Basic Principles

Health is the greatest wealth.

(Basic Principles)

Most people do not know the value of their health until they are on the way to loosing it. For the past 50 years in our so called “civilized society” we have learnt to live on unhealthy, artificial food or “junk food” and by consuming huge quantities of medicