Naturopathy is often described as “holistic medicine”.  This means that the naturopath views the human organism as a whole, not a collection of parts.  If you have a problem with your skin, it is not separate from your liver, kidneys, or stomach.  Nor is it separate from “you” or your emotional health. The naturopath aims to achieve complete health of the whole person. Other terms commonly associated with naturopathy are complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ).

To become a qualified naturopath extensive study is required. Louise of Simply Natural Health Care undertook three years of full time study in Western Australia and excelled in a course founded on units in biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, pathogenesis, differential diagnosis and natural medicine. This comprehensive knowledge and experience enables Louise to view your symptoms as a natural expression of imbalance, whilst understanding the biochemical reasoning behind the disease progression. Treatment is aimed at symptom relief, whilst underlying causes are identified and addressed.

A naturopathic consultation is generally much more in depth than a routine visit to the doctor. It covers all of your body's systems, lifestyle, history, diet and emotional health. A diagnosis needs to be made for you as a whole, not just for an isolated symptom. For example, the hay fever you experience every year may prove to be associated with poor digestion. Instead of short term symptom suppression using nose sprays and eye drops, Louise will use herbs, homeopathics and nutrients to relieve your immediate symptoms, balance your immune system and improve digestion. Next year your hay fever may be greatly improved or gone, along with the constipation, tinea and dandruff that you thought were completely unrelated.

Because Louise is trained in pathogenesis and diagnosis, she knows when medical tests need to be performed and when to refer you to a doctor. Sometimes degeneration reaches a level where the body is not able to restore health through its own resources and drugs become necessary. However, natural medicines can reduce the dose of drugs required and may be employed to reduce the harmful side-effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Louise is very happy to work with your doctor to help achieve the best possible outcome for your health.