Natural hygiene is more than just cleanliness; it's a science-based approach to health and its preservation. It involves understanding the natural laws that govern health and applying them to achieve optimal physical, mental, and social well-being. This article explores the principles of natural hygiene, its historical roots, and practical applications for a healthier lifestyle.
The Historical Roots of Natural Hygiene
The natural hygiene movement emerged in the 1830s, led by physicians who questioned conventional medical practices. These pioneers advocated for fresh air, sunshine, a good diet, and the avoidance of harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol, and coffee. They laid the foundation for lifestyle medicine and whole-food, plant-based diets, concepts often considered relatively recent.
Figures like Sylvester Graham, Russell Trall, and Isaac Jennings brought natural health and vegetarian diets to the forefront, challenging prevailing medical treatments. Dr. Herbert Shelton, born in 1895, further developed these ideas, authoring over 40 books on natural hygiene, including the seven-volume series "The Natural Hygienic System."
Shelton's work was influenced by the unsanitary conditions of the 1800s, where basic hygiene practices were often ignored in medical settings. He criticized practices such as denying patients fresh air and water, neglecting wound cleanliness, and using toxic substances like mercury and quinine as medications.
Core Principles of Natural Hygiene
Natural hygiene encompasses all elements necessary to maintain a healthy life, including what Shelton called the "primordial requisites" of life:
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- Fresh air and oxygen: Essential for cellular function and overall vitality.
- Sunshine: Vital for vitamin D production and mood regulation.
- Raw foods and clean water: Providing essential nutrients in their natural state.
- Exercise: Promoting physical fitness and circulation.
- Rest and sleep: Allowing the body to repair and rejuvenate.
- Cleanliness: Maintaining hygiene to prevent the spread of disease.
- Mental state: Cultivating self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-responsibility for a sound psychology.
Natural hygiene emphasizes the importance of avoiding "poisons," defined as anything that cannot be converted into living matter or is not considered food. This includes processed foods, flours, oils, sugar, and salt, which are common in modern diets.
The Natural Hygiene Diet
A cornerstone of natural hygiene is a vegetarian-oriented diet emphasizing fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. This approach aligns with the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations for a healthy diet, which includes:
- Staples: Cereals (wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rice) or starchy tubers or roots (potato, yam, taro, or cassava).
- Legumes: Lentils and beans.
- Fruits and vegetables: Rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, plant protein, and antioxidants.
- Foods from animal sources: Meat, fish, eggs, and milk.
The natural hygiene diet promotes the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods, minimizing salt, sugars, saturated fats, and industrially produced trans fats.
Health vs. Medical Care
Natural hygienists offer a unique perspective on health and disease, challenging the notion that increased spending on medical care equates to better health. Rick Carlson, in "The End of Medicine," argues that current medical practice has little to do with health.
While the medical establishment claims credit for increased life expectancy and decreased disease incidence, Rene Dubos, in "Mirage of Health," suggests that these achievements are overstated. Thomas McKeown, in "The Role of Medicine," explains that increased life expectancy is primarily due to higher living standards and decreased infant mortality, with little change in life expectancy for adults.
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Natural hygienists argue that the medical profession has widened the gap between health care and medical care, often focusing on symptom management rather than addressing the root causes of disease.
Understanding Disease: A Natural Hygiene Perspective
Natural hygiene offers a distinct view of disease, defining it not as a morbid process with characteristic symptoms, but as the body's attempt to restore normality. Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and inflammation are seen as essential self-healing mechanisms.
Interfering with these processes through drugs, surgery, or even "natural" therapeutics can hinder complete recovery. For example, fever, an increase in body temperature, is the body's way of increasing metabolism to fight off microorganisms. Suppressing the fever may provide temporary relief but fails to address the underlying cause, potentially leading to recurring symptoms.
Natural hygienists advocate for avoiding the causes of disease and using conservative techniques to support the body's inherent healing mechanisms when intervention is necessary.
The Two Basic Causes of Disease: Toxemia and Starvation
According to Dr. Shelton, the two primary causes of disease are toxemia and starvation. Toxemia results from the accumulation of indigestible, inorganic matter in the body, leading to systemic constipation and obstructed pathways. This toxic buildup can manifest in various symptoms throughout the body.
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Starvation, on the other hand, stems from improper eating habits and poor food choices, leading to nutrient deficiencies even in individuals who consume large amounts of food. The combination of indigestible foods and cellular starvation creates an environment conducive to disease.
Regaining Health Through Natural Hygiene
Dr. Shelton outlined three essential steps for restoring the body to optimal health:
- Eliminate the cause: Identify and remove the sources of toxemia.
- Restore nerve energy: Allow the body to conserve and redirect energy towards elimination.
- Correct the mode of living: Adopt a lifestyle that supports natural healing processes.
This involves a comprehensive analysis of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors to identify and eliminate contributing factors. Rest and fasting can help detoxify the body, while adopting a diet of raw fruits and vegetables, breathing fresh air, sunbathing, exercising, and getting adequate rest can restore nerve energy.
Practical Applications of Natural Hygiene
The principles of natural hygiene can be applied in various ways to promote health and well-being. Here are some practical tips:
- Eat a whole-food, plant-based diet: Focus on fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
- Avoid processed foods: Minimize consumption of foods high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fats.
- Drink plenty of clean water: Stay hydrated to support detoxification and cellular function.
- Get regular exercise: Engage in physical activity to improve circulation and overall fitness.
- Prioritize rest and sleep: Allow your body to repair and rejuvenate.
- Practice good hygiene: Maintain cleanliness to prevent the spread of disease.
- Manage stress: Cultivate self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-responsibility to promote a sound psychology.
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