Helping the body heal

Henriette Lamprecht - It was Hippocrates, the Greek physician and “Father of Medicine”, who first spoke of “the healing power of nature”. This concept has long been at the core of medicine around the world and remains one of the central principles of naturopathic medicine.

Here the approach is patient driven, says Namibian naturopath, dr. Petrina Auino-Mwandingi.

“It is the practice of natural medicine using various modalities to treat and prevent illness.

“It is an integrated system of primary healthcare based on the vitalistic principles of naturopathic philosophy and holism where the primary goal is the patient’s optimum health,” explains Auino-Mwandingi.

The approach is patient driven and caters for the specific needs unique to every patient’s experience of illness.

Patients are treated according to six principles: Primum non nocere – first do no harm; Vis medicatrix naturae – the healing power of nature; Tolle causam – identify and treat the cause; Tolle totum – treat the whole person; Docere – the physician as teacher and Preoccupo est optimus remedium – prevention is the best cure.

Naturopathic medicine can be used to treat and prevent many acute and chronic conditions such as colds and flu, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, eczema, chronic fatigue, depression, migraines and many more, says Auino-Mwandingi.

“Both naturopathic and conventional medicine are valuable systems excelling at different aspects of patient care and can work to complement each other.”

She emphasizes conventional medicine is crucial in most emergency situations.

“You can’t call your naturopath to attend to your broken leg for example. Naturopathic medicine is the best approach to prevention, because it involves a holistic approach, including diet and lifestyle modification and herbal and nutritional supplements that support the body.”

Naturopathic medicine is often also the best first step in dealing with chronic illnesses such as arthritis, hypertension or eczema, because these conditions improve when diet, lifestyle and nutrient deficiencies are addressed.

Additionally, naturopathic medicine is a great choice for acute non-emergency illnesses, such as colds and flu, because naturopathic medicine modalities effectively support the body’s immune system.

“For many diseases, conventional medicine treats symptoms alone, usually with drugs or surgery. This can relieve symptoms but often has many side effects, which often require more drugs. Naturopathic medicine, on the other hand, attempts to treat the root cause of the health problem so the body can ultimately heal itself.”

Naturopathic medicine does not abandon the conventional medical model, Auino-Mwandingi explains. “A naturopathic doctor will order conventional lab tests and scans alongside alternative medicine tests (like blood tests and food sensitivity panels) to help establish appropriate diagnosis of disease conditions and monitor treatment progress.”

Naturopathic doctors are also trained in pharmacology and understand drug-herb interaction. Referrals to other specialists are also done when necessary in order to give the patient the best outcome.

“The relationship between a naturopathic doctor and his or her patient is a partnership. What this means is that naturopathic doctors spend a significant amount of time with their patients. They listen closely to gain full understanding of all aspects of the patient’s health problem.

They then explain both the disease process and the treatment approach so the patient understands why each treatment recommendation is important.”

It’s important to find the root cause of the disease, says Auino-Mwandingi, treat the whole person and choose treatments that are not harmful and will engage the body’s own healing properties.

Evidence-based, effective and safe natural therapies are used and include herbs, vitamins and minerals, homeopathic remedies, as well as bio-identical hormones.

“Naturopathic doctors look at the whole person, not the illness only. Many diseases are related to diet, lifestyle and environment. Many of the foods we eat are nutritionally deficient and lack proper amounts of vitamins, minerals, essential fats and enzymes. Some foods also contain chemicals such as pesticides, synthetic additives, growth hormones and antibiotics that contribute to the loss of health.”

Stress, lack of exercise, and a wide variety of environmental toxins can also disrupt the body’s natural balance, affecting the various biochemical processes that keep us healthy.

“Naturopathic doctors use non-toxic techniques such as dietary changes, nutritional supplementation, detoxification and herbs to assist the body in doing what it does naturally: heal itself.”

According to Auino-Mwandingi more and more people are seeking a more natural approach to address their health issues.

“People want non-invasive, effective and cost-effective treatment without negative side effects. Many people around the world can relate to the use of natural methods such as herbal medicines, as these have been used for many generations before to treat all kinds of ailments.”

Therapies she makes use of herself include a daily multi-mineral-and-vitamin supplement, as well as essential fatty acids in the form of omega oils.

“I follow a detoxification program at least once a year in order to spring clean my body and cleanse my system and I find this very beneficial to my health.

“I use different herbs and nutritional supplements depending on the need. For example, I use olive leaf and vitamin C to fight off colds and flu.”

Auino-Mwandingi uses homeopathic remedies which are safe but also very effective for many ailments on her baby.

She hopes to see naturopathy grow and become increasingly popular as a healthcare option for Namibians.

“I hope to see more young people being trained in this field and going into practice so that there are more practitioners in the country.”

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