Understanding Natural Health
Natural health is a comprehensive lifestyle aimed at overall wellness, addressing everything from diet and physical care to stress management and healthcare choices. By focusing on the body, mind, and lifestyle, natural health is a holistic approach. This means that people who follow this method strive to identify the underlying causes of health issues to solve them, restore balance, and enhance health. By ditching unhealthy habits, undertaking detoxes, and making positive life choices, they rejuvenate the body’s natural vitality and take greater control over their health.
Natural Health vs. Conventional Medicine
Natural health offers a more balanced way to achieve a healthy lifestyle compared to conventional medicine. It focuses on wellness through natural solutions. For instance, if you’re feeling fatigued, instead of gulping down an energy drink, which is packed with caffeine, sugar, and chemicals, your body actually needs rest. Natural health can be a standalone method, often termed as alternative health, or it can be combined with traditional healthcare, known as complementary, integrative, or functional medicine. This combination brings together conventional medical care with alternative approaches like massage, acupressure, detoxing, and supplements. Increasingly, traditional medical practitioners are incorporating holistic natural health into their treatments.
The Essence of Natural Health
In summary, natural health is about “out with the bad, in with the good.” This involves eliminating toxic chemicals, processed foods, and bad habits while embracing healthy, eco-friendly, and toxin-free choices. If you’re aiming to get healthy, know that natural health works. A health revolution is underway, and you are invited to be part of it.
Out With the Bad
This means giving up detrimental habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and unhealthy eating. It also involves detoxifying your body to remove accumulated toxic chemicals and eliminating toxic household and personal care products.
In With the Good
Adopt an organic, largely plant-based diet. Engage in corrective habits such as exercising, meditating, and seeking counseling when necessary. Embrace natural therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and homeopathy, and consider using nutritional and therapeutic plant-based supplements and herbs.
An Example of The Natural Health Approach
When dealing with a headache, the natural health method looks beyond the symptom to find the root cause. Conventional medicine might suggest taking painkillers, which only mask the pain. The natural approach asks why the headache occurred. It considers causes like stress, dehydration, muscle tension, or more serious medical issues. Solutions then vary, from counseling and aromatherapy for stress headaches to drinking water for dehydration or a doctor’s consultation for more serious concerns.
Natural Health and Science
Some argue that natural health lacks scientific backing. This is not true.
Natural Health Is Internationally Recognized
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a leading medical research center, established the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in 1998 to study non-mainstream medical practices. Complementary medicine, as defined by the NIH, merges mainstream and alternative methods like herbal supplements, massage, and yoga. Though alternative healthcare is less common, many people use a mix of both natural and conventional approaches.
Globally, natural health is increasingly recognized. Practices such as nutritional supplements, massage, and yoga are widespread in the U.S. and Europe, with significant adoption in Australia.
Natural Health Is Gaining Wider Acceptance
Despite higher costs due to limited insurance coverage, about 59 million Americans spend $30 billion annually on natural, non-conventional healthcare approaches. As demand for holistic, patient-centered care grows, more hospitals are adopting natural remedies. By 2017, twenty-eight U.S. medical centers employed naturopathic doctors, and studies have shown that these complementary methods result in better health outcomes at lower costs.
Natural Health Success Stories
Katja’s Story: Nothing Left to Lose
When conventional medicine reached its limit in treating her autoimmune disorder, Houston artist Katja Akhtar turned to functional medicine. Her new doctor took a comprehensive history and altered her diet, using nature-derived supplements, which significantly improved her quality of life.
Orna’s Story: Medicine In the Garden
Dr. Orna Izakson, a licensed naturopathic doctor from Oregon, discovered the benefits of natural medicine when she healed from a severe illness using medicinal plants from her garden. She now advocates for a holistic approach to healthcare.
Starting the Natural Health Lifestyle: Out With the Bad
Removing Toxic Chemicals From Your Home and Products
Green living and a natural lifestyle go hand in hand. One of the first steps toward a natural lifestyle is replacing products that contain toxic chemicals with healthier, environmentally-friendly options.
Approved Chemicals Aren’t Always Safe
Many people assume chemicals in products are safe and tested by government agencies. However, many chemicals in beauty products, home cleaners, and other common items have undergone minimal testing, raising concerns about their safety.
Getting Rid of Household Toxicants
Toxic chemicals can lurk in places you might not expect. To minimize exposure, replace nonstick pans with stainless steel or cast iron, choose glass storage over plastic, and opt for organic fabrics and products.
Eliminating Toxins From Your Body: Detox and Cleansing
Detoxing or cleansing the body is crucial for optimal health. Our diets often include processed foods and non-organic produce containing pesticides, antibiotics, and GMOs. During digestion, these chemicals enter the bloodstream and accumulate in the body, particularly in the colon.
Types of Body Cleanses
A whole-body cleanse involves detoxifying all organ systems. You can achieve this through specific cleansing kits, herbal supplements, and detox-friendly foods. Colon cleansing, for example, is often cited as an effective detox method for many people.
