yang with regards to conditions in the body?

Answer 22

Think excess
Yang conditions are caused by excess of animal products, hot spices or alcohol. For example acne, high blood pressure, migraines.

Think deficient
Conditions caused by excess of sugar, raw foods or not enough food.

For example, lethargy, anaemia, feeling cold

Question 23

What are the three different polarities in Chinese

Answer 23

Yin and yang

Wet and dry

Light and heavy

Question 24

Describe the timings and categories of the Chinese body clock

Answer 24