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Naturopathy and
Yoga
Naturopathy, to
some people, is a system of nuisance and rigour,
involving tortuous processes of treatment with remote
results. In fact, such ideas and beliefs about
Naturopathy are highly prejudicial and fallacious,
leading the people away from the golden device of
healing/ curing diseases through natural, drugless and
the most harmless process. Human beings are an intrinsic
part of Nature. Therefore, nothing except Nature can
facilitate a complete cure for human machinery disorders.
Naturopathy attempts to bring the human body close to the
Nature and Yoga tries to keep it there. It is, therefore,
a misfortune that Naturopathy and Yoga remain ignored. In
fact, the primary cause of all diseases is "the
violation of Nature’s laws " , i.e. breach of
rules of diet, exercises, drinking water, relaxation,
sleep etc. "Disease as such is the self purifying
effort f Nature," proclaims Naturopathy.
Dr. Lindlahr, an eminent Naturopath, states : "Every
acute disease is the result of the cleansing and healing
effort of Nature. If you suppress the acute conditions by
drugs or by any other means, you are simply laying the
foundation for chronic diseases. All diseases, from a
simple cold to skin eruptions, diarrhoea, fever etc.
represent Nature’s effort to remove from the system,
some of the accumulated morbid matter and some poisons
dangerous to health and life" is the basic premise
of Naturopathy. Drugging is like whipping an already
exhausted horse.
Naturopathy believes that the germs which causes disease
appear and flourish only where morbid matter has
accumulated. Hence, a disease cannot attack unless there
is already a soil in which the germs can thrive. When
morbid waste products in the body become very strong, the
self-curative forces ( vitality ) work at low pace and
Nature loses its fight, resulting in disease.
According to the basic concept of Natoropathy or Nature
Cure, all healing comes from within the body itself. This
is to say, there are self-curative forces which are
inherent in the human body working towards health and
healing. In fact, a Naturopath simply provides required
guidance, whereas self-control, diet control and
exercises to be adopted by the patient, play major role
in the healing process.
Accumulation of waste products in the body, by eating
wrong types of food, over-eating or poor digestion and
assimilation, is considered one of the major causes of
ill-health and various diseases. Nothing eliminates these
waste products more effectively than fasting and enema.
The human body is a sophisticated tough machine. Most of
the diseases can be treated and cured by cleaning the
body through natural, eliminative and physiological
processes.
Naturopathy, which is a wonderful drugless process of
healing, is not a miraculous panacea. Even after relief
or cure, certain precautions like diet control, exercises
and some treatments are to be continued for a long time.
Yet it is beneficial, compared to drugging, which only
suppresses the disease and may give rise to some other
ailments. Naturopathy works wonders on many, but not on
all the acute and chronic diseases. For example, it is
not advised in medical emergencies and in serious
dreadful diseases like cancer, heart trouble, stroke,
kidney failure and so on, for which the modern system of
medicine should be preferred. Unfortunately, Naturopathy
has not been developed to that level due to lack of
research, resources, attention, dedication and
enthusiasm. While it cures many diseases and provides
sure control / relief in respect of some of the otherwise
incurable ones (as described herein via a thorough
cleansing detoxification of the system ), it also helps
one lead a healthy and disease-free life even during old
age.This is possible only if one obeys its rules and
develops the WILL POWER or self-control, especially
control of the palate, i.e. eating habits. Besides, one
has to have patience.
An example is given below to help the reader understand
how Naturopathy cures diseases :
Suppose, someone is suffering from a chronic disease, say
amoebiasis, Allopathic medicines, being poisonous, will
try to kill the amoebae (parasites ) so that the system
becomes clean and without any amoebic infestation. But,
as a matter of rule, these medicines cannot destroy the
eggs which are safely hidden inside the cysts. The cyst
coverings give protection from the poisonous drug for a
period of 7 to 10 days of administering the medicine
which itself cannot be continued as it may kill the
patient by its poisonous side-effects. Hence, these
previously dormant parasites come out from the cysts and
subsequently become very active and multiply into a big
army in a short span of time.
Therefore, the disease remains the same or gets even
aggravated. Again one cannot continue in life with such
course after course of treatment as it is bound to have
adverse side-effects in the long run. Hence, medicines
are no solutions , but rather a suppression.
In case of Ayurveda and Unani, the aim is to drive way
the parasites or amoebae from the system through the
rectum via morbid matter, but this again cannot put an
end to the huge army ( millions of them ) even for a long
period , because the process and effects are almost the
same. Though less poisonous, the method is irritating and
if taken for long, may cause other problems like ulcer,
liver problem, indigestion, diarrhoea etc.
If viewed from the Homoeopathic angle, it is a trial and
error game. You go on trying and a time may come when
your target is hit. Its process being very slow, the
medicine cripples the parasites and makes them
ineffective as long as it is continued, but the sooner it
is withdrawn the earlier the trouble re- starts.
Similarly, there are other systems which have their own
advantages and disadvantages.
