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Naturopathy vs Allopathy
By: Dr. Brett Smith N.D.
The biggest difference between
naturopathy and allopathy is that the
allopathy physician tends to view
good health, as a physical state in
which there is no obvious disease
present.
In contrast, naturopathic physicians recognize true health as an optimal state
of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being.
The key differences between a naturopathic and an allopathic physician are
apparent if we look at how each doctor views both health and disease.
Naturopathy or “nature cure” is a method of healing that employs various
natural means to empower an individual to achieve the highest possible level
of health.
Although the term “naturopathic medicine” was not used until the late
nineteenth century, its philosophical roots go back thousands of years.
Naturopathy draws on the healing wisdom of many countries, including India,
China, and Greece.
Allopathic medicine is also known as conventional, mainstream, traditional,
orthodox, modern medicine. It involves mostly drugs, surgery, radiation, and
chemotherapy as treatment modalities.
Naturopathic physicians provide recommendations on lifestyle, diet, and
exercise.
Conventional medicine is also referred to as allopathic, orthodox, modern,
traditional, mainstream medicine.
The definition of allopathy is, “a term that describes conventional medicine as
practiced by a graduate of a medical school or college with the M.D. degree.”
Allopathy, drugs, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy is a system of medicine
that focuses primarily on treating disease rather than on promoting health.
The biggest difference between naturopathy and allopathy is that the allopathy
physician tends to view good health, as a physical state in which there is no
obvious disease present.
In contrast, naturopathic physicians recognize true health as an optimal state
of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. The key differences
between a naturopathic and an allopathic physician are apparent if we look at
how each doctor views both health and disease.
To illustrate the differences, let’s take a look how each views and addresses
the infection equation. The infection equation is like a mathematical equation,
such as 1+2=3.
In the infection equation, the outcome is determined by the interaction of a
person’s immune system with the infecting organism. In other words,
immunity plus infection equals state of health.
A naturopathic doctor tends to use treatments designed to enhance the
immune system, while most allopathic doctors tend to use treatments
designed to kill the infecting organism. Naturopathic medicine addresses the
cause, whereby allopathic medicine treats the symptoms.
Allopathic physicians have long been obsessed with the agent that causes
infection rather than with the immune system of the patient. This obsession
began with Louis Pasteur, the 19th century researcher.
Pasteur played a major role in the development of the germ theory. This
theory holds that different diseases are caused by different infectious
organisms.
Much of Pasteur’s life was dedicated to finding substances that would kill the
infecting organisms.
Pasteur—and others who pioneered effective treatments for infectious
diseases—gave us a great deal for which we can be thankful. However, there
is more to the infection equation than the virility of the infecting organism.
Another 19th century French scientist, Claude Bernard, also made major
contributions to medical understanding. But Bernard had a different view of
health and disease.
Bernard believed that the state of a person’s internal environment was more
important in determining disease than the infecting organism or the pathogen
itself.
In other words, Bernard believed that the internal “terrain” or the susceptibility
of an individual to infection, was more important than the germ.
Physicians, he believed, should focus more of their attention on making this
internal terrain an inhospitable place for disease to flourish.
Bernard’s theory led to some interesting studies. In fact, a firm advocate of
the germ theory would find some of these studies to be absolutely crazy.
One of the most interesting studies was conducted by a Russian scientist
named Elie Metchnikoff, who discovered white blood cells.
He and his research associates consumed cultures that contained millions of
cholera bacteria, yet none of them developed cholera. The reason: their
immune systems were not compromised.
Metchnikoff believed, like Bernard, that the correct way to deal with infectious
disease was to focus on enhancing the body’s own defenses. Mainly the
immune system.
During the last part of their lives, Pasteur and Bernard engaged in scientific
discussions on the virtues of the germ theory and Bernard’s perspective on
the internal terrain.
On his deathbed, Pasteur (supposedly) said:
“Bernard was right. The pathogen is nothing. The terrain is everything.”
Unfortunately, Pasteur’s legacy is the obsession with the pathogen; modern
medicine has largely forgotten the importance of the “terrain.”
By: Dr. Brett Smith, N.D.
Article: Natural Medicine: The New Modern Medicine?
www.encognitive.com/node/1218
By: Dr. Brett Smith N.D.
