Essential Things To Know Before Starting Your Natural Health Journey.
If you have come across natural health and are thinking that this is the path you would like to take for your health, I would love to share with you some tips and guidance that will help you along this journey.
1. Natural Therapies Work Differently than Pharmaceuticals.
In our modern world and the prevalence of pharmaceuticals, health care has become intermingled with a quick-fix mindset. Pharmaceuticals are specific and targeted therapies and can have strong and quick effects when needed. This is great for pain and many other situations including emergencies.
Natural therapies, including diet, herbs and nutritional supplements, are complex and multifaceted and can work on multiple body systems and organs at once. This is great for restoring balance and proper function to systems and tissues, however, can often mean that the ‘results’ e.g. feeling better, might take a bit longer to set in. However, the ‘feeling better’ from vital and healthy organs and systems will be long-lasting and deeper than feeling better from a pharmaceutical that is covering up the underlying cause.
2. Natural Medicine Increases Vitality In The Body
The intention behind holistic therapies such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western herbal medicine, or naturopathy is to restore vitality to the system as a whole. In order to increase the vital force in the body, we look at the wholeness of the being and take into consideration many influencing forces that may be contributing to ill health.
Restoring vitality will look different in every individual, and the path towards restoring vitality will be different too. For some, a liver detox may be amazing and for others, the consistent daily practice of getting enough sleep and drinking enough water may be essential medicine.
When using natural medicines, you’re playing the long game. If you are coming to natural medicine wanting to heal a chronic health condition, then don't expect to be healed in a week. If it took you 30 years to develop this disharmony in the body, it’s unrealistic to expect that you will have regained complete health in a month’s time.
3. Healing is not a linear process.
To save you the frustration of relapses, setbacks and lack of change, self-compassion and patience are essential tools for your healing journey toolkit. Thanks to the mindset that modern Western medicine has bestowed on us, we think that once we start taking something it's all uphill from here and that once we start feeling good, our illness is in the past and we can forget about it. Healing the body and getting better from disease can be a topsy-turvy rollercoaster ride sometimes. Life throws us new challenges, our circumstances change, and we take on more stress, we have babies, and we get sick. Having a deep trust in the natural healing process of the body, and trusting that the body is always trying to do what's best for us in order to keep us safe will be an essential mindset to adopt during these down times.
Conclusion
Getting used to the way that natural medicines work in the body and the time it takes to see effects can take some time. Getting support from a knowledgeable practitioner in natural health can help to reduce the guesswork, and give you a shoulder to lean on and extra guidance for when things get tough.
Hi, I’m Meg, a naturopathic herbalist helping people reconnect with their health through the power of plant medicine. I offer personalized herbal consultations Australia-wide, combining traditional wisdom with modern naturopathic principles to create tailored herbal support for your unique needs.
The information provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please see my full disclaimer here.