Eliminating Toxins From Your Body: Fasting
Fasting is another method for detoxing the body. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting has numerous health benefits, including improved longevity, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and enhanced cell repair.
Natural Health Lifestyle: In With the Good
Mental Wellness Habits: Meditation, Yoga, Mindfulness, and Sleep
Mental wellness is a crucial part of the holistic natural health approach, given the strong connections between the mind and body. Techniques like mindfulness meditation, acupuncture, and music therapy have been shown to positively impact mental health.
You Need Sleep for Mental Health
Adequate sleep is essential for a positive outlook and overall health. Natural solutions for sleep issues include essential oils, dietary changes, and herbal remedies.
Mental Wellness: The Advantage of Outside Help
Professional counseling, life coaches, and alternative therapies like color or music therapy can be beneficial. These methods often complement traditional mental wellness treatments.
Physical Fitness Habits
Exercise is essential for maintaining health. It improves mood, cognitive function, and overall fitness. Activities can range from cardiovascular exercises like running to gentler methods like yoga and tai chi.
Protecting the Environment
Living a natural health lifestyle frequently extends to environmental concerns. Reducing your environmental impact through choices like green energy, eco-friendly products, and sustainable practices can help ensure future generations live healthy lives.
Easy Ways To Get Started
Lobbying for environmental cleanup, making informed consumer choices, and educating yourself about harmful chemicals are simple steps toward a healthier environment.
A Natural Health Diet: A Way of Life
Eat Organic Foods
Choosing organic foods supports a healthier body and planet. Organic farming reduces pesticide residues and follows sustainable practices. If budget concerns are an issue, prioritize buying organic for the “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables which have the most pesticide residue.
Quick Tips for Cleaning Produce
To remove pesticides, soak fruits or vegetables in a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water for 20 minutes, scrub lightly, and rinse.
Eat A Plant-Based Diet
A plant-based diet can lead to weight loss, improved insulin function, and lower risks of chronic diseases. Choosing plant-based foods also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is kinder to animals.
Quick Tips for Cutting Down on Meat
Consider practices like Meatless Monday to reduce meat consumption and explore plant-based recipes.
Try a Raw, Vegan Diet
Eating raw food preserves natural enzymes and nutrients. You can start with a mix of raw and cooked foods and gradually transition to a fully raw diet. Supplements like vitamin B12 are necessary when adopting a vegan diet.
The Benefits of Eating Healthy: Weight Loss, Wellness and Energy
A clean, plant-based diet can aid in weight loss, reduce cancer risk, and improve energy levels. Avoid sugary and starchy foods to maximize these benefits.
Nutritional Supplements and Natural Health Products
The use of natural health vitamins and supplements has been rising steadily. These products enhance overall wellness and specific health conditions. Popular supplements include fish oil alternatives like flax oil, probiotics, melatonin, and echinacea.
The Role of Nutritional Supplements
Supplements support various health needs, such as calcium for aging adults or vitamin D for newborns and pregnant women. Prebiotics and probiotics, in particular, improve gut health, which impacts immune function, metabolism, and mental health.
Natural Health Practitioners
Many people prefer natural health methods because conventional medicine often focuses on isolated symptoms rather than the whole person. Here are some types of natural health practitioners:
Naturopathic Doctors (N.D.) and Practitioners (N.P.)
N.D.s undergo a 4-year post-graduate medical program and are licensed by medical boards in many states. They adhere to principles such as healing through nature, identifying root causes, and promoting self-education for patients.
Integrative & Functional Medicine Practitioners
These practitioners blend conventional and alternative methods, focusing on holistic health. Functional medicine providers look for specific causes of illnesses to tailor individualized treatments.
Chiropractors
Chiropractors focus on the neuromusculoskeletal system and perform spinal adjustments to improve overall health. They often endorse good health practices like nutrition and exercise.
Osteopathic Doctors
Osteopaths emphasize the interconnectedness of the body’s systems and use physical manipulation to optimize health without drugs. They are licensed medical doctors specializing in holistic care.
Homeopaths
Homeopathy is based on the principles of “like cures like,” minimum dose, and single remedy. While controversial, many studies have shown its effectiveness for certain conditions.
Natural Health Coaches & Dieticians
Natural health coaches and dieticians offer guidance on adopting a healthier lifestyle. Registered Dieticians (R.D.) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (R.D.N.) have accredited education and training, but other credentials vary, so research each provider carefully.
Try These Natural Health Therapies and Modalities
Massage
Massage is a highly regarded therapy that can reduce pain, anxiety, and depression while boosting the immune system. It works by relaxing muscles and improving blood and lymph circulation.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an ancient medical system from India that sees the mind and body as interconnected. It uses specific therapies like essential oils, massage, and balanced diets to restore health. People are categorized into three doshas, which determine their health practices.
