Diet & Nutritional Therapy

A naturopathic diet works to prevent illness, increase energy and improve overall health. It relies on food as close to its natural state as possible. This means eating foods that do not contain artificial ingredients and are free of chemical preservatives and additives. Foods typical of a naturopathic diet include raw vegetables that are organic and seasonal. A naturopathic diet follows the six guiding principles of naturopathic medicine: trust that the body can heal itself; identify and treat the cause; treat the person as an integrative whole; use non-harming and non-invasive techniques; focus on overall health, wellness and disease prevention; and use education to allow people to take responsibility for their health.

Fasting and Detoxification

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. During fasting, the body burns up and excretes huge amounts of accumulated wastes. We can help this cleansing process by drinking alkaline juices. Prominent among the physiological effects conferred by fasting (Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting) are the following: increased insulin sensitivity that results in reduced plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and improved glucose tolerance, reduced levels of oxidative stress as indicated by decreased oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA, increased resistance to various types of stress including heat, oxidative and metabolic stresses and enhanced immune function.

Hydrotherapy

This is a mode of treatment that uses water in all forms (ice, water and steam) for its application. The water is employed at different temperatures (cold, h ot, neutral) to get different therapeutic benefits.

1.Hip bath

It is given in a specially designed hip bath tub in which water is filled enough to cover the hips reaching upto the navel of the patient.

Benefits:

It improves blood circulation to the abdomen and pelvis.

It helps in increasing the peristaltic movements and thus relieving constipation.

It aids in improving the functions of the eliminative organs.

Diseases indicated:

Digestive disorders, Diabetes, Constipation, Piles, Urinary incontinence, Menstrual disorders etc.

2. Spinal Bath:

The patient is made to lie down with the entire back and spinal column immersed in water in the spinal bath tub.

Benefits:

It is a very good relaxative treatment.

It relieves muscular tension and tones the nerves.

It stimulates spinal nerves.

Helps in reducing blood pressure.

Diseases indicated:

Hypertension, Back pain, Sciatica, Insomnia, Asthma etc.

3. Spinal Spray:

This tub consists of perforated knobs at the centre through which water at high pressure is made to spray throughout the vertebral column, thus giving a gentle massage.

Benefits:

This is also a relaxative treatment, similar to spinal bath. But its effect on nervous system is more intense and long lasting. Thus, it becomes a very good treatment for insomnia, nervous irritability, hypertension etc.

4. Arm and Foot bath

The patient is made to sit comfortably on a stool. The arms up to the elbows and the legs up to the calf muscles are immersed in water in a specially designed tub. This may be given separately for arm or foot.

Benefits:

Relieves cerebral and chest congestion

Improves circulation to the extremities.

Relieves pain in the hands and legs

Diseases indicated:

Asthma, Head ache, cold, cough, Insomnia, Menstrual disorders

5. Steam bath

The patient after drinking two to three glasses of water enters the steam cabin and is made to sweat profusely due to the emanating steam. This is immediately followed by a cold shower.

Benefits:

It is one of the main detoxifying treatment

Relieves pain

Aids in weight reduction

Provides muscle relaxation and relieves spasm

Improves blood circulation throughout the body

Maintains the health of the skin

Diseases indicated:

Obesity, Arthritis (Osteo, Rheumatoid and Gouty), Back pain

6. Facial Sauna

This includes the exposure of the facial area to steam. Herbs can also be added to it.

Benefits:

One of the beatifying treatment

Opens the skin pores and eliminates the toxins and clogged particles

Relieves nasal and cerebral congestion

Provides muscle relaxation and relieves spasm

Has good mucolytic and expectorant effects

Diseases indicated:

Obesity, Arthritis (Osteo, Rheumatoid and Gouty), Back pain

7. Packs

These are local application given to particular body part by means of two pieces of cotton cloth and a piece of woollen cloth. The first piece of cotton cloth is made wet and is wrapped on the body part (chest, throat, abdomen, knee etc) which is then covered by a dry cloth followed by the woollen cloth.

Benefits:

It has a very good smoothening effect

Aids in blood circulation due to vasodilatation

Relieves congestion

Diseases indicated:

Local inflammation, pain, edema

iseases particular to the local body parts.

Mud Therapy

This involves application of mud which is collected, dried, powdered, and sieved from a non polluted and non contaminated area. The mud made into a paste is applied to the whole body or to particular parts as required. The application may be made directly on the body or may be applied as packs by means of wrapping it in a cotton cloth.

Benefits:

It cools the body by retaining moisture for a longer duration.

Absorbs the colors of sunlight and conveys it to the body.

Opens the skin pores, aids in elimination and improves skin complexion.

Aids in good blood circulation.

Relieves pain and inflammation.

Reduces swelling

Improves digestion and peristalsis when applied to the abdomen.

Mud pack to eyes helps in correcting eye disorders.

Diseases indicated:

Skin diseases (psoriasis, urticaria, leucoderma etc), digestive disorders, constipation, insomnia, eye disorders.

Sun bath/Helio Therapy

Sun bath is the exposure of the body to sunlight early in the morning or in the evening.

Benefits:

The sun rays are required for Vitamin D synthesis which is necessary for the health of bones and teeth.

Good for the health of the skin.

Helps in healing wounds.

Since cosmic energy is directly received, it is good for overall health of the person.

Diseases indicated:

Eczema, psoriasis, obesity, arthritis, asthma etc.

Magneto Therapy

Magnets of different size and power are applied on specific parts of the body, using particular therapeutic benefits of South Pole and North Pole of the magnets. It gives a complementary benefit to the other Naturopathic treatments.

Manipulative Therapy

This is the systemic manipulation of the body parts smeared with oil. The Naturopathic massage is the Swedish type which is in the centripetal direction (toe to head). It includes the manipulative movements like stroking, friction, kneading, percussion etc.

Benefits:

Aids blood circulation.

Helps in the elimination of toxins by opening the skin pores.

Provides muscle relaxation.

Mobilizes the extra fat.

Massages the internal organs

Relieves joint stiffness

Diseases indicated:

Obesity, Diabetes, Arthritis, Back pain, Muscle spasm, Insomnia etc.

Lifestyle Counceling & Education

Lifestyle counseling and education encourages patients to adopt an active, integrative approach to general healthcare and wellness. The counselor considers core aspects of the entire person — body, mind, and spirit — to help clients improve personal well-being through everyday lifestyle choices.

Nutraceuticals

Nutraceuticals, in broad, are food or part of food playing a significant role in modifying and maintaining normal physiological function that maintains healthy human beings. The food products used as nutraceuticals can be categorized as dietary fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and other different types of herbal/ natural foods. These nutraceuticals help in combating some of the major health problems of the century such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol etc.