Now let us analyse how Naturopathy works. It starts at
the root and treats the disease with cold water
treatments like hip bath, mud pack, stomach pack, enema
and gastro-hepatic pack ( mostly cold treatments on the
abdomen). The parasite or amoebae cannot thrive in the
cold ; whereas heat is conducive to their survival. Hence
they start dying or running out slowly and steadily. Even
the cysts are destroyed or damaged. Thus the breeding and
growth of the parasites are restricted. With the help of
the above treatments, fasting and enema, the entire army
of parasites is drained out through the rectum in a
period of 15 to 20 days, if taken continuously.Thereafter
, the patient is gradually brought to normal diet. One
must learn Yoga and continue exercises or/and brisk walk
every walking after which one will never have this
problem again.
The other problem is how morbid matter, stuck in the
cells of the liver, inside the abdomen, intestines etc.
is to be removed, and to clean the system and get rid of
various diseases generated by this morbid matter which
gets accumulated due to bad and irregular eating habits
over many years. No method can remove this hard-stuck
morbid matter which is like pitch or gum, even if the
whole system is opened by surgery, what to speak of
medicines ! For example, take an envelope with a stamp
strongly pasted on it. Can you remove it simply pulling
it? No, you will have to soften the glue with water, rub
it cautiously for some time and only then will the stamp
slowly come out. Naturopathy works the same way and hip
bath, mud pack, enema, fasting etc. play the same role as
water in cleansing the system which is not possible by
any other medical processes.
Some wise people adopt an intermediate route -
occasionally taking mild herbs and at the same time
practicisng Nature Cure and Yoga. It is advisable that
one should not be very rigid or averse in using herbs.
Although Naturopaths will not compromise on this advice,
in practice, it is not possible to lead a purely natural
life in modern times. Therefore, one can and should not
attempt these as far as possible. In today’s fast
life one cannot restrict one’s duties to six hours,
maintain regularity of exercise, take purely natural food
and completely avoid hurry, worry , anxiety, tension,
impatience etc. all of which are against Nature. It is
inevitable to be social and to attend some late evening
dinners of weddings, functions to oblige friends /
relatives.
In the order of healing sciences, Naturopathy stands
first, but unfortunately it is practised last after
hopelessly trying all other medical sciences. It is
beyond doubt that Nature cure is a sure cure for a
majority of the disease and though expensive, it is very
effective. In other words, it is a drugless healing which
is unique because it has no side effects whatsoever. For
most of the diseases like stomach/abdominal troubles,
high blood pressure, diabetes,headache , asthma and liver
disorders, regular exercise and simple treatments which
can be taken even at home are effective. Nature cure is
curative, preventive and also educative.
It is also very soothing and harmless, although it
demands a little sacrifice and patience.
One may ask if this system is so good and beneficial why
has it not progressed much compared to other systems of
medicine. The answer for this has been summed up aptly by
Mahatma Gandhi as follows :
"Inspite of their limited scientific knowledge,the
Naturopaths make tall claims and nurse a feeling of
grievance against medicos. They lack the spirit of
organisation, each one is self satisfied and works by
himself instead of pouring in resources for advancement
of their system. No one tries to work out in a scientific
spirit all the implications and possibilities of the
system. No one tries to cultivate humility. It is my
conviction that so long as some dynamic personality from
among the Naturopaths themselves does not come forward
with a missionary zeal, things will continue as they are.
"
Even after 50 years, things are in the same way as they
were before - very unfortunate indeed for the country and
mankind at large . If naturopaths work sincerely without
ego and with the required perseverance and enthusiasm,
Nature Cure can do wonders. People may not desperately
need those over-crowded allopathic hospitals then. They
will lead comparatively disease-free lives. They
won’t need to go to hospitals that frequently, as
Naturopathy has repeatedly demonstrated, " Prevention
is better than cure ". But for the promotion of
Naturopathy in a big way, the Government’s active
involvement is most essential. If the Government spares
and allots even 1 per cent of the budgeted funds and
attention it gives for Allopathy, the country can have
big institutes of Naturopathy and Yoga in every State
within a short time , and thereafter, gradually in every
district. Through adopting of Naturopathy, the State
could greatly improve efficiency and moral life of the
people and reduce pressure on overcrowded hospitals.
A healthy body is a source of pleasure not only to
oneself but also to others who look at it. Thus, to
possess a good, healthy body and mind is a great social
and economic advantage with Naturopathy.
Yoga, if combined with Naturopathy, is another important
healing science - also drugless and natural, but
misunderstood and misinterpreted in certain aspects by
some people. By itself, it generally cannot cure most of
the diseases which Naturopathy can, but its role is
equally useful in combination with Naturopathy and vice
versa. In fact, Naturopathy and Yoga are like two wheels
of a cart and if both are practicised together, it can
give wonderful results.
Yoga is a complete science of life and although ancient
one, it has become popular only in the recent past. It is
a scientific method for exercising and relaxing to ease
the tensions and stress of modern day living.
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