The 'Food Matters' Approach To Natural Health And Healing
LAURENTINE TEN BOSCH
Natural Ways To Help Manage Disease
When I first started studying nutrition about ten years ago, there was one question that always played on my mind - "Why did it take me the best part of twenty years on this earth to learn that there are natural ways to overcome disease?".
It was a simple question and should have had a simple answer, but the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. I couldn’t remember being taught any of this information during my formative years of learning and development at school. I couldn’t remember any of my doctors presenting these sorts of options to me before prescribing pharmaceutical one-pill-wonders.
It seemed unfathomable that the ancient wisdom of natural healing had somehow been swept under the rug, while allopathic medicine rose to prominence and established itself as the “only option” in modern healthcare.
The Book That Changed My Life
One text that had a significant influence on the formation of my natural health beliefs was Dr. Linda Page's book, "Healthy Healing". In it, she describes health as a lifestyle process that is rooted in wellness care, not just the treatment of symptoms. In her words, "the human body is a beautifully designed healing system that can solve most of its problems without outside intervention and even when outside help is needed, healing is enhanced if the patient can be kept free of emotional trauma, depression, and panic".
Numerous medical schools still don't integrate disease prevention into their syllabus, and although alternative therapy has grown in popularity, most physicians are trained to see only the disease, not the human being. This paradigm presents a substantial disconnect between the objective (healing the patient), and the process (treating the symptoms); a disconnect that I believe has formed the basis of most modern diseases.
Most traditional methods of healing acknowledged the role that emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing played in achieving a thriving physiological state. This belief was rooted in the understanding that our bodies possess an in-built capacity to heal themselves when given the chance.
Symptoms such as fever and inflammation were traditionally viewed as indicators that the body was attempting to repair itself, and with that understanding, the objective was simply to provide the individual with a restorative environment in which to heal.
Naturopathy - The Most Accepted Alternative Therapy
The most commonly accepted form of alternative therapy is probably naturopathy, which is founded on five basic therapeutic principles -
1. Nature is a powerful healing force.
2. The person is viewed and diagnosed as a whole.
3. The goal is to identify and treat the cause of a problem.
4. The physician is a healing teacher.
5. Prevention, prevention, prevention!!
Many naturopaths have educational backgrounds similar to that of conventional doctors, while also undergoing extensive training in alternative disciplines as well.
Clinical naturopaths are often trained in therapeutic nutrition, psychological counseling, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, massage therapy, herbal therapy, chiropractic and Ayurvedic medicine.
When combined with a modern scientific understanding of the human body, the alternative knowledge that naturopathic practitioners possess presents a robust capacity for healing and restoration.
Allopathic medicine, despite its remarkable advances over the last century, still seems to disregard a multitude of subtle factors that can influence a person's overall wellbeing and cause disease. History has shown us that most illnesses don't just fall from the sky and impact people at random. Diseases like osteoporosis, lower back pain, high blood pressure, arthritis, coronary artery disease, ulcers and hormone imbalances are more closely related to lifestyle and can be managed by a holistic approach to the overall wellness of the individual.
In an age where information is just a click away, the conventional approach is beginning to lose momentum. A growing majority of global citizens are choosing to do their own research before making decisions regarding their health, and as a result, we're beginning to see people taking control of their wellbeing rather than blindly following advice from a multi-billion dollar modern medical industry.
Our Story Of Natural Healing
After James’ Dad overcame his Chronic Fatigue Syndrome through a commitment to real food, we became passionate about providing a global voice for natural healing. Our vision of enabling everyday people to take control of their health became the foundation of the Food Matters story and continues to inspire us in everything we do.
I believe that the core element in the natural health revolution has been, and must continue to be, education.
When people are properly educated in natural healing, their actions and decisions tend to reflect a more logical, wholesome approach which not only benefits their own situation but also contributes to the vitality of our planet.
James and I created Food Matters to provide a learning platform for people all over the world that would allow them to explore alternative ways of restoring and nurturing their health. As the human species continues to grow and evolve, it is our hope that the Food Matters community will become an international healing hub, incorporating wisdom from all corners of the earth and empowering people for generations to come!
The Future Is All About Healing!
We have big goals and exciting plans to bring you even more inspiration and education to guide and support you along your healing journey in 2017! From even more exciting updates and events happening within FMTV, to new products, collaborations and even a new film! We can’t wait to help you in any way that we possibly can. And together, we just know that we can create positive changes in the world and highlight the importance and power of natural healing.
Has Taking A Natural Approach To Health Helped You Or Someone You Know? Let Us Know In The Comments Below!
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Laurentine ten Bosch, filmmaker of Food Matters, Hungry For Change and TRANSCENDENCE - Live Life Beyond The Ordinary and founder of FMTV. Along with James Colquhoun, Laurentine founded Food Matters, giving people the tools (films, books, website, TV) to take charge of their own health. Food Matters is an internationally acclaimed widely popular documentary about the medical and healthcare industries. Their latest documentary, Hungry For Change, reveals how the diet and processed food industries are the enemies of permanent weight loss, vibrant health, and natural living. From here, FMTV was born! A place where we can access vital information by watching all of your favorite inspiring documentaries, expert interviews & recipe videos in one place.