An Interview with Chuckie Daniel and Dr. Bill
Chuckie Daniel begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting has a Blog called “Riding the Lifetrain,” on personal, and community, interest issues.
Chuckie: I suppose the best place to start is to ask; what is “Naturopathy?”
Dr. Bill: Well, Stewart Mitchell, in his book, Naturopathy: Understanding the Healing Power of Nature, said, “Naturopathy is a philosophy which encompasses a view of life, a model for living a full life. The word naturopathy is a Latin-Greek hybrid which can be defined as “being close to or benefiting from nature.”
A traditional naturopath specializes in wellness. That is to say, teaching people, referred to as “clients,” how applying natural lifestyle approaches can act to facilitate the body’s own natural healing and health building potential. The traditional naturopath does not undertake to “diagnose” or “treat diseases,” but rather recognizes that the majority of sub-health conditions are cumulative lifestyle effects, and that the underlying cause of what we call “disease” (or, “dis-ease”) is improper diet, unhealthy habits, and environmental factors which cause biological imbalances leading to a weakening of the bodies’ natural defenses and subsequent breakdown in health. The practice of Traditional Naturopathy is not considered the practice of medicine and is currently legal in all 50 states.
From a legal perspective, the practice of Traditional Naturopathy is recognized as a common occupation at the Federal level (U.S. Congress 1928, 1929, 1930 and 30 Federal Court rulings between 1958 and 1978) and as such, it is a profession protected under the 14th and 9th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Several states have also made this stipulation either by statute or in the Courts.
All disease (dis-ease) is a “lack of ease” or lack of homeostasis in the body. “Homeostasis” is the ability, or tendency, of an organism, or cell, to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. What Allopathic (medical) doctors call diseases are only symptoms of a greater underlying problem. Disease is nothing more than a manifestation of our bodies trying to correct imbalances. These Imbalances are due to faulty nutritional patterns, improper rest, stress management and other lifestyle considerations which over time can result in a weakening of the body. By the time disease appears on the scene it is very late in the game!
Our body tells us early on when there is a problem and we can either respond to these “messages” or try to suppress the symptoms the body uses to tell us there is a problem. You can take Tylenol, or other drugs, to suppress the symptoms and they will help for a while but, unless the underlying problem is corrected, eventually the symptoms will no longer be suppressed by these drugs and one will need to take stronger and stronger drugs to quiet the body’s message.
Eventually, if the underlying problem has not been addressed, the body will begin to break down structurally. It is at this time modern medicine is finally capable of diagnosing something is really wrong and offer interventions to fix the structure, but still medical doctors fail to address the underlying problem.
Naturopathy concentrates on identifying destructive aspects of the lifestyle in the early phases, when lifestyle changes can occur to bring long-term benefit. Before symptoms manifest and long before a diagnosis can be rendered, these destructive aspects of our lifestyle can be identified and corrected. Once corrected, the body automatically begins to correct itself. Diagnosing disease and illness is totally unnecessary to correcting the underlying problems which result in disease and illness.
A true healer does not waste his time concentrating on naming diseases but rather on identifying those underlying factors, which if not addressed, will eventually result in the manifestation of disease and illness. These factors can be identified and corrected long before it is even possible to make any diagnosis. Even after a diagnosis is made, the same concepts of healing used by Traditional Naturopaths are equally effective; because once balance is restored, the body automatically heals itself!
Chuckie: Wow! That’s a lot to take in! Do what we think of as regular medicine and Naturopathy co-exist well?
Dr. Bill: Well, if you are in an accident, or break your arm, you should immediately go to an Allopathic doctor, a “regular MD,” and get the emergency care that you need! A Naturopath should be thought of as a “lifestyle consultant” that can help you see how to gradually make an improvement in your overall health. Many MDs and Naturopaths work together, in concert, in holistic clinics and “alternative practices.” Though, from my perspective, Naturopaths are more the “historical” healers of old, and Allopathic practices are the more recent, and therefore, “alternative” practice! But, Allopathic disciplines are what most people today think of as “medicine.”
Chuckie: Can you give us an example of a Naturopathic approach to relieving a condition in conjunction with an MD?
Dr. Bill: I have many personal examples of cooperative work with the medical profession. My own son was diagnosed with severe plantar warts that the podiatrist said would require either “freezing” of the tissue (which we were told would be very painful,) to minor surgery to “cut out” the warts! As our son was only nine years old at the time (he is now 17,) I did not relish the thought of subjecting him to such treatment, and possible “coloring” his view of the medical arts! So, in the two weeks intervening between doctor’s appointments, we used a simple, non-invasive orthomolecular treatment that I had learned during my Naturopathic training… my wife and I applied simple (non-prescription) Vitamin A in 10,000 I.U. capsules directly to the warts as a topical rub. We did this by breaking open two 10,000 I.U. gelatin capsules and rubbing the contents on the warts. At the end of the two weeks, when we took him to the doctor, the warts were gone! No pain… no surgery, or “freezing” treatments were required! The doctor was pleased, we were pleased, and my son was relieved that no further treatment was required as well (as you can imagine!) This is but a simple example of the benefits of Naturopathic knowledge combined with the medical profession in a synergistic fashion!
Chuckie: That sounds great! I think we have time for one more example of a natural approach to helping a condition; do you have one you can share?
Dr. Bill: Sure, however, keep in mind that you should ALWAYS consult your own healthcare professional before you do anything! OK? That said; I will share a personal story. I monitor my blood pressure, because like many folks, stress, and excess weight can bring on higher than normal blood pressure. Mine was borderline normal, but my MD was saying that we did needed to monitor it. So, I started taking an Ayurvedic herb called, Coleus Forskohlii. Now, it is important to point out that I am not on ANY pharmaceutical drugs! Coleus Forskohlii is very effective at lowering blood pressure, so it would NOT be appropriate to take it while on a blood pressure reducing drug! Anyway, my blood pressure came down to textbook normal levels, with NO side effects, or adverse interactions. To me, this is a great example of using an herb, which is basically just a food, to address an issue in the body.
Chuckie: Excellent! Thanks, Dr. Bill!
Dr. Bill Bailey is a Certified Natural Health Professional, and holds a doctorate in Natural Health in the field of Naturopathy. He also has a Ph.D. in Theology, and is a Certified Traditional Naturopath, certified by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB.) He is also a Master Herbalist, and a Professional Member of the American Association of Nutritional Consultants, and of the Coalition for Natural Health. He is one of the founders, and currently serves as the Webmaster, of the North Carolina Chapter of the Certified Natural Health Professionals. He also serves as Webmaster for the North Carolina Citizens for Healthcare Freedom.