The document discusses the principles of naturopathy and yoga, focusing on holistic health and disease prevention through natural means. It emphasizes detoxification, the importance of a balanced lifestyle, and the concept of vital forces within the body. Key practices include ashtanga yoga and various naturopathic treatments aimed at removing toxins and promoting overall well-being.

1. Health & Disease –
Naturopathy and Yogic Perspective
Dr. Neelam Verma,
M.A., N.D. (Osmania Univ., Hyd.),
Greenwoods Centre for Healthcare and Rehabilitation,
Pradhan Nagar,
Siliguri, W.B.

2. Topics to be
discussed:
•Yoga
•Naturopathy

3. Yoga

4. Panchakosha: Five Layers of Our Existence

5. What Causes Disease?
Bad
Intelligence
(Ego/
Selfishness)
Bad
Emotions
(Overeating,
Anger,
Confusion,
Greed, Pride,
Jealousy)
Bad
Circulation
(Poor
Breathing,
Poor Blood
Circulation,
Poor Excretion
etc.)
DISEASE
(Diabetes,
Stroke, Heart
Attack ,
Obesity,
Constipation,
Anxiety,
Depression,
Brain
Disorders
etc.)
Vijnanamaya Kosha
Manomaya Kosha
Pranamaya Kosha
Annamaya Kosha

6. Ashtanga
yoga
How To Prevent and Cure Diseases?

7. Ashtanga yoga- the eight limbed path
• Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
• Yama refers to five things to establish firmly.
(1) Ahimsa: non-violence, inflicting no injury or harm to others or
even to one's own self, in thought, word and deed.
(2) Satya: truth in word and thought.
(3) Asteya: non-covetousness, and hence
non-stealing.
(4) Brahmacharya: celibacy in case of unmarried people and
monogamy in case of married people - with fitly clean thoughts in general.
(5) Aparigraha: non-possessiveness.

8. Ashtanga yoga- the eight limbed path
• Niyama refers to five things to observe (do):
(1) Shaucha: cleanliness of body and mind.
(2) Santosha: satisfaction.
(3) Tapas: austerity and associated observances for body
discipline.
(4) Svadhyaya: self study
(5) Ishvarapranidhana: surrender to (worship of) God.

9. Ashtanga yoga- the 8 limbed path
• Asana: Postures for preserving vital energy and harmonising body and
mind, if that can be. Fit postures for meditation.
• Pranayama: control of breath is conducive to concentration of the
mind.
• Pratyahara: withdrawal of the mind from the senses somehow.
• Dharana: concentration.
• Dhyana: steady meditation.
• Samadhi: the crown of meditation. There is conscious samadhi.

10. Naturopathy

11. Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a system of man building in harmony with the constructive principles of
Nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual planes of living.
• It has great health promotive, disease preventive and curative as well as restorative
potential.
According to the manifesto of “British Naturopathic Association” "Naturopathy is a
system of treatment which recognizes the existence of the vital curative force within
the body."
• It therefore, advocates aiding human system to remove the cause of disease i.e. toxins by
expelling the unwanted and unused matters from human body for curing diseases.

12. The basic principles of naturopathy are:
• The Morbid Matter Theory
• Acute diseases are friends and not foes/enemies.
• Chronic diseases are outcome of suppression of the acute conditions.
• All the diseases, their cause and their treatment are one.
• The concept of Vital force

13. The Morbid Matter Theory
• The basic cause of disease is not bacteria.
• Bacteria develop after the accumulation of morbid matter or toxins when a
favourable condition for their growth develops in the body.
• Basic cause is morbid matter and not the bacteria.
• Toxins and waste products are generated during the process of
metabolism.
• Toxin is produced due to improper digestion of the food, which does not
get absorbed and assimilated or excreted through normal channels but
remains in the G.I tract. With continuing causative factors, toxins
accumulate in the body.

14. The Morbid Matter Theory
• Accumulation of toxins is the cause of majority of diseases arising within our
body body..
• Normally, these toxins are excreted out as body’s waste, but due to incorrect diet
and lifestyle and negative mental attitude, these toxins start accumulating in
the body and eventually cause the disease.
• Therefore, the basis of all treatment in naturopathy is to assist body in removing
these accumulated toxins through normal channels.
• The process of cure of the any disease consists largely in purifying the body of
morbid materials detoxifcation.
• Detoxification is achieved by Fasting, dietary changes and external treatments
that support the inherent healing forces to detoxify itself.

