Speak to any Naturopath, and they will tell you about the clients who wait until the very last minute to start seeing a naturopath.
It’s their last attempt. The final go at getting their health on track.
I’m going to discuss why you should not wait until the last minute to see a naturopath.
Let’s talk: Procrastination
Yeah, we’ve all done it.
Left it until the last minute to pack your bag for a big flight, submit a work project the night before the deadline or decide that Christmas Eve would be an appropriate time to stock up on festive season gifts.
Procrastination is the hallmark of the modern chaotic world that we live in.
We put things off because we are overwhelmed, stressed, or unsure how to prioritise our time.
But how does this relate to seeing a naturopath?
In some ways, people will put off seeing a naturopath because, deep down, they know what they’ve been doing has been wrong. I’m talking about things like not exercising since 1983 and secretly eating a packet of TimTams every night after dinner.
They know that they will have to change their ways, and perhaps their relationship with food and exercise will need to be adjusted.
I get that; it makes sense that it’s difficult to speak to a practitioner and honestly and openly discuss some of the adult decisions you’ve been making and how they have influenced your well-being.
So, if you belong to this group of people who know that they need to make some changes to their lives to manage their health issues, it makes sense that they would put it off until the last minute.
And you and I both know that the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to turn that ship around.
The magic wand of alternative medicine
But what if you have in your head that you only need to visit a naturopath once, and they wave their magic wand, prescribe some vitamin C and lavender oil, and all will be well again?
I think the biggest thing with this whole concept of how a naturopath works has been skewed by the idea that Naturopathy is ‘alternative’ medicine.
But the underlying philosophy of naturopathy isn’t meant to be an alternative; it’s meant to work WITH what you already have. Whether that be pharmaceutical medicines, the effects of surgery, or you are seeing some other kind of practitioner.
It’s not a matter of – either /or, as in taking this drug or this vitamin.
Naturopathy (well, the underlying nature care philosophy) is wholistic – considering your whole being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Is naturopathy your last hope?
So this idea that you can leave seeing a naturopath to the very last minute after you’ve tried everything else and have thrown your hands up in the air and said:
“Well, I might as well go to a naturopath then. It’s my last hope.”
Then, you miss out on the best part of naturopathy as a healing modality.
Naturopathy gains momentum when used as preventative medicine. It identifies health issues before they become problematic or even medically diagnosable and then uses a holistic approach to finding a path to well-being.
The longer you leave symptoms unchecked and allow a disease process to take hold, the harder it becomes for a naturopath (or any other natural health practitioner) to help reverse these imbalances and get you feeling better.
The bit about the Holden Gemini
Okay. Let me use an example. Imagine having a 1978 Holden Gemini, a cute little two-door with original hubcaps in a gorgeous metallic blue.
Yeah, that was my first car.
She’s done a few Ks, and she’s running a bit rough. You admit that you haven’t changed the oil for two years, and the tyres look smooth as a baby’s bottom.
That’s not the only problem, though. When you finally take it to get the rego renewed, the mechanic points out a slew of health issues with your car. Bald tyres and ancient oil are just some of the obvious things they can see.
The mechanic mumbles something about taking better care of your car and gives you a quote and time frame to complete the work but refuses to start work without a deposit for the job and your agreement that you will take better care of your car in the future.
You quickly scan through the quote, and it all adds up to more than the market value of the car, and you also wonder:
“How the heck did it get that bad?”
Granted, most people wouldn’t leave their cars to crumble around them.
But what about your health?
You might get yearly bloods done with your GP after you hit 40. These might show that your cholesterol has been going up for the last five years, and your GP has suggested statins; everything else is in the normal range, but you can’t drag yourself out of bed before 10 am, and you need a mirror to see anything below your midline.
Perhaps I’ve strayed a little.
But you can see where I’m going here.
When used as a philosophy of healing, naturopathy is one of the most effective ways to understand your health and take better control of your health.
To fully utilize naturopathic medicine, one must be willing to surrender old ways of viewing health and take responsibility for one’s actions (past and present).
Naturopathic medicine is not about prescribing a tablet or capsule; it is NOT meant to be an alternative to another modality. It is an all-encompassing holistic approach to well-being.
It’s not something you should leave as the last option for your health if you seriously want to care for your well-being.
Now, I did suggest that you shouldn’t wait until it’s too late to see a naturopath. But really, it’s never too late to start looking after your health.
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