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.

Here I’m going to speak with you about why you shouldn’t 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’re overwhelmed, stressed or don’t know how to prioritise our own 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’re going to have to change their ways, and perhaps their relationship with food and exercise will have to have some adjustments.

And I get that; it makes sense that it’s hard to see someone and honestly and openly talk with them about some of the adult decisions you’ve been making and how they have influenced your wellbeing.

If you’re worried about seeing a Naturopath, read my article “Five reasons why seeing a Naturopath is scary” for some information on how to overcome these fears.

So, if you fit into this group of people who know that they need to make some changes to your life to get on top of your health issues, then it makes sense that you want to 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 go to a naturopath once, and they wave their magic wand, prescribe some vitamin C and some lavender oil, and all will be well again.

Well, if you’ve gotten this far into this article AND you think that that is how a naturopath works, then congratulations.

You are one step closer to understanding how a naturopath works and, therefore, closer to your health goals.

I think the biggest thing with this whole concept of how a naturopath works have 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 are missing out on the best part of naturopathy as a healing modality.

Naturopathy gains momentum when used as preventative medicine, identifying health issues before they become really problematic or even medically diagnosable and then working towards using a holistic approach to finding a path to wellbeing.

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 to reverse these imbalances and get you feeling better.

The bit about the Holden Gemini

Ok. Let me use an example here. Just imagine that you’ve got a 1978 Holden Gemini, a cute little two-door with original hub caps in a gorgeous metallic blue colour.

Yeah, that was my first car.

She’s done a few k’s, 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 thing, though. You finally take it to get the rego renewed, and the mechanic has pointed out a slew of health issues with your car, and the bald tyres and ancient oil are just some of the obvious things they can see with your vehicle.

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.

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?”

Now, granted, most people wouldn’t leave their car to crumble around them. In NSW, the government doesn’t allow anyone to neglect their vehicles by ensuring yearly checks are part of the registration process. Which I think is quite good really.

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 better and take better control of your health.

A willingness to surrender old ways of viewing health and taking responsibility for your actions (past and present) is required to make full use of naturopathic medicine.

Naturopathic medicine is not about the prescription of a tablet or a capsule; it’s not meant to be an alternative to another modality. It is an all-encompassing holistic approach to wellbeing.

And it’s not something that you leave as the last option for your health if you seriously want to care for your wellbeing.

Now I did suggest that you shouldn’t leave it until it’s too late to see a naturopath. But it’s never too late to start looking after your health and book in to see a naturopath.