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A holistic look at your health
How naturopaths look at the whole body rather than one part at a time, using acne, low mood and inflammation as examples of finding the root cause.
Your body doesn't work in separate parts. Each system affects the others, so the cause of a symptom can sit somewhere else entirely. A naturopathic approach looks at the whole picture to find what's behind your symptoms, not just the symptoms themselves.
Think of a plant with yellowing leaves. You could try to fix each leaf, but the lasting answer is usually at the roots: water, soil and nutrients.
Example: acne
Creams can help on the surface, but they don't always reach what's driving the breakouts. Your skin has oil glands called sebaceous glands, and they rely on zinc to work well. Zinc can be harder to absorb if your digestion isn't working well, and glands that don't have enough of it are more likely to become blocked and inflamed.
Hormones play a part too. Higher testosterone in women can increase oil production, and stress and inflammation can make this worse, which is why skin often flares when you're stressed or around your period. Your liver also helps clear used hormones from your body, so if it doesn't have the nutrients it needs, those hormones can add to breakouts. That's why supporting your digestion, liver and hormones can help your skin.
Example: low mood
The same symptom can have different causes. Low mood can be linked with low vitamin D or omega-3, blood sugar problems, an underactive thyroid or recent antibiotic use. Working out which is most likely for you helps your practitioner choose the right support.
Example: inflammation
It works the other way too: one cause can sit behind many conditions. Long-term inflammation is linked with heart disease, depression, arthritis, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, so reducing inflammation is a helpful part of looking after your health in the long term.
If you'd like help looking at the bigger picture of your own health, a practitioner can talk it through with you. Naturopathic care can work alongside your counsellor or GP's care, so keep seeing your GP for any medical conditions. If you're struggling with low mood, please talk to your GP too.
Think of a plant with yellowing leaves. You could try to fix each leaf, but the lasting answer is usually at the roots: water, soil and nutrients.
Example: acne
Creams can help on the surface, but they don't always reach what's driving the breakouts. Your skin has oil glands called sebaceous glands, and they rely on zinc to work well. Zinc can be harder to absorb if your digestion isn't working well, and glands that don't have enough of it are more likely to become blocked and inflamed.
Hormones play a part too. Higher testosterone in women can increase oil production, and stress and inflammation can make this worse, which is why skin often flares when you're stressed or around your period. Your liver also helps clear used hormones from your body, so if it doesn't have the nutrients it needs, those hormones can add to breakouts. That's why supporting your digestion, liver and hormones can help your skin.
Example: low mood
The same symptom can have different causes. Low mood can be linked with low vitamin D or omega-3, blood sugar problems, an underactive thyroid or recent antibiotic use. Working out which is most likely for you helps your practitioner choose the right support.
Example: inflammation
It works the other way too: one cause can sit behind many conditions. Long-term inflammation is linked with heart disease, depression, arthritis, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, so reducing inflammation is a helpful part of looking after your health in the long term.
If you'd like help looking at the bigger picture of your own health, a practitioner can talk it through with you. Naturopathic care can work alongside your counsellor or GP's care, so keep seeing your GP for any medical conditions. If you're struggling with low mood, please talk to your GP too.
This video is general information, not advice about your own health. A practitioner can talk you through what it means for you.
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