As a Naturopath, I advocate, "whole being wellness". I believe all
parts work together to make us whole, and that each aspect directly
affects the others. The whole being consists of several "bodies",
the mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical. When we
suffer from depression or chronic anger, the effects of that stress
will also manifest in the physical body through various symptoms.
The reverse is also true. When toxins are taken into the body; it
must work overtime to rid itself of these poisons. The resulting
fatigue may affect the ability to think clearly and concentrate, or
cause depression or irritability.

Although Allopathic medicine does recognize many of these
correlations, physical symptoms still continue to be treated as
stand-alone disorders. The underlying factors are not usually taken
into consideration. These diseases are lumped together and treated
in "textbook" fashion. As individuals, each of us will have numerous
combinations of different variables that contribute to the state of
our health. How can it be effective to lump everyone with a
particular group of symptoms into the same general category?
Naturopathy recognizes this, and seeks to treat the whole person,
considering all aspects of the individual's lifestyle and habits,
not only the physical manifestations of illness.

It is my belief through my studies and my own life experience that
the majority of diseases are merely the symptoms of a deeper
underlying problem. For example, in my teens I was diagnosed with
Asthma and Clinical Depression. I was angry a lot, always tired, and
irritable. I was sent to a psychiatrist to talk about my feelings
and receive medication. The pills I was given not only didn't help;
they made me feel even more worn-out, which in turn increased my
anger and depression. I was never asked any extensive questions
regarding my diet; sleep habits, activity level, or anything else
that directly affected my lifestyle. In typical textbook fashion I
was labeled and given the standard, across the board treatment for
depression. I was led to believe that depression was "normal" and
for whatever reason I must be less than normal if I did not respond
to the standard treatment. I felt destined to live a life where I
would always feel unhealthy, and that very belief system itself was
problematic.

My asthma was very much the same. I was given a slew of chemical
inhalants and put on pills to "control" my asthma. I was convinced
it was natural for some people to not be able to breathe without the
aid of man made chemical devices. As the years went by, my asthma
worsened as my body began to develop a tolerance for the various
drugs I was given. It wasn't until I began to study holistic health
and naturopathy that I learned some interesting facts about the
lungs. When there are high acid levels in the body, the body works
hard to rid itself of the excess by secreting it through the lungs
to be exhaled out of the body. I had been told for years that
aerobic exercise would strengthen my lungs, and every time I would
try to run or engage in strenuous physical activity I would end up
having severe asthma attacks. It turns out the body produces more
acid during extreme physical exertion. An already saturated body
will then have that much more toxin to deal with. The better choice
for me was diet modification and light to moderate activity. I spent
years not knowing this because the accepted scientific "norm"
doesn't recognize this particular correlation.

Upon learning this, I began to incorporate many more alkaline-based
foods into my diet. I started drinking sufficient amounts of water,
enabling my body to cleanse more toxins through the kidneys. I ate
less of the prepackaged junk food and cut red meat completely out of
my diet. I learned Eastern methods of breath control and
enhancement. The result? My asthma and synthetic drugs no longer run
my life; I manage my breathing by balancing the Ph level of my body.
I no longer take pills because I don't need them. I use an inhaler a
few times a month at worst, as opposed to a few times per day, which
was the "norm" when I was only treating myself through conventional
methods. Empowering myself was perhaps the best medicine of all. I
no longer felt victimized by illness, for the first time I felt in
control of my own health and not at the mercy of medicine.

Doctors don't tell us a lot of these things, because it is not a
part of the "normal" treatment plan. This is not a condemnation of
allopathic medicine. It certainly has its place. It also has its
restrictions based on the judgments of insurance companies and what
they deem as acceptable treatments. My biggest concern however comes
when one branch of treatment insists its methods are the only right
way. We are not all born the same, so how can it follow that all
treatment be the same? It makes no sense, and I believe fully and
will always advocate the need for balance between nature and
science. My life was enhanced on many levels through the
introduction of natural methods of prevention and treatment in
addition to allopathic medicines.

When my health was at its worst, it's not a real surprise that so
was my diet. In my teens, my daily diet consisted of a lot of
packaged foods, fast food, soda and candy. I never drank water.
Fresh fruits and vegetables were a rare shock to my system. I was
feeding myself a never-ending supply of poisons and then wondering
why I felt bad almost all the time. I didn't realize that I was
chronically malnourished and dehydrated, and that was the underlying
root cause of my other conditions.

The best offense against disease, depression, and other life-robbing
conditions is a good defense. Education and awareness are essential
to whole-being wellness. Build the body, mind, and soul through
conscious awareness of your choices and actions and how they affect
you on all levels. Empower yourself and trust your intuition.
Understand that not all symptoms are diseases, and that disease is
not a natural state. Health is our natural state and many of us may
have to reverse years of chronic abuse through misinformation to
return our natural state back to the "normal"one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christin Snyder is an author and "whole being wellness" advocate
whose mission is helping others reach their fullest potential.
Visit her websites today for empowerment exercises and healing
activities designed to help you live a life of joy and peace.
http://www.dailypowerwords.com
http://www.spiritualguidancetarot.com