The biggest difference between
naturopathy and allopathy is that the
allopathy physician tends to view
good health, as a physical state in
which there is no obvious disease
present.
In contrast, naturopathic physicians recognize true health as an optimal state
of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being.
The key differences between a naturopathic and an allopathic physician are
apparent if we look at how each doctor views both health and disease.
Naturopathy or “nature cure” is a method of healing that employs various
natural means to empower an individual to achieve the highest possible level
of health.
Although the term “naturopathic medicine” was not used until the late
nineteenth century, its philosophical roots go back thousands of years.
Naturopathy draws on the healing wisdom of many countries, including India,
China, and Greece.
Allopathic medicine is also known as conventional, mainstream, traditional,
orthodox, modern medicine. It involves mostly drugs, surgery, radiation, and
chemotherapy as treatment modalities.
Naturopathic physicians provide recommendations on lifestyle, diet, and
exercise.
Conventional medicine is also referred to as allopathic, orthodox, modern,
traditional, mainstream medicine.
The definition of allopathy is, “a term that describes conventional medicine as
practiced by a graduate of a medical school or college with the M.D. degree.”
Allopathy, drugs, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy is a system of medicine
that focuses primarily on treating disease rather than on promoting health.
The biggest difference between naturopathy and allopathy is that the allopathy
physician tends to view good health, as a physical state in which there is no
obvious disease present.
In contrast, naturopathic physicians recognize true health as an optimal state
of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. The key differences
between a naturopathic and an allopathic physician are apparent if we look at
how each doctor views both health and disease.
To illustrate the differences, let’s take a look how each views and addresses
the infection equation. The infection equation is like a mathematical equation,
such as 1+2=3.
In the infection equation, the outcome is determined by the interaction of a
person’s immune system with the infecting organism. In other words,
immunity plus infection equals state of health.
A naturopathic doctor tends to use treatments designed to enhance the
immune system, while most allopathic doctors tend to use treatments
designed to kill the infecting organism. Naturopathic medicine addresses the
cause, whereby allopathic medicine treats the symptoms.
Allopathic physicians have long been obsessed with the agent that causes
infection rather than with the immune system of the patient. This obsession
began with Louis Pasteur, the 19th century researcher.
Pasteur played a major role in the development of the germ theory. This
theory holds that different diseases are caused by different infectious
organisms.
Much of Pasteur’s life was dedicated to finding substances that would kill the
infecting organisms.
Pasteur—and others who pioneered effective treatments for infectious
diseases—gave us a great deal for which we can be thankful. However, there
is more to the infection equation than the virility of the infecting organism.
Another 19th century French scientist, Claude Bernard, also made major
contributions to medical understanding. But Bernard had a different view of
health and disease.
Bernard believed that the state of a person’s internal environment was more
important in determining disease than the infecting organism or the pathogen
itself.
In other words, Bernard believed that the internal “terrain” or the susceptibility
of an individual to infection, was more important than the germ.
Physicians, he believed, should focus more of their attention on making this
internal terrain an inhospitable place for disease to flourish.
Bernard’s theory led to some interesting studies. In fact, a firm advocate of
the germ theory would find some of these studies to be absolutely crazy.
One of the most interesting studies was conducted by a Russian scientist
named Elie Metchnikoff, who discovered white blood cells.
He and his research associates consumed cultures that contained millions of
cholera bacteria, yet none of them developed cholera. The reason: their
immune systems were not compromised.
Metchnikoff believed, like Bernard, that the correct way to deal with infectious
disease was to focus on enhancing the body’s own defenses. Mainly the
immune system.
During the last part of their lives, Pasteur and Bernard engaged in scientific
discussions on the virtues of the germ theory and Bernard’s perspective on
the internal terrain.
On his deathbed, Pasteur (supposedly) said:
“Bernard was right. The pathogen is nothing. The terrain is everything.”
Unfortunately, Pasteur’s legacy is the obsession with the pathogen; modern
medicine has largely forgotten the importance of the “terrain.”
By: Dr. Brett Smith, N.D.
Article: Natural Medicine: The New Modern Medicine?
www.encognitive.com/node/1218
