Natural medicine has been used to support across all areas of our health and wellbeing for centuries. There are many different therapies from remedial massage to nutrition and herbal medicine, however at their core they have the same goal – to support your body’s natural healing and detoxification process.
Accredited practitioners take a holistic approach to health concerns ensuring they identify and support the root cause of it. Below are six ways natural medicine can support your health and wellbeing:
As our lives get busier, stress is increasing which has a negative impact on many aspects of our health including sleep and mood. These three areas inter-connect, and often if you are stressed you struggle to sleep well and if you don’t get enough sleep your mood is negatively impacted.
To support you in these areas a natural medicine practitioner will want to learn more about you including your health history, diet, daily schedule, work, lifestyle and other aspects. This will allow them to create a highly personalised plan to help you address your concerns and challenges.
Sleep: A Naturopath can help identify the cause and provide supplements, nutrients and herbal medicines to support you to achieve a more balanced sleep.
Stress management: A Reflexologist will access energy pathways through pressure points in your body by working with your hands and feet to improve your overall health and wellbeing, including managing stress (it’s more than just a foot massage).
Mood: The stress hormone, cortisol, could be causing your moodiness, daytime fatigue, insomnia, persistent infections, sugar cravings or excess weight. Work with a Naturopath, Nutritionist or Homeopath to set you a new diet and lifestyle plan.
2. Aches, pains + inflammation
Whether you’re experiencing neck and shoulder pain, back pain, muscle stiffness or other joint issues an accredited natural medicine practitioner can support you. Practitioners can also support people with chronic pain, chronic conditions such as arthritis and those who experience regular migraines.
Remedial massage: This form of massage can support with chronic pain, stiffness in the body and can relieve tension. It works by stimulating the soft tissues with massage to reduce muscle tension, pain, and increase movement capability and help you mentally relax.
Acupuncture: Practitioners reduce inflammation by inserting needles into points to stimulate the production of cortisol which can reduce swelling. Many studies have shown that acupuncture can support with chronic neck and back pain.
Naturopathy: Utilising diet and/or herbal supplements to reduce inflammation is how Naturopaths can best support.
3. Healthy diet
Diet is a huge factor in health and wellness, our body uses food as fuel, so we need to be mindful that we are supplying it with the right nutrients. Nutritionists look at the ‘science of food’ and believe in using ‘food as medicine’ to support your journey to health and wellbeing.
Finding the right types of food, and balance of food intake for your body and lifestyle can support you to feel good, both inside and out. An accredited Nutritionist or Naturopath can help you identify food intolerances and allergies to ensure your diet plan optimises your health.
Food can also be used to boost your immunity, an accredited Naturopath, Nutritionist, Western Herbal Medicine practitioner or Chinese Herbal Medicine practitioner can help you.
4. Gut health
This is a key area of health that is essential for a strong immunity – a healthy gut bacteria can fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi that can make us feel bad. Most hormones and neurotransmitters are produced in your gut, so a healthy gut communicates with our brain for general health and wellbeing.
If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), bloating, tummy aches and pains, have diarrhea, constipation or have trouble with haemorrhoids, then visiting a practitioner may help you.
Accredited practitioners that can support with gut health include Naturopaths, Nutritionists, Homeopaths, Kinesiologists, and Reflexologists to name a few.
Your immune system acts as your very own superhero, producing antibodies to fight off nasty bugs and bacteria. Regularly working with a natural medicine practitioner as a preventative option is a great way to make sure your immune systems is strong.
If you have any deficiencies, an accredited practitioner such as a Herbalist will likely recommend herbal remedies and supplements to support you.
Natural remedies that support a healthy immune system include vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, elderberry (Sambucol) and organic teas.
For women, keeping hormones in balance is key for optimal health as slight imbalances can cause fatigue, unexplained weight gain, muscles aches, pains and weakness. Imbalances can be caused by stress, food intake or maybe even an under-active thyroid.
Depending on stage of life, hormonal changes may be caused due to menopause – natural medicine can support with managing these symptoms.
Naturopathic medicine and Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and herbalism) may provide some relief for hormonal imbalances.
Learn more about natural medicine and how it can support your health here.
Always ensure you see an accredited natural medicine practitioner who is a member of an industry association. Find an accredited practitioner in your local area by using this free ‘Find a Practitioner’ tool.
Before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle, always seek the advice of an accredited practitioner.
Find out more at www.naturalmedicineweek.com.au
