2. Philosophy and Hydrotherapy Flashcards
What are the four core naturopathic philosophies ?
- Unity (unitary) of disease.
- Vitalism
- Bio –individuality
- Auto-toxaemia
Unity of disease
Define: Unity of disease
There is always one underlying common denominator to states of ill-health.
- Diseases are just symptoms of this primary imbalance
- Formerly known as ‘unitary of disease’
- Naturopaths may approach this concept from different angles
- Stay focussed to find the underlying denominator
Unity of disease
What can be disturbed and affect the underlying common denominator ?
- Acid/alkaline balance (pH)
- Cellular environment or terrain
- ‘Vital energy’ (Vital Force)
Unity of disease
Why is the Acid/alkaline balance important?
Low pH (acidic) = low oxygen levels in extracellular tissue
Denatures proteins - affecting all cellular functions
Unity of disease
How is pH distributed by age ?
- 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)
Unity of disease
What causes acidic environments ?
- An overly acid-forming diet (caffeine, sugar, processed foods, alcohol, meat, etc)
- Stress (physical and emotional).
- Toxins or drugs that deprive cells of oxygen
Unity of disease
What organism benefits from an acidic environment ?
Fungal organisms
Unity of disease
pH Saliva testing
- Using a pH testing set (litmus paper)
- On 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)
Unity of disease
What can be done to improve pH levels ?
- 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
Definition of Vitalism
Vitalism recognises and works with Vital Force or Life Force, the innate intelligence that animates the body, orchestrates self-healing, self organisation and regeneration mechanisms
Vitalism
What are expressions of Vitalism in other cultures ?
- Qi in TCM
- Prana in Ayurvedic medicine
Vitalism is the foundation of
* Chinese medicine,
* homoeopathy and
* Bach flower therapy
Vitalism
How do naturopaths work with Vitalism?
Vitalism is concerned with the flow of Vital Force in the mind and body
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
Definiton of 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 the illness”
Bio-individuality
What are examples of differences contributing to Bio-Individuality ?
- Age (life-stage)
- Genetics
- Medical history
- Energetic constitution
- Diet, lifestyle and environment
- Blood type (which leads to different strengths and weaknesses)
Bio-individuality
What are some examples of blood type differences ?
- O and B produce more intestinal alkaline phosphatase * than A and AB, following a fat-loaded meal
- 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
*IAP reduces cholesterol and protects against leaky gut
Autotoxaemia
Autotoxaemia
“Self-toxicity”
The understanding that toxic bowel wastes are reabsorbed back through the bowel wall and into the bloodstream, particularly in cases of chronic constipation.
Autotoxaemia
What happens when wastes are not efficiently eliminated?
The body suffers a toxic overload of ‘morbid matter’ that poison the cells and leads to fermentation and putrefaction
- 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 of red blood cells and platelets, thereby reducing oxygen potential to the tissues
Autotoxaemia
What naturopathic techniques can be used to promote bowel hygiene?
- 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
What are the four fundamentals of cure
- All forms of disease are due to the same fundamental cause (Unity of disease)
- The body is always trying to heal itself
- Suppression masks the illness and drives it further into the body
- The body has the intelligence and the power to restore itself to health (providing it is allowed to do so)
Fundamentals of cure/Unity of disease
What are some of the factors causing accumulation of waste/over-acidity ?
- Wrong living habits; e.g. sleep deprivation
- Unhealthy diet
- Worry/emotional disharmony
- Over-exertion
- Lifestyle excesses and/or neglect
- Environmental factors; e.g. pollution
Fundamentals of cure/Unity of disease
Give two examples of primary cause
- 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/Body tries to heal itself
What are the early manifestations of the bodies self-healing mechanisms ?
Acute conditions
- Fevers, colds, diarrhoea, skin eruptions are the body’s attempt to fight diseases or throw off accumulated wastes
- If the elimination organs are congested, the body will detoxify itself via vicarious elimination *
- The more drugs, poisons, toxins and vaccines given to body, the poorer the self-healing mechanisms
*Using an alternative route
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
What can happen if symptoms are suppressed ?
Symptoms suppression acts against the body’s self-healing mechanisms and drives disease deeperinto 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
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
What are the different levels of disease caused by suppression?
Acute (hyperactivity) ie *cold* Sub-acute (intermittent activity) i.e. *sinusitis* Chronic (hypoactivity) i.e. *bronchitis* Degenerative (necrosis) i.e. *emphysema*
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
What did Hahnemann say about supression?
Suppression is when ‘one gets the manifestation of an illness to disappear, without having healed the illness’
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
What are some of the factors that can cause manifestation of chronic conditions?
- Suppression of acute condition
- 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
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
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.
Fundamentals of cure/Do not suppress symptoms
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.
