Naturopathy

Naturopathy treats the person not just the symptoms or disease. At Tryfoss Therapies emphasis is on the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle in the maintenance of emotional, physical and spiritual well being. Clients are encouraged to take responsibility for their health and given information which will motivate them to make beneficial lifestyle and dietary changes. The basic philosophy suggests that the body has a natural ability to heal itself, when supported through difficult times using the most natural and least invasive therapy available. By integrating conventional health sciences with a range of natural therapies and traditional medicines, Naturopathy  'holistically' treats the patient's mental, emotional and physical states for a more lasting effect.

The Role of the Naturopath

Naturopaths do not replace GPs. A naturopath offers an alternative philosophy and methodology to the treatment of illness, and will often spend longer in consultation with the client. An initial appointment with a Naturopath may take between 1-2 hours in which your medical history and general lifestyle will be reviewed in order to determine a naturopathic treatment regimen suited to your individual needs. Professional herbalists of the 21st century combine rich herbal traditions with modern scientific knowledge and often use diagnostic procedures such as physical exams, blood and urine analysis to establish a treatment and health-promoting program. In other situations where conventional medical procedures are required, a Naturopath can offer support in assisting recovery and restoring health through the use of Herbal and Homoeopathic Remedies, Bach flowers, Nutritional advice, Counseling, Meditation, Hypnotherapy and Remedial Bodywork such as Bowen Therapy and Massage.

Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine is a major part of Natural and Complementary Medicine practice, The majority of herbs used in herbal medicine in Australia are natives of Europe or America. Usually the herbs are prescribed in liquid form as extracts, tinctures or infusions, i.e. herbs steep in water. The tinctures are prepared in an alcohol and water solute, and provide concentrated doses of the medicinal part of the plant . Various parts of the plant are employed for their medicinal action. In the case of Lemon Balm the medicine is prepared from the leaves. However, in the case of Echinacea the medicine is prepared from the root stock. Herbal medicines impart many different 'flavours'. They range from being sweetly pleasant and aromatic as in the case of Lemon Balm and Olive Leaf, to being pungent, bitter and 'earthy' tasting as in the case of Echinacea. The actions of herbal medicines are well-documented  and have been shown to be beneficial to the treatment of a range of ailments, in particular chronic disorders such as recurrent headaches, arthritis, skin disorders, allergies, digestive problems, menstrual conditions and emotional conditions related to stress, anxiety and depression.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a system of natural medicine formalised in the late 18th century by Samuel Hahnemann. It attempts to stimulate the body's natural defenses or inherent vital energy, by administering highly diluted doses (energetically potentialised remedies) of plant, mineral and animal substances. The remedies are based on the theory that "like cures like". The selection of the remedies is based on the Law of Similars which suggests that the remedies chosen are those that would cause the symptoms of a certain illness in one who is healthy, in order to stimulate the body's natural defenses to heal those same symptoms in one who is ill. The word homeopathy comes from the Greek word 'homeos' meaning similar and 'pathos' meaning suffering. Remedies are tailored to the clients symptoms. It is particularly effective in treating chronic illnesses that fail to respond to conventional treatment.