Basic Principles of

Naturopathy
Philosophy and Science of Nature Cure
Made By: Ritu Shewani
Morarji Desai Institute of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences,
Vadodara, Gujarat
Intern at NIN,Pune
 1. Body Heals Itself
 Healing is a biological process, accomplished by forces and processes intrinsic to the living organism and not by substances and things
outside of the body.
 Cure does signal return to health but there is only absence or better said suppression of symptoms, its just a remedy to disease while
healing is a restoration to wholeness. This basic difference of cure and healing is what indicates clearly the holistic approach of
naturopaths.
 Evidence of self healing power of the body is seen in the fact that all through human history, patients have recovered from all kinds of
diseased states, not only without treatment and under modes of treatment that were a bit helpful, but they have also recovered under
treatments that were crucifying. This also indicates that there is some power beyond medicine and science which is responsible for
survival and multiplication of the race, for recovery of the sick, for healing of the wounds and the healing of the bones- Nature as the
healer not the Doctor. [vix medicatrix naturae]
 A wound or injury is not a disease, but the vital activities- pain, inflammation, feverishness do constitute disease or remedial action
which all represent processes by which healing is accomplished, these indicate that body is making natural efforts to heal itself. [Disease
is not negative and symptoms are indicators and efforts of the body for healing]
 Vital energy and intuitive forces of the body that act as self healing mechanisms for the body function through our senses and is guided
by our conscience. This Vital Force or healing force works by autolysis, regeneration, repair, rejection and elimination of toxic cells and
in case of inability of body to eliminate it adapts to those remnants as natural and normal. This Vital Energy or Force for healing is
created by the vibratory action of atoms inside the living organism this was mentioned by the Vibratory nature of Life as explained by Dr.
Henry Lindlahr.
References: Chp-17 Self- Healing, Natural Hygiene by Herbert Shelton; Chp-1 Voice of Nature, Return to Nature by Adolf Just; Chp- 2 What is
Life?, Philosophy and practice of Natural Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr .
 2. Main Cause of Disease is Enervation:
 Enervation is simply the fatigue of the nervous system also referred to as Neurasthenia, nerve weakness, or
nervous debility. This is the cause of the diseases according to the nature cure system. Insufficiency of nerve
energy that is vital force contributes to enervation.
 Enervation can be caused by the general lifestyle habits that are draining our energy and leading to debility- some
of these are as follows:-
1. Sensory excesses
2. Sensuality excess
3. Excess and abuses of diet
4. Lack of physical activity
5. Lack of proper rest and sleep
6. Nervousness and mental depression
 All these habits apart from being enervating are the violations of nature’s laws that can be categorized into 3 main
classes- Wrong food habits, Wrong Thinking and Wrong Living.
 These habits can cause an alteration in the harmonious vibrational energy of the body leading to a depletion of a
lot more energy to restore the processes back to normal and during this stage of restoration and recuperation one
feels lethargic and this state is regarded as enervation.

Reference: Chp-4 The unity of disease and treatment, Philosophy and practice of Natural Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr;
Chp-2 How does disease arise?, New Science of healing by Louis Kuhne
3. Deposition of metabolic end products, in
the system is Disease:
Diseases do not spontaneously occur they grow slowly within the body. This growth
of diseases within the body finds its breeding place and is enhanced by-
a. Continued abuses in the form of wrong lifestyle, food and improper rest, and
b. Accumulated morbid matter, residual substances, bodily wastes and toxins.
J.H Tilden’s theory of Toxemia regards the same cause as mentioned in this principle for
deterioration of health i.e. self-intoxication.
The toxins and wastes that accumulate include- metabolic wastes, ingested indigested food
wastes, chemicals and drugs as well as exudates. These toxic morbid matter cause
obstruction to the supply of life force or vitality and disrupted circulation of vital fluids
which in turn results in disease.

Reference: Toxemia Explained by JH Tilden; Chp-4 The unity of disease and treatment, Philosophy and practice of Natural
Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr; Chp-2 How does disease arise?, New Science of healing by Louis Kuhne
4. Acute disease is a remedial process, itself a cure
 All acute diseases are the result of a cleansing and healing efforts of Nature. Ranging from a simple cold to measles,
fever, coughing, diarrhea, headache, inflammation, loss of appetite, weakness, heaviness, desire to sleep, sore throat
and muscular aches represent Nature’s efforts to remove from the system some form of morbid matter or any poisons
dangerous to health and life.

 Acute diseases represent the effort of the body to remove the cause of imbalance in homeostasis and re-establish the
normal healthy conditions.

 All Acute reactions represent increased activity of vital force, resulting in feverish and inflammatory conditions,
accompanied by pain, redness, swelling, high temperature, rapid pulse, catarrhal discharges, skin eruptions, boils and
ulcers.

 Thus, these remedial actions of nature through acute diseases are for the expulsion of morbid encumbrances even
though the reaction is seen locally its feeders are always constitutional and thus must be treated constitutionally by
natural methods of rest and elimination.

