Naturally....

Dear readers,

      Today, let's discuss on one of the alternative therapy systems - Naturopathy or nature cure. This system of medicine has been in existence for long  in various countries and in different forms. The basic premise in this system is that Your food shall be your medicine. Our body has the wonderful capacity to cure/heal itself. What it requires is the right stimulation in the form of the right diet to trigger the process.

     One of the fundamental principles of nature cure is that most diseases have the same basic underlying cause - the accumulation of waste material through several years of wrong food habits. By changing these wrong food habits and cleansing the system, the body   can be triggered to heal itself. Fasting is one of the primary methods through which a cure is triggered.

     Personally, I've had good  results for my sinusitis problem through nature cure. There are some good institutions in India where naturopathy treatment is provided. Some of these institutions have a holistic approach with other forms of therapies also included. Most of these  places require that you  take time off for at least 15  days and stay in the place. Though it might appear difficult to do so with our busy schedules, it is wise to take time off. This helps us to relax and rest and enjoy the treatment. Taking time off and getting treated in a relaxed manner hastens the healing process.

     Some of the treatment methods followed in these places are

1. Diet

2. Massage

3. Yoga

4. Warm water bath to a particular area like arm/foot/hip

5. Cold water bath to a particular area like arm/foot/hip

6. Alternate warm and cold water bath

7. Mud packs

8. Acupressure

9. Acupuncture

10. Sun bath

11. Steam bath

12. Magnetic therapy

      Here is a list (not comprehensive) of nature cure institutions in India. If you have  a personal experience at any of these places, do share it in the comments section.

• National Institute of naturopathy, (Govt. of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Dept. of AYUSH) Bapu Bhavan, Tadiwala Road, Pune – 411 001.
  Tel.: +91-020-26059682/ 26059683/ 26059684/26059685.
  E-mail: ninpune@vsnl.com
  Website: http://www.punenin.org
  
  
• When I contacted  NIN recently for an ailment, I  was directed to the following Chennai address. This place is also good. The treatment is free. It is not very commercialized(with packages and expensive treatment) like some of the other institutions
  Govt. Naturopathy & Yoga Medical College & Hospital, Anna Govt. Hospital of Indian Medicine, Anna Nagar, Chennai - 600106.
  Tel.: 044-26281563, 26216244, 26214844
  
  
• Naturopathy & Yoga Research Center
  53/3, Dr. R S Bhandari Marg,
  Indore – 452 001 (MP) INDIA
  Tel.: +91-731-2533268, 2545492, 3944449
  Mobile: +91-9302103349, 98270-36542
  E-mail: info@naturopathy.co.in
  Website: http://www.naturopathy.co.in
       
  
• SOUKYA - Dr Mathai's International Holistic Health Centre
  Soukya Road, Samethanahalli, Whitefield, Bangalore - 560 067.
• Tel.: +91 80 2801 7000 - 08
  Mobile: +91 98453 74400
  Email: info@soukya.com
  Website: http://www.soukya.com
  
  
• Balaji Nirogdham
  A unit of Maharaja Agrasen Naturopathy & Yoga Sadhana Research Trust, Behind Ashiana Farm HouseMain Palla-Bakhtawarpur Road,
  Bakhtawarpur,New Delhi - 110036
  Tel.: +91-11-64532820/21
  E-mail: nirogdham@gmail.com
  Website: http://www.balajinirogdham.com
  
  
• Jindal Naturecure Institute Jindal Nagar,
  Tumkur Road,
  Bangalore - 560 073,
  Karnataka, India.
  Tel.: 91 - 80 - 23717777 (6 lines)
  Email:
  General Enquiry : info@jindalnaturecure.org
  Reservation Related : res@jindalnaturecure.org
  Website: http://www.jindalnaturecure.org/
  
  
• I had contacted this place and the response was good, though I couldn't go for treatment here.
  NISARGOPCHAR GRAMSUDHAR TRUST
  Uruli Kanchan - 412202
  District-Pune, Maharashtra (India)
  Tel.: +91-020-2692 6298/2692 6230
  E-Mail: nisargopchar@gmail.com, nisargopchar@live.com
  Website: http://www.nisargopcharashram.org/
  
  
• RAM SEWA SWAMY SATYANAND TRUST
  Jind Road, Gohana - 131 301 ( HARYANA )
  Tel.: +91-1263-257930 / 253740 / 256946
  Mobile: +91-94161-08672
  Email: info@sanjeevaniindia.org 

Try nature's path. It is the best path!

Alternatives...

Hi readers,

        Hope  you had a nice and healthy week-end! A week-end sans health issues! Okay, when you have a health issue, what do you do? Say, a cold or a head-ache! Do you pop in some medicines on your own? Do you immediately fix  an appointment with the doctor? 

     Well, I would advise neither. A cold or a head-ache usually doesn't last long. A head-ache is usually an indication of some other problem - indigestion or mounting tension or lack of sleep. So just take rest and relax.  Or opt for some home-remedies. 

     A cold can be countered with so many small home remedies. Take a steam inhalation twice a day. Take hot water with  honey a few times a day. Take lots of fluids and avoid  milk. And take lots of rest. The cold disappears in a day or two.

     Now, if the issue is of a larger magnitude, say, a chronic  illness and you're taking medications, do stop and check what medications you're taking. Sometimes, the medications  can be so strong (steroids, hormonal tablets etc.) that the side effects are harmful in the long  run. Try not to take any medicine for a long period of time. And what else can you do?

     This is the time when alternative medicines come to your aid. Some of you may not believe in alternative therapies. I've heard  people refer to alternative therapies as placebo effect. I don't blame them. I used to  hold the same opinion several years back. Our knowledge of science makes us distrust traditional wisdom.  Our knowledge is limited and what  is not obvious or what cannot be explained easily is very difficult to believe in. It takes a personal experience to start believing that alternative medicines can do wonders. Just like any field of healing, find a good practitioner and try out therapies like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Acupressure/Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy or Reiki. You never know who can produce a miracle. 

    I need  to personally vouch for Naturopathy and Homeopathy for the healing that they  caused in me in two different instances of two different illnesses spaced more than ten years apart. In fact, my recent experience with Homeopathy has caused a miraculous cure. I shall write a detailed post on it just for the benefit of our readers.

    What I want to say is that, you don't have to take in strong, potentially harmful medicine without exploring alternatives. If alternatives do not work for you, then you may resign yourself to these medicines. But, more often that not, something works. Do explore with an open mind! Usually, it is the mind that is resistant to healing by alternative therapy.

So, dear readers, explore and get rid  of your illnesses...