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Naturopathy/naturopathic medicine
Description
The foundation and development of naturopathy is credited to Benedick Lust who bought the patent to the name ‘naturopathy’ in 1902 to describe an eclectic system of healthcare which, today, encompasses a range of interventions including dietary reform, exercise, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic and herbal medicine. The original form of naturopathy arose from a combination of the nature cure movement, which is based on a vegetarian diet combined with light, air and therapeutic baths and the Hygienic movement, which encourages consumption of raw vegetarian, food and freshly squeezed juices in the correct combinations to maximize digestion. The philosophy behind naturopathy includes the concept of the healing power of nature, the inherent ability of the body to heal itself and the concept of constitutional types related to the five elements of water, fire, earth, wood and metal. The human body is viewed as consisting of mechanical, mental/emotional and chemical parts in equal proportions (called the healing triad), which are taken into account during diagnosis and therapy. Techniques used to aid diagnosis include history-taking, iridology, face, tongue, temple or skull diagnosis and Hara diagnosis, based on examination of the pulses and abdomen.
Hydrotherapy/balneotherapy
Description
Balneotherapy is a key component of naturopathy and includes: steam baths, whirlpool baths to provide underwater massage, foot baths; sitz baths, in which the patient alternately immerses their hips in cold and feet in hot water, respectively, alternating the positions during the treatment; blitz gus, in which a jet of water is directed at the patient from a distance of between 25–50 feet; cold friction rub, in which a coarse washcloth is dipped in cold water and rubbed vigorously across the body as a tonifying treatment; a cold immersion bath, for which patients are immersed for 4–20 min in a temperature of 10–23°C to stimulate circulation and the central nervous system and to reduce pyrexia; a graduated bath, when patients are immersed in a bath at 31°C and the temperature is slowly lowered at 1°C/hour to a temperature of 25°C to reduce pyrexia, for a general tonic effect and to energize the heart; a hip bath to relieve pelvic pain, congestion and genitourinary conditions; and a hot full immersion bath which involves soaking the whole body in water at 40–45°C to cleanse the body, relax muscles and induce sweating. Wet sheet treatments are also used, in which the patient is wrapped in cold wet sheets and covered with blankets and left until they begin to sweat, at which point, the blankets are removed and the patient drenched with cold water.
Nutritional therapies
Apitherapy
Description
Apitherapy is the medicinal use of various products of Apis mellifera, the common honey bee.
Bee venom uses the bee sting for its antiinflammatory properties and is traditionally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis. In traditional Chinese medicine it is injected into acupuncture points to treat collagen-induced arthritis. Bee venom contains melittin, which has strong antiinflammatory and short-acting histaminic effects; peptide 401 mast cell degenerating protein, which reduces inflammation and pain through local action on tissue inflammation; and phospholipase A which emulsifies debris within the joints and other tissues.
Evidence:
Bee venom has been shown to help arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Honey has strong wound healing properties and is effective in combating infection including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Helicobacter and Candida albicans. Manuka honey has been used to combat MRSA. Royal jelly appears to have hyperglycaemic and hypocholesterolaemic effects.
