Introduction to Holistic Health
Need for alternative therapy, why modern medicine has failed to provide answers.
‘Health’ comes from a Greek word ‘Holy’ which means complete, whole comprehensive etc. It implies that good health can be maintained only when holistic approach is followed in living style.
According to WHO – Health is defined as ‘A state of complete physical, mental, social well being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity. If this is so, we would hardly find a healthy person.
According to our ancient scriptures, one who is within himself completely, wholly, physically, mentally, socially, has a healthy mind and body.
“Your doctor is the second most important person taking care of your health. You are the first.” - Harvard Medical School Health letter
Our ancient scriptures include complete definitions of Health and Nature Cure. We read Nature as whole in every aspect of health and treatment. But in modern times, we find medicinal treatment as a divided treatment. For example – we have pain in the leg; modern science treats that particular area only, even though it is connected to the body in whole. Nature cure does not do this thing. It treats the body as a whole.
Man has been able to achieve all material riches yet he is not happy. In spite of so much progress in medical science, man has not been able to attain the eternal bliss, he is craving for. Nature has given ways to attain the eternal bliss and it is through Nisargopchar.
Knowledge is for enlightenment. Generally, we use it for attaining material riches in life. For this, we strive in every way. But have we ever strived for health so much? Did we really work out for our health in any way? The answer is very obvious – ‘No’ and that is the reason, everyone is suffering in one or the other form. No doubt, body is a biological and mechanical system and ups and downs go on with it, have we ever tried to know the reason for these changes.
Nature Cure or Natural Hygiene is also considered to be the best solution for healthy living and disease cure because every being is unique in its constitution and genetic make-up, which is determined to a great extent by the union of genes from the male sperm and female ovum, the nature of food taken by the mother during pregnancy and the likes, having a unique composition of Vatta (Air), Pitta (Fire) & Kapha (Water). Unnatural living and wrong food habits create an imbalance in this delicate balance of Vatta(Air), Pitta(Fire), & Kapha(Water) which manifests in the form of various diseases. Restoration of this delicate balance is the basis of all treatments and this can only be achieved by following the Laws of Nature and Natural Living. This is the reason why only Naturopathy is the best system of medicine for healthy living and overcoming diseases.
Like the external world is maintained by the forces such as the air, sun and the moon, the living body too is maintained by the tridoshas i.e. vatta, pitta and kapha. Any discrepancies in these tridoshas lead to diseases.
"Visargadaana Vikshepaih Soma Suryanilo Yadha
Dharayanti Jagat Dehae Kapha Pittanilo Yadha"___Su. Su 21
What is nature cure?
The word naturopathy is a Latin-Greek hybrid, which can be defined as 'being close to or benefiting from nature.
Natural Hygiene / Nature Cure is a branch of the science of living which deals with care of the organism in a state of Dis-ease. It also recognizes that there is a Law of Health & Cure and that by obedience to this law both health and healing are obtained.
“Natural cure is a revolution in the art and science of living” It is the practical realization and application of all that is good in natural science, philosophy and healthcare.
"Trust your body’s essential nature" because all the energies of the body and nature are always directed towards health.
Naturopathy is a holistic approach to healthcare based on a belief in the healing power of nature. Naturopaths work closely with you to improve your health by making food and lifestyle changes such as improving your diet and reducing stress. They also sometimes employ alternative therapies, including herbal remedies, acupressure, acupuncture and hands-on techniques such as massage to stimulate your body's ability to heal itself.
Nature cure is a scientifically evaluated system of medicine, which is practiced by qualified, doctors who thoroughly study the human organism with other therapeutic subjects.
Naturopathy is an independent system of medicine and broadly varies in its philosophy and management aspects from Ayurveda and homeopathy.
History of Nature Cure
Nature Cure is a very old science of healing and art of living. We can find a number of references in our Vedas and other ancient texts. The "morbid matter theory", "concept of Vital force" and other concepts upon which Nature Cure is based are already available in old texts which indicate that these modalities were widely practised in ancient India.
The Swastha Vritta described in Ayurveda is basically Naturopathy.
In Indian Nature cure movement started mainly in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat etc. Gandhiji was influenced by the book "Return to Nature" written by Adolf Just and become a firm believer of Naturopathy. He not only wrote several articles in favour of Naturopathy in his newspaper "Harijan" but did its several experiments too on himself, on his family members and on the members of Ashram. Many Naturopaths did foundation work in the revival of Naturopathy in different States.
In looking at the natural healers and naturopaths of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one can find many common points. All of them believed in healing by bringing strength to the individual rather than by curing specific diseases. All had a reverence for nature, and many of them could point to specific observations that led to the formation of theories and practices. Personal experience of illness and recovery often led them to practice natural healing. They frequently learned from each other or studied on their own, instead of, or in addition to, receiving a formal education. The medical establishment persecuted most. Those on record were highly successful, bringing good health to many people
Importance of Nature Cure
ORGANS - NATURE CURE TREATMENTS
Our body has occult physiology - has awesome attributes of our miraculous self-repairing, self replenishing, self sustaining physique. Nature cure alone acts as an aid to support this natural mechanism of the human body.
Nature Cure treatments are based on the Five great elements of nature that have immense healing properties. There is no role of internal medications or drugs in the nature cure system.
The Five great elements of nature and the treatments based on them are:
Earth – Mud baths, Mud packs, Mud Wraps
Water – Hydrotherapy methods - Baths, Jets, Douches, Packs, Immersions, Compresses /
Fomentations
Air – Breathing exercises, Outdoor walking, Open air baths
Fire – Sun baths, Thermoleum baths, Magnetised water
Ether – Fasting therapy
EARTH - MUD THERAPY
Mud represents Earth, one of the five elements of nature and has tremendous impact on the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. Minerals and trace elements present in the mud are known for its tremendous effects and healing properties. Mud also has the remarkable property of holding moisture for a long time, which has a cooling effect on the part of the body applied.
WATER – HYDROTHERAPY
Hydrotherapy uses the therapeutic properties of water. Water has been used for therapeutic purposes since hundreds of years. Water has great healing properties and exhibits different properties at different temperatures. The temperature of the water for any treatment depends on the effect desired.
Water is used internally and externally in all its forms - steam, liquid or ice, to cleanse and restore health. It is used in the form of Baths, Jets/Douches, Packs, Compresses and Immersions to name a few.
HYDRO WASHES
This helps cleanse and detoxify the internal cavities.
Enema – Water, Saline, Oil etc.,
HYDRO BATHS
Arm and Foot Bath
Hip Bath
Spinal Bath / Anti-Stress Bath
Steam Bath
WET PACKS
HYDRO JETS / DOUCHES
These treatments help refresh, stimulate and boost vitality of the body. They improve the peripheral blood circulation and stimulate the nervous system.
WET COMPRESSES / FOMENTATION
- This is the application of water in the form of a pack wrung out in water of different temperatures (Normal, Hot, Cold or Alternate hot and cold).
- Helps in detoxification of areas which are swollen, blocked or sensitive
- Excellent for pain, sore muscles, swelling, edema
- Stimulates the blood and lymph stream
- Gives soothing, refreshing, calming and decongesting qualities
IMMERSIONS
- It is one of the hydrotherapy treatments wherein the body locally or wholly is immersed in water of different temperatures (Normal, Hot or Cold).
- Helps improve the circulation of the part immersed and also the peripheral circulation
- Helps relieve pain and edema
- Useful in treating certain skin disorders
- Helps to relieve congestion of the reflex regions thereby relieving symptoms of asthma, migraine, insomnia, etc
- The colon is the seat of all toxins in the body. This detoxifying treatment involves an assisted soothing gentle flow of filtered, temperature-controlled water throughout the colon to flush out accumulated waste and toxins.
- Helps bring about efficient elimination of waste products
- Helps restore tissue and organ function
- Rebalances body chemistry
- Stimulates the Autonomic Nervous System
SUN BATH – HELIOTHERAPY
Sunbathing means exposure of whole or part of the body to sunrays. Sunlight is absorbed by the nervous system and distributed by it and the bloodstream to the different parts of our body.
AIR – BREATHING
Breathing exercises especially various types of Pranayama have a tremendous effect in maintaining Health and also in different diseases
ETHER - FASTING THERAPY
Fasting, one of the oldest natural therapies is nothing but an extension of the Golden Rule "To keep healthy, one must always keep a little hungry." Unfortunately, today we live in a culture of excess, of fast junk food, instant food, we gorge ourselves till we can eat no more.
Health & Disease
Health is an important treasure of life. The joy, prosperity and activities of human being depend on health to a great extent. The definition of health given by WHO - "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity." This has already been mentioned in Ayurveda and other systems of Indian Medicine directly or indirectly. In Ayurveda, the equality of Dosha, Dhatu, Agni and Mala and being happy with soul, senses and mind is described as a definition of a healthy individual.
"Vikrutaavikruta ghnanti tae vartayanticha"
