Philosophy and Hydrotherapy Flashcards
Learning Outcomes:
- Core philosophies
- Fundamentals of cure
- The triad of health
- The Arndt-Schulz law
- Hydrotherapy
Core philosophies;
There are four core naturopathic philosophies which guide naturopathic assessment and treatment:
1. Unity (unitary) of disease.
2. Vitalism
3. Bio –individuality
4. Auto-toxaemia
Core philosophies; Arthur Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer (and1788-1860); German philosopher.
“All truth passes often through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident”
- Unity of disease (and causes)
There is always one underlying common denominator to state ill-health. Diseases are just symptoms of this primary imbalance. Formerly known as ‘unitary of disease’.
* Naturopaths may approach the concept from different angles
* Depending on the individual presentation, the underlying common denominator may be viewed as disturbance to the:
o Acid/alkaline balance
o Cellular environment or terrain
o ‘Vital energy’ (Vital Force)
“If you deprive a cell of 35% of its required level of oxygen for 48 hours it is likely to become cancerous”
Otto Warburg (1883-1970). German physiologist and Nobel laureate.
Unity of disease: acid/alkaline balance
Disturbance two acid/alkaline balance (Ehret, Gerson). Low pH = low oxygen levels.
* The pH of saliva and urine measure the pH of tissues (specifically extracellular fluid)
* Children are generally more alkaline (higher pH, dark blue on litmus paper)
* Middle aged people are more neutral (mid range, green on litmus paper)
* Seniors are more acidic due to slower detoxification / elimination and waste build-up in extracellular fluid (low pH, yellow on litmus paper)
An acidic pH is detrimental to health because low pH = low oxygen levels. This may occur due to:
* An overly acid forming diet (caffeine, sugar, processed foods, alcohol, meat, etc.)
* Stress (physical and emotional)
* Toxins or drugs that deprive cells of oxygen
* Low pH over an extended period creates an ideal environment for fungal organisms
pH Saliva testing
Instructions:
* Order a pH testing set online
* I’m rising, rinse mouth with saliva and expel it
* Spit onto the pH strip and measure the pH
* Repeat two hours after eating
* If pH stays below 6.4 for extended periods, many enzyme functions will become disrupted
* Salivary pH should be 7.0 or above and approximately mirror the pH of the blood (7.35–7.45)
Acidic protocol
If salivary pH is low (acidic), use the following protocol:
* Follow a mostly vegetarian diet high in fruit and vegetables
* Alkalise with sodium citrate:
o Mix juice of ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon of honey, pinch of cinnamon in ½ glass of warm water.
o Add 1/3 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; drink
o Best done first thing each morning half an hour before breakfast
- Vitalism
Vitalism recognises and works with vital Force or life force, the inmate intelligence that animates the body, orchestrates self-healing, self organisation and regeneration mechanisms.
* Parallel to the concepts of Qi (in TCM) and prana (ayurvedic medicine)
* Vitalism is the foundation of Chinese medicine, homoeopathy and Bach flower therapy
* Naturopaths work with the Vital Force and recognise ‘vitality’ in herbs and foods which are natural, unprocessed and organically grown
Vitalism is concerned with the flow of Vital Force in the mind and body, with poor health and pathology due to either the:
* Blockage of Vital Force
* Insufficiency of Vital Force
The aim of treatment is, therefore, to:
* Identify and remove the blockage (+/-)
* Identify insufficiency in replenish
* Both treatments restore the flow of Vital Force (good nutrition and digestive health are essential to maintaining the vital force)
- Bio-individuality
Each person is unique and treatment has to be tailored to the needs of the individual, irrespective of the condition.
“Treat the person, not realness”.
We are unique in terms of our:
* Age (life-stage)
* Genetics
* Medical history
* Energetic constitution
* Diet, lifestyle environment
* Blood type (which leads to different strengths and weaknesses)
Bio-individuality; blood type differences
Blood type differences:
* O and B produce more intestinal alkaline phosphatase than A and AB, following a fat-loaded meal. (IAP reduces cholesterol and protects against leaky gut)
* O produces more pepsin than A, B, and AB, so is better able to digest meat protein
* A and AB have more viscous blood, O has the ‘thinnest’ blood, B is normal.
* A produces more cortisol under stress than O, B and AB
- Autotoxaemia
The understanding that toxic bowel wastes are reabsorbed back through the bow wall and into the bloodstream, particularly in cases of chronic constipation.
* Many early naturopaths including Kellogg, Jensen, Lindlahr and Shelton believed that ‘death begins in the colon’.
* They emphasised the importance of cleansing the bowel in order for self-healing to begin
When toxic wastes are not eliminated efficiently, the body suffers a toxic overload of ‘morbid matter’ that poison the cells and leads to fermentation and ‘putrefaction’.