15. Acute diseases are friends and not foes.
• Every acute disease is the result of a purifying and self healing effort of
the body.
• Acute disease like fever, cold, diarrhoea are caused as a result of body’s
efforts to remove toxins.
• These symptoms are not serious, by letting these bodily cleansing
processes do its job patiently, we can help the body heal itself.
• Normally, these diseases get cured on their own.
• Role of the doctor : to see that the patient does not end up with
physiological complication like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and so
forth.

16. Chronic diseases are outcome of suppression
of the acute conditions
• Continued accumulation of toxins eventually leads to chronic conditions such as
asthma, kidney problems, rheumatism, diabetes, etc.
• Chronic conditions can be treated depending upon,
extent of accumulation of the morbid matter
Strength of vital force
Preparedness of the patient to undergo the treatment patiently
Extent of damage due to prolonged condition and prior
medication
Faith in naturopathy

17. All the diseases, their cause and
their treatment are one
• In other words, all the diseases are similar in nature. They have a
common cause and therefore, can be cured through a common
treatment.
• According to Henry Lindlahr, the cause of all diseases could be
attributed to,
Lowered vitality
Abnormal composition of vital Fluids i.e., (blood,
lymph, cytoplasm) and
Accumulation of toxins

18. All the diseases, their cause and
their treatment are one
• When treating any disease naturopathically, the emphasis is on,
Return to natural habits and diet
Rest and relaxation
Exercise
Conservation of vital force
Elimination of toxins
Positive thinking

19. The concept of Vital force
• Vital force is the primary force coming from the great central source
of all life.
• It is the force that is responsible for all kinds of signs of life in the
body e.g. breathing,movement, metabolic activities, etc.
• It is the force acting in and through every atom, molecule and cell in
the human body that always endeavors to repair and heal the
tissues and restore the homeostasis to the perfect type,
• Vital force can also be termed as Prana

20. Other salient features……..
• It is believed that nature is the greatest healer. Body has the capacity
to prevent itself from diseases and regain health if unhealthy, if
appropriate environment is provided.
• After emerging, supressed diseases can be cured by naturopathy.
• The concept of healing crisis and withdrawal symptoms.
• The person is treated as a whole and not just the disease or the
affected organ/s.
• Nature cure treats physical, mental, social and spiritual, all four
aspects of health at the same time

21. Other salient features…….
• The holistic approach involves healing the mind, body and soul by
attaining physical and mental balance.
• Food is the only medicine in naturopathy Medicines or herbs are not
used in naturopathy.
• Faith and Prayer play an important role in nature cure

22. Treatment modalities in naturopathy
• One must arrest the sickness before expecting any cure… ???? How???
Bodily detoxifcation (detox or purification of bodily tissues, organs and systems)
• Detoxification can be achieved through
Fasting &
Eliminative diet by increasing Fruits and vegetable content in the diet.
Detoxifying the mind
• Body and mind are interrelated.
• Purifying the mental and psychological processes are integral part of naturopathic
treatment.
• Yoga, pranayama, relaxation, meditation, counseling, helps to purify the mind.

23. Naturopathy treatments are administered to remove the toxins and bodily
wastes from the body by natural means.
Commonly used nature cure treatments include
steam therapy,
Sun bath,
hydrotherapy (Hip bath, Immersion bath, Spinal bath, Jetsprays, enema,
mud therapy,)
massage,
chromo therapy,
Exercise and physiotherapy,
Yogic techniques, (Sukshama kriya, Suryanamaskar, asana, pranayama,
bandha, yoga nidra, etc..)

24. Mud Pack

25. Mud Pack Chest Pack

26. Hip Bath

27. Spinal Bath

28. Immersion Bath

29. Spinal Spray Bath

30. Arm Bath

31. Underwater Massage

32. Enema

33. Hot & Cold Fomentation

34. Wet Sheet Pack

35. Colour Therapy

36. Sun Bath

37. Hot Foot Bath Foot & Arm Bath

38. Hot Foot Bath Foot & Arm Bath

39. Returning to a healthy Lifestyle
“Lifestyle depends upon Food and sleep”
Adapting to a healthy and natural lifestyle requires:
• adapting to a natural and balanced diet and eating habits,
• correct exercise regimen,
• regularizing daily routines,
• giving up harmful and unnecessary habits,
• taking adequate rest and relaxation,
• improving the mental attitude,
• reducing dependency on modern gadgets, etc.

40. • Disease is a summary of :
What you eat,
What you drink,
What you think,
What you breathe,
And most importantly….,
What you don’t eliminate…!!!
Thank you…. 