DISCOVERING WELLNESS
Naturopathy: Healing With Nature
©2002 Kim Castaneda

"You cannot cure a disease, unless you find the cause" Dr. Samual
Hahnemann-1790

    What is Naturopathy? Naturopathy is an approach to treatment that uses
natural resources to aid the body in healing itself. A Naturopathic Doctor
helps to bring the body back into balance or what is called homeostasis. The
human body is quite capable of reversing the disease process and returning
to its natural state of health when given the proper tools. A naturopaths
primary goal in helping to restore ones health is to delve into finding the
root cause of disease and by utilizing proper corrective measures such as
nutrition, pure water, exercise, proper elimination, clean air, relaxation,
elimination of suppressive drugs, maintaining healthy cell function, and by
creating a healthy environment and lifestyle mentally, physically,
emotionally and spiritually in order to move one in the direction towards
optimal health.

    Naturopathy does not support the concept of suppressing symptoms with
prescription drugs but rather allow our symptoms to be our guide and in turn find the root cause of the illness. By permitting the symptoms to manifest we can get a clearer picture of what needs to be done to bring about wellness. First and foremost we need to ensure that the diet is one that  illness they can be nursed through it with natural therapies. This procedure will safeguard against complications and will insure a greater likelihood of maintaining a strong immune system in which to overcome the illness with. Meanwhile, when allowing the symptoms to manifest we are also permitting the body to rid itself of unwanted toxins through modalities such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea and mucus drainage.

    Treatment is always holistic and natural. The goal is to activate and
strengthen the bodies own inherent ability to heal itself. In naturopathy
the practitioner is not interested in naming or labeling diseases but rather
in understanding that the body functions as a whole and thus requires
holistic health care.

    Naturopaths use a wide range of techniques and therapies, some of them will include Acupressure, Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Ayruvedic Medicine, Bach Flower Remedies, Chakra Healing, Chiropractic Care, Colon Therapy, Color Therapy, Cranial Oseopathy, Crystal and Gemstone Therapy, Emotional Healing, Fasting, Hair Analysis, Herbalism, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Iridology, Kinesiology, Lifestyle Modification, Live Blood Analysis, Massage, Music Therapy, Nutritional Counseling, Osteopathy, Polarity Healing, Reflexology, Relaxation, Urine Analysis, Visualization, and Vibrational Healing. You may find that not all naturopathic practitioners will offer the same services in their practices.

    A typical initial consultation with a naturopathic doctor will take at least
one hour and up to two hours. The time most likely will be devoted to
discussing your past health history and an in-depth interview process
designed to view all aspects of your lifestyle. If needed the doctor will
perform a standard physical examination and possible blood, live blood, hair
or urine analysis. Once establishing what your health issues are, you and
your doctor will work together to construct a health promoting program to
get you on your path to wellness.

    To locate a naturopath in or nearest your city you can contact the American Naturopathic Medical Association (ANMA) in Washington D.C. or the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) in Seattle Washington.

"To the uninformed, naturopathic medicine, as well as the entire concept of
natural medicine, appears to be a fad that will soon pass away", Says Dr.
Michael Murry, N.D. of Seattle Washington, author of Encyclopedia Of
Natural Medicine. "To the informed, however, it is quite clear that
naturopathic medicine is at the forefront of the future."

    It is time, my friends, to take back responsibility for your own health and
healing. There is no need to be on prescription medications for the duration
of you life. We, in this country, need to stop the suppression of symptoms
and acknowledge that we are in a state of disease and imbalance and in turn, know that we have the ability to heal from all aspects of this disharmony we feel, whether it is physical, mental, emotional or spiritual . We have become a nation dependent on drugs. Drugs are drugs whether legal or illegal, they still cause harmful effects to the human body. We are a nation
on the run, with a propensity for popping whatever pill will offer us a quick
fix, not knowing the true repercussions of our actions. It is time to feel
good again, to be whole, to be healthy. Love yourself enough to give
yourself the gift of life. It is time to travel the path to wellness in the
new millennium. Through this column and my private practice my objective is to teach prevention of illness, find the underlying cause of disease, heal
without harm, teach and partnership with my patients and my readers so they may take responsibility for their own health and healing, and also, to rely solely on the healing power of nature for maintaining and restoring ones
health. I offer my support to those of you that wish to take the steps
needed towards your personal journey to a healthier year 2000 and beyond.


Dr. Kimberly Kaye Castaneda is a Naturopathic Doctor that researches and
teaches about the benefits of natural non-invasive healing techniques and
therapies. Her Washington DC registration and American Naturopathic Medical
Association (ANMA) board certification along with her degree and
certification as a Naturopathic Doctor states that she is qualified in the
use of all natural forms of healing, including Acupressure, Aromatherapy,
Bach Flower Remedies, Chronic Disease, Clinical Microscopy, Color Therapy,
Emotional Release Therapy, Gua Sha Treatments, Herbology, Homeopathy, Live
Blood and Dry Layer Cell Analysis, Massage, Nutrition, Raindrop Therapy,
Reflexology and Vibrational or Polarity Healing. Dr. Castaneda has a private
practice in Rockford located at 631 N. Longwood Street, Suite LL03. To schedule a
private consultation with her, you can contact her office Discovering
Wellness at (815) 963-1585.