What is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy is a method of healing that employs various natural means to empower an individual to achieve the highest possible level of health.

Naturopaths can assist with almost any health condition. Not only can existing conditions be treated, general health can be maintained in order to help prevent disease and live a longer, healthier life.

It utilises nutritional medicine, herbal medicine, diet/eating plans, exercise therapy, stress reduction techniques, counselling, life coaching and lifestyle modification. It utilises the laws of nature, that, given the right conditions the body can heal itself.

The primary goal of Naturopathy is to achieve and maintain optimum health and promote wellness in clients.

The key in Naturopathy is looking at the underlying imbalances of the whole person. It is not about treating a symptom. Detective work is done to examine the cause to illness or disease and where appropriate a treatment plan is put into place to treat the cause and or causes of imbalance.

It can work alongside Western and orthodox medicine prescriptions. Treatment can also result in less requirements or no need for certain medications and drug therapy after certain periods of time.

What Shelley does as your Naturopath

• Shelley offers a health service that involves an extended consultation to assess the clients’ physical, mental and social health, lifestyle, medical diagnosis and hereditary disposition.
• Shelley will take into account any western medical treatments and diagnosis.
• Shelley uses evidence based and traditional knowledge from scientific and clinical trials.
• The consultation involves a thorough questionnaire and history and a physical assessment. If needed further testing will be suggested.
• A specialised eating/diet plan, treatment plan and prescription is then formulated and tailored to each individual.
• Shelley’s role is to teach, educate, empower and motivate clients to resume more personal responsibility for their health by adopting a healthy attitude, lifestyle and diet.

What you need to do as a client

For the client it involves changing certain habits that are detrimental to their health and well-being and incorporating new principles of living that are supportive to health and well-being.

It is important to invest time and energy into your treatment plan to achieve results and for your plan to be successful.

Complying to supplements and diet regime and attending follow-up consultations is important for effectiveness and to reassess the treatment.

Prevention of disease can be achieved through education and encouraging life habits that support health.