Naturopathy maintains that the body can heal itself if given the right circumstances and conditions. It uses a range of treatments to stimulate the body's own healing powers (vital force). Treatments include nutrition, dietetics, herbal medicine, homoeopathy and tactile therapies like massage, acupressure and Bowen technique. Many of the foundations of naturopathy such as the importance of diet, clean fresh water, sunlight, exercise and stress management have been adopted by conventional medicine.



Naturopathy has evolved out of the ancient healing traditions of Europe, with its roots firmly grounded in early Greek medical philosophy but with an expanded and scientific understanding from more modern sources. It is now recognised by mainstream medicine as a valuable and effective treatment for a variety of disorders.

Early detection and prevention

Naturopathy has a strong focus on the prevention of health problems and the early detection of a person’s likelihood of developing a health disorder (predisposition). Naturopathy is also very effective at treating acute and chronic health issues.

Naturopathy aims to:

• Minimise acute symptoms
• Support the body’s vital force (capacity to self-heal)
• Re-balance the system so that illness is less likely to occur in the future
• Educate the patient to look after their own health and the health of their family.

Commonly treated disorders
The range of disorders commonly treated by naturopaths includes:

• Fatigue
• Digestive complaints
• Mood disorders and depression
• Allergy and sensitivities
• Behavioural problems
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Degenerative illnesses, such as arthritis
• Cardiovascular problems
• High blood pressure
• Fertility problems
• Endocrine disturbance
• Hormonal imbalances, such as premenstrual tension and menopause.

Holistic assessment
Your naturopath will want to know about your diet, lifestyle, family background and environment, as well as the history of your illness or complaint. This range of information is important to the practitioner, who seeks to discover the cause of the illness and treat you as a whole person, rather than target the symptoms alone.