* For example: re-absorption of putrid gases and acid wastes across the intestinal wall due to dysbiosis will alter blood chemistry and cause chronic low pH (acidic) blood
* This may lead to agglutination (clumping together) of red blood cells and platelets, thereby reducing oxygen potential to the tissues.
A number of naturopathic techniques can be used to promote bowel hygiene and prevent autotoxaemia.
* Diet; increase fluid and fibre intake (whole grains, fruit, vegetables)
* Probiotic foods / supplements
* Fasting; i.e. taking no food or only fruit/vegetable juices for one day each week
* Enemas and colon hydrotherapy to soften and flush wastes from the bowel
* Bowel cleansers using herbs and clays
Fundamentals of cure
The following concepts guide the naturopathic treatment approach:
1. All forms of disease are due to the same fundamental cause (Unity of disease)
2. The body is always trying to heal itself
3. Suppression masks the illness and drives it further into the body
4. The body has the intelligence and the power to restore itself to health (providing it is allowed to do so)
- Fundamentals of cure - Diseases have the same cause (reasons)
The accumulation of wastes or over-acidity in the body may be due to a number of factors, including:
* Wrong living habits; e.g. sleep deprivation
* Unhealthy diet
* Worry and emotional disharmony
* Over-exerting the bodies resources
* Lifestyle excesses of neglect
* Environmental factors; e.g. pollution
* See also unity of disease
By addressing the primary cause, i.e. eliminating wastes or balancing acidity, diseases (conditions) can be cured.
* If the kidneys, liver, lungs, skin or bowel are not functioning correctly, wastes accumulate in cells, tissues and organs, and diseases become chronic.
* If the pH of the bodies tissues and fluids remains low, enzyme functions are disrupted, and cure cannot occur.
* Because the primary cause occurs due to different factors and influences –the treatment approach must be individualised.
- Fundamentals of cure - The body always tries to heal itself
Acute conditions are early manifestations of the bodies self-healing mechanisms.
* For example: fevers, colds, diarrhoea, skin eruptions are the bodies attempt to fight diseases or throw off accumulated wastes
* If the elimination organs are congested, the body will detoxify itself via vicarious elimination (i.e. using an alternative route).
* The more drugs, poisons, toxins and vaccines given to body, the poorer the self-healing mechanisms
- Fundamentals of cure - Do not suppress symptoms and levels of disease
Symptoms suppression acts against the body’s self-healing mechanisms and drives disease deeper into the system.
* When suppression occurs, the body finds different ways to express itself, resulting in deeper-seated, often chronic problems, that are more detrimental to health and longevity
* Suppressions create different ‘levels of disease’:
o Acute (hyperactivity) i.e. a cold
o Sub-acute (intermittent activity) i.e. sinusitis
o Chronic (hypoactivity) i.e. bronchitis
o Degenerative (necrosis) i.e. emphysema
Suppression is when ‘one gets the manifestation of an illness to disappear, without having healed the illness’. (Hahnemann)
* Sometimes medicines are needed to save lives, but they must always be used in accordance with Hippocrates teachings:
‘First use food, then herbs and finally (if no improvement) medical intervention’.
* An example of this is clearly seen in the treatment of Type II diabetes
* Working with a body’s healing expression = naturopathy
* Working against the body’s healing expression = allopathy
The exact form that a chronic condition manifests depends on various factors, including:
* The immediate condition of the body
* The underlying constitution
* Genetics/hereditary tendencies
Note: natural therapies can also suppress if used only for the relief of symptoms (branches) rather than treating the cause (root)
* For example: Cold water wraps for fever, natural antiperspirants (i.e. sage) for sweating, zinc or sulphur creams for skin conditions, acupuncture needling a painful area instead of addressing the underlying cause
Examples of suppression: emotions
Suppression of emotions; e.g. using anti-depressant drugs, which do not address the ‘root’ and can lead to deeper social dysfunction and physical conditions. Instead we need to encourage resolution of problems and positive life changes.
Examples of suppression: Body secretions and urges
Suppression of natural body secretions urges; e.g. treating diarrhoea or nausea using drugs such as Imodium. If the body is trying to eliminate toxins, we must not suppress the process.
Examples of suppression: topical applications
Suppressive topical applications; e.g. treating eczema using steroid creams which push toxins from the surface deeper into the system and can weaken adrenal function. Instead we need to promote detoxification of wastes (root).
Examples of suppression: Surgical removals
E.g. Removing inflamed tonsils reduces the body’s capacity to fight pathogens and leaves the lungs and G IT at greater risk of infection
Examples of suppression: recurring infections
Suppression of recurring infections using antibiotics, which disrupt the bowel flora; instead we need to cleanse the ‘terrain’ and increase natural immunity.
Examples of suppression: fever and pain
Suppression of fever and pain (part of the body’s natural healing process) leads to delayed recovery, whilst NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) cause gastrointestinal irritation and bleeding. Instead we need to work with the body by promoting sweating (for fever) and allowing the body to rest and heal (for pain)
