StG,

How many drugs....
Ummm the antibiotics, most antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihypertensives, insulin, heparin, cancer chemotherapeutics, reverse transcripase inhibitors, and antihistamines to name a few.
Most of these do not even correspond to a naturally occurring compound, and those that do have no pre-existing use in the raw form. Yes penicillin has a natural source but required extensive concentration from this source to be effective, nor is a "traditional" use of heparin or insulin possible.

How many treatments....
Ummm just about all the ones naturopathy doesn't endorse would be the glib answer but how about blood transfusion, organ transplantation, metal fillings, implanted prosthetics, anaesthesia (as a concept, not just the drugs), fluoridation. Not so sure here as naturopathy may well endorse all of these....

That being said, humans may be well adapted biologically to periods of fasting and given artifially generated plenty (agriculture) artificial privation might well be a good idea. Wouldn't do it without backup though....

Rusty.

TRTL.
Im always suspicious with unqualified medicines and health programmmes.
Ive seen too many stories of deaths because of hocus pocus techniques.

'Jesus fasts' I dont mind, though I would go for a shorter one than 40 days.
Many christians do fasting to hear from God...which they do.

I got no trouble with Jesus walking on water.
The Holy Spirit took the weight off Him like He did Samson (Judges chapters 15 & 16).

From time to time The Spirit of The Lord came upon Samson and he did supernatural acts.
God lifted the weight.
Ive had The Lord help from time to time when carrying heavy loads.
He lifts the weight off... and things are much easier.

Thanks Rusty.
That helped also. A fast for our cats probably wouldnt hurt them. They eat throughout the day...biscuits, snacks, little bits of roast chicken when we get it, milk is always on tap etc

Polycarp.
That was interesting about your friend who went into Scientology. Even committed christians need to watch what they read.
Ive known some who got caught up in New Age practices, for short times, until they were corrected.

New Age is only Old Age witchcraft practices.
Satan paints up the 'old thing' from time to time and attempts to sell it to a new generation thus the Old Age darkness becomes the New Age 'discovery'...and the young folk get sucked into the Old Age magic stuff.
*It becomes a personal tragedy for many when they realise they have openned a door into the demon world and cant get rid of the spirits and their chatter.

Ive got a good missus. She wont let me get near the grasscutting...hogs it all herself:)

Steel Mann.
I know about Pharmacy.

The successful use of plants in a 'naturopath environment' is primarily unknown to me because I dont know what naturopaths really rely on.

I do see many good uses of plants in modern authorised pharmacy medications. If the governments approve of a medicine and are willing to give out permission for its use I dont have much trouble with it.

I get a bit edgy when I hear of herbalists/brew stirrers etc who add some 'other thing' like a meditation process or a connection to an eastern religion.
We stay far from these practices including accupuncture.

There are rules StG.

The christians have been told in Gods Word to avoid the dark practices of magic and the myriad of things hanging off satanic (now New Age) experimentations.

Anything different, or unusual, switches on or should switch on warning lights in our heads.
The Bible is full of warnings from early on, right up until Revelation about practicing magic, clairvoyance, speaking to spirits, calling up dead folks.
Those things are on the road to hell.

Naturopathy is utter nonsense, it has no scientific basis at all, its only success lies in separating people from their money. "Natural" products can be as dangerous, if misused, as any drug, however they are usually completely ineffective (apart from producing expensive urine).

In my experience, those who deride naturopathy are often those young or fortunate enough to have good health. Or, if they have had problems, they've been of the straightforward type that conventional medicine can help.

When you've had a complete health breakdown, or developed complex and inter-related chronic conditions that doctors have no real answer for, you tend to look a bit deeper for solutions. Many in this situation find the holistic approach of naturopathy does indeed make sense and bring results.

Illness is rarely a random event, though conventional doctors will often give that impression, as in many cases they honestly don't know how to join the dots. A good naturopath will order a comprehensive blood analysis and urine and saliva tests etc and, if experienced and competent as in my experience they mostly are, will build up a complete picture of where the body system is breaking down. Often, the liver and the digestive system are an integral part of the problem, hence the first step frequently being to detoxify the system.

A good naturopath will establish the nutrients the body is deficient in and recommend the right foods and nutritional supplementation to correct the body's chemistry. Some will use herbal and homeopathic solutions, some won't. Over a period of time, results will follow. It mightn't be the quick fix gained by popping a pharmaceutical but, if committed to it, it will provide a sustained solution and one also that will very often prevent other health problems from developing.

Bronwyn,

I'm neither young nor in good health and I still regard naturopathy with derision. One advantage naturopathy has over conventional medicine is that its practitioners are prepared to spend some time listening to their clients, in contrast to the assembly line process of modern medicine. We have to consider the placebo affect here. The solution is to improve the real medical system, not to take refuge in some fantasy of alternative "medicine". Where are the proper scientific trials in support of the efficacy of naturopathy as compared with medicine? All we hear is special pleading from suppliers of naturopathic products for exemption from the rigorous standards applied to pharmaceutical products.