Reference: Ch-5,6,7 and 20 THE UNITY OF ACUTE DISEASES, THE LAWS OF CURE, SUPPRESSION VERSUS ELIMINATION AND
CRISIS, Philosophy and practice of Natural Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr
 5. Food is a building material, but it does not
increase Vitality:
● Food is a powerless substance to build flesh, blood, bones and nerves. Only Living Breathing organism can convert
it into a living tissue.

● Body according to its requirements keeps demands over the organism for specific type of nutrient that demand is
guided by the life force.

● This Life force is the vitality itself that guides the specific food through the system and helps build new cells and
regenerate.

● Food is thus subordinate to the vitality as decision is made by the vital force itself. Thus this suggests that it is the
vital force that is more important to conserve than just thinking of energizing the body by gulping more and more
food and grains- as they just help in building the body as guided by the life force and in absence of demand by the
force if supply of food is given to the body it will only lead to formation of morbid matter clogging the system.

Reference: ch-24 Vitality, Philosophy and practice of natural therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr;
Ch-13 Food, Natural Hygiene by Herbert Shelton.
 6. Fasting provides an opportunity to the body to
heal itself:

● Fasting is voluntary abstinence for all types of foods and drinks except water done with a specific aim
for a specific cause until the return of natural hunger.

● Fasting provides an opportunity to the body to heal itself by withdrawing all the vital energy being
dissipated over enervating habits and directing it towards the healing of the body, enhancing autolysis
and promoting regeneration.

● Fasting along with being a physiological house cleansing process also provides 4 kinds of rest-
physical, mental, physiological and sensorial rest to the body.

● This resting phase gives the body much needed power and the opportunity to recuperate to healthy state.

Reference: ch-24 Vitality, Philosophy and practice of natural therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr;
Ch-13 Food, Natural Hygiene by Herbert Shelton.
Ch-1 and 2 Fasting can save your life by Herbert Shelton
 7. Germs do not cause Disease but are found in
disease conditions:
● Modern medical science is built upon the germ theory of disease- they have assumed that microbes and germs are the
direct cause of most of the diseases.

● Bacteria develop from Microzyma, the primal units of living organisms, but this occurs only morbid and pathogenic
conditions. This Microzyma comes from the normal healthy cells which under morbid conditions make ground for
growth and breeding of bacteria. These bacteria feed on and decompose the morbid matter which brought them into
being.

● Thus, accumulated morbid matter causes fermentation and attract germs. In a healthy state these germs when invaded are
immediately killed by defense system of the body like mucous system of the body, tonsils, and lymphatic and WBCs.

● Therefore it is the morbid matter that is the main cause not the germs they are present and grow in these situations of
morbidity and clogged system.

Reference- Toxemia Explained by JH Tilden and

ch- 5,6,7 and 20 from Philosophy and Practice of Natural Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr.
8. Exercise or physical activity keeps balance
between Nutrition and drainage:
 Physical Activity and Movement is the essential part of everyday life. It is essential to exercise to
maintain and develop vital structures and to enhance strength.

 Bodily functions and systems work in a coordinated fashion and are correlated with each other.
Whatever we take in as food is converted as energy and that energy is circulated with movement
within the systemic whole.

 If the body system is clogged with wastes and toxins then energy won’t reach for growth and
healing. Thus the movement through exercises and any Physical activity helps clear the system of
wastes and maintains a balance between Nutrition and Drainage.

Reference: Ch-31 Physical Exercise, Philosophy and Practice of natural therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr;
Ch- 12 The Primordial Requisites of Life, Natural Hygiene by Herbert Shelton
 9. External Treatments whether Natural,
allopathic, ayurvedic or Homeopathic- Give only
Relief, do not Cure

● All the external system have their scientific basis of treatment but any treatment done acts only externally the actual
task of cure is done by the forces of nature and only relief is provided for time being.

● Thus, Nature Cure system does not believe in interfering with the forces of Nature and providing temporary relief
instead it believes the physician should interfere only when absolutely essential with the palliative treatments,
otherwise one should let the body do its task. Natural hygiene and leading a natural life guided by the Voice of Nature
i.e. our instincts is what should be promoted for a permanent cure.

Reference: Ch-23 Hygiene not a cure, Natural Hygiene by Herbert Shelton

 10. Patient’s own will to get well,
determination and faith are necessary things for
Nature Cure treatments:
1. Its become an inherent nature of human to crib about one’s state of health and self sympathize in agony rather than
looking over the brighter side and having faith in the nature’s forces of healing. Mental strength, patience and the
determination to get well naturally can help heal faster.
2. In Naturopathy the patient has to put more efforts than the Physician. Physician is just a guide and a teacher it’s the
patient’s efforts on which the prognosis of the disease relies upon. Its necessary for the patient to have faith and
agree upon complying with the laws of nature, heeding to the voice of nature and to adopt a natural healthy lifetyle
and Return to Nature.

Reference: Ch-33 Legitimate Scope and natural limitations of Mental and Metaphysical Healing, Philosophy and Practice of Natural
Therapeutics by Henry Lindlahr.