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In the West, we like to
think of our world as modern and of our medical
system as sophisticated. Yet, with the wide
array of illnesses, diseases and disorders that
continue to escalate in scope and number, it
might be time to explore another way of
evaluating and maintaining health. Many people
are doing just that, exploring the realm of
natural health.
The basic premise of natural health is that
when the body is nourished and maintained
optimally, it is able to heal itself naturally.
Better yet, it can prevent the occurrence of
disease in the first place. In other words, we
wouldn't need the interventions of our medical
system in many cases after all. Instead, we can
create the environment and conditions that
allow the body to heal itself in which optimum
health can be assured.
A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone to
natural health. Prevention is the foundation.
Natural health is not about being a health
fanatic, but more a health conscious person.
This means holistic health, encompassing the
whole person, body, mind and spirit.
Natural health practitioners believe that
prevention is each individual person's choice,
and that each is capable of taking active
responsibility for their own personal health
and well being. The healthy lifestyle that is
encouraged involves eating fresh whole foods,
taking nutritional supplements as needed,
ensuring regular physical exercise, and
managing the sources and levels of stress in
the environment.
Despite the best intentions and prevention,
disorders of the body might develop. When
concerns do arise, natural health treatment can
include everything from vitamins and
supplements, to massage therapy, to homeopathy,
to acupuncture, to other forms of energy work.
By definition, natural healing methods address
the whole person; they are holistic, rather
than focusing on a specific disease or body
part that is affected.
While the natural health approach is to prevent
the occurrence of serious infectious diseases
or any medical emergencies, it never condones
treating these apart from traditional medical
intervention. There is nothing that prevents
natural healing methods from being used side by
side with conventional medical treatment. In
many cases it can support the effectiveness of
the medical treatment by building the immune
system and bolstering health in other body
systems.
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