Naturopathy to lose weight: what are the advantages?

If you have tried many methods when it comes to weight loss and all of them have proven ineffective, there may be a way to succeed in losing weight: naturopathy. A concept a little vague for some, decried by others. However, it must be admitted that naturopathy works well on some people who, thanks to its precepts, manage to lose weight sustainably. Zoom on this method that combines many natural techniques.

What is naturopathy?

1- Definition

The World Health Organization defines naturopathy as aset of care methods aimed at strengthening the body’s defenses by means considered natural and organic. It is also classified as the^3rdtraditional medicine practiced in the world, after traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine.

According to the Professional Association of Naturopathy, this definition is limiting, and the discipline should be defined as the promotion of global and sustainable health, which is based on the art of staying healthy, being an actor of one’shealth and taking care of oneself by natural means. Naturopathy takes the individual as a whole: his physical condition, his mental, emotional, spiritual, energetic state.

2- Disciplines

It is therefore apreventive therapymore than curative, which combines different disciplines. The major disciplines are:

• Diet: diet, nutrition, seasonal cures, mono-diet, fasting
• Physical activity, muscle hygiene and breathing
• Psychology: sleep, relaxation, stress management, sophrology

To these major practices, other techniques are added, to optimize the “life force” of each individual:

• Hydrology (showers, baths, hydrotherapy, thalassotherapy)
• Massages (chiropractic, osteopathy, drainage)
• Reflexology (plantar, shiatsu)
• Breathing techniques
• Herbal medicine (phytotherapy, aromatherapy, Bach flowers)
• Energy techniques (magnetism, Feng shui)
• Vibrational techniques (music, color therapy)

How can naturopathy help you lose weight and control your weight?

1- General principle

Naturopathy being a preventive medicine, it is mainly aimed at people who are in good health and who wish to remain so. But it requires a complete overhaul of the general hygiene of life. It can also have apositive impact on weight .

It is also possible to consult a naturopath to put in place measures to lose weight and/or maintain a so-called “fit” weight, that is to say in osmosis with one’s general balance. In naturopathy, we disregard the notions of diet, restriction and frustration. It’s about looking at weight loss from a different angle, andlooking at the causes of weight gain, rather than the ways to lose ittag. Also, the naturopath will first carry out a complete assessment of the person:

• An in-depth questionnaire on the person’s history, their background, the treatments they follow, their general lifestyle…
• A vitality check- up, to assess the person’s temperament, constitution and vitality.
• A personalized program , with lifestyle advice and complementary therapies.

2- Reasons for weight loss

With regard to weight loss, the naturopath will determine the reason(s) for the weight gain:

• Hormonal problem : menopause, thyroid dysfunction, pill, metabolic disorder
• Psychological shock : separation, unemployment, bereavement
• Plural and daily intoxications : conjunction of factors such as pollution (visual, olfactory, endocrine, etc.), a situation of loneliness or harassment, sensitivity to magnetic waves, inappropriate medical treatment, etc.
• Sedentary lifestyle : lack of physical activity
• Diet : eating disorder (hyperphagia, bulimia), toxic diet, poor combination of food intake, deficiencies
• Stress and sleep disorders

He will then formulate a personalized “slimming” program, by acting on the cause(s) of weight gain. It will also integrate into the program principles from the major disciplines of naturopathy, and possibly add elements from minor disciplines.

What are the principles of naturopathy to respect, if you want to lose weight?

The principles must first of all be part of a desire to change lifestyletag. Without motivation and integration of naturopathic principles, weight loss will not be sustainable. Once this journey has been accomplished, we can proceed with the change.

1- Diet conducive to weight loss in naturopathy

Naturopathy aims to rebalance the diet, so that it perfectly meets the needs of the person. There is no such thing as a “diet” as the recommendations vary from person to person. Nevertheless, some principles remain immutable:

• Choose unrefined, natural foods, whole grains and vegetables (preferably organic).
• Each meal should start with raw vegetables or soup.
• Eliminate prepared meals, sugar, cold cuts, preserves, confectionery, alcohol.
• Avoid dairy products and prefer goat or sheep dairy products.
• Choose your proteins carefully, prefer them vegetable, the consumption of animal proteins should not exceed 400 g/day.
• Consume fruit in moderation (2 max / day), and eat a handful of nuts as a snack.
• Chew, never refill, prefer “homemade”.
• Deviations are authorized, but only on special occasions (weddings, end-of-year celebrations, birthdays) and to the extent reasonable.

2- Physical exercise in naturopathy

Physical activity must be integrated into daily life, according to the principles of naturopathy. It is indeed inseparable from weight loss but in addition, it will contribute to good health in general, because it also has hormonal repercussions (adrenaline and cortisol, but also endorphins), psychological, emunctories (organs of elimination like kidneys, lungs or intestines), and on vital flows (blood, lymph, water). The precepts of naturopathy advise:

• A daily walk of 30 minutes per day and/or a sports activity from 1h30 to 2h, 3 times a week.
• Choose an activity that you enjoy.
• We can vary the sports activities, because each has qualities: gentle gymnastics for flexibility and stimulation of deep muscles, dance for its playful side, swimming for its effect on the circulation of fluids, cycling for its benefits on heart pump…
• It is necessary to integrate active postures and movements into daily life: they make it possible to avoid contractures and to stimulate the body.

3- Psychology in naturopathy

The psychological state also has effects on the weight, in naturopathy. Stress is particularly targeted, because nervous tension disrupts endocrine functions. Cortisol, nicknamed the “stress hormone”, has an influence on the metabolism of fats. When high, it encourages storage and therefore, weight gain. Some methods such as meditation, abdominal breathing, yoga and tai chi will allow you to let go and take a step back from stressful situations. Meditative techniques will also help to strengthen motivation and improve sleep quality, two particularly important data when it comes to weight loss.

They can be supplemented by minor naturopathic techniques, such as:

• Well -being Massages , which act on the drainage of waste and toxins towards the natural elimination pathways.

Naturopathy for weight loss: is it effective?

The main advantage of the naturopathic approach is that it considers the whole person. It does not act only on a single axis, but takes the totality of an individual into account and encourages the implementationof a healthy lifestyle for sustainable weight loss. Naturopathy does not correspond to a simple diet, which would be followed over a fixed period of time. It involves a profound change in lifestyle, which will have repercussions on the whole body – including weight.

Moreover, naturopathy does not deny or replace conventional medicine. It is also in perfect complementarity with other approaches.