A natural therapist is a healthcare professional who uses various techniques to heal or prevent illness in a person’s mind or body. A person in this profession may work alone or with a medical doctor or other primary care provider as a primary care provider. A doctor, chiropractor, or other healthcare professional may refer a patient to a natural therapist in some cases. Traditional doctors may use techniques that are very different from those used by this type of provider.
A natural therapist’s first step might be to assess his or her patient’s lifestyle. If a patient is overweight, smokes, or is sedentary, lifestyle changes may be suggested before any other treatments are prescribed. A natural health professional may recommend a healthy diet consisting of whole, fresh foods, as well as an exercise program, a smoking cessation plan, and other lifestyle changes. The overall goal is to encourage the patient to adopt a more natural, organically healthy lifestyle.
The natural therapist may recommend vitamin supplements after a patient has committed to making any necessary lifestyle changes. A multivitamin or specific nutritional supplements may be appropriate depending on whether the patient wants to improve his or her overall health or reduce or eliminate the need for prescription medications for specific health issues. The natural therapist should be well-versed in which herbs, vitamins, and other supplements are best for which ailments.
Because a natural therapist believes that a person’s physical health is influenced by his or her mental and spiritual health, the therapist may suggest yoga, meditation, or other stress-relieving techniques. If necessary, the therapist may provide or recommend mental health counseling. He or she may also give patients advice on how to get better sleep, which can benefit their health.
Natural therapies differ from conventional medicine in a number of ways. Some therapies are complementary, meaning they can be used in addition to traditional treatments, while others are far from what a doctor would recommend. Others may be prescribed only up to a certain point in the course of an illness, after which traditional surgery or drugs may be used as a last resort. The goal is frequently to assist a patient in achieving good health without the use of drugs or other traditional therapies, while also avoiding putting him or her at risk of an improperly managed illness.