Naturopathy and Dietetics
The concepts of Naturopathic Medicine as a distinct system can be traced back to the early 19th century following the start of the nature cure movement in Europe.
Over the years many ideas have come in and out of vougue but the fundamental principles that support of the healing powers of nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae) still hold true today and have stood the tests of time.
Modern Naturopathic Medicine still focuses on supporting optimal expression of biological, physical, and emotional health and wellbeing with a strong emphasis on the mind-body connection.
The General Council and Register of Naturopaths is the oldest registering body for practitioners of Naturopathy in the UK and defines naturopathy as 'a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine.'
Naturopathy is beneficial for the following types of patients:
- People who are looking for disease prevention and health promotion strategies.
- People who have a range of symptoms that they have been unable to address on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners
- People who have been diagnosed with an illness and are looking for supportive treatment options.
- People who are looking to combine conventional and naturopathic treatments with the aim of minimizing side effects of drugs, surgery or medical treatments.
At Hadley Wood Healthcare our naturopaths have received a classic education in Naturopathic Medicine and adhere to 6 key principles...
- First Do No Harm - this is the corner stone of all medical practices both conventional and alternative
- The Naturopath as a Teacher - for many people the last time they learnt about their body was in biology class at school!
- The holistic approach - naturopaths are interested in the person as a whole and not necessarily the illness in isolation
- Reveal the cause - in many cases recurrent illness does have a root cause, locate and deal with this and health can be restored
- Preventative medicine - seeking to adopt a healthy lifestyle lies at the heart of preventing illness before it strikes
- The healing power of nature - at the end of the day, the body has to do the healing irrespective of the drug, natural remedy or lifestyle change
Despite their classical training the naturopaths at Hadley Wood Healthcare embrace modern developments in conventional and alternative medicine and work to incorporate the latest techniques
in their therapeutic approach.
In attempt to optimise health our naturopaths will, in most cases, always revert to first principles and correct dietary issues in the
first instance.
This may simply involve a slight change to an otherwise balanced and healthy diet or in other cases may involve a radical re-working
of someones eating habits, lifestyle and food choices.
The concepts of clinical nutrition first starts with education to ensure that the best foods are obtained from shops. With the right foods selected the next stage happens in your kitchen with food preparation and then onto the plate.
Taking this concept further our naturopaths work to ensure optimal digestion and absorption helping to re-define the idea of 'you are what you eat' to the more realistic 'you are what you absorb'.
The use of dietary supplements can form an important aspect of a holistic plan especially when deficiency states exist or a persons specific health problem requires more targeted nutritional support above and beyond that of the diet alone.
Marcus Webb
Osteopath (GOsC Registered)
Naturopath (GCRN Registered)
Medical Acupuncturist (BMAS Registered)
Marcus qualified in 1988 from the British College of Osteopathic medicine (formally the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy) and has been in full time practice since graduation.
He has a special professional interest in the nutritional management of osteoporosis and chronic pain disorders using medical acupuncture.
Marcus does not include cranial osteopathy nor paediatric osteopathy within his scope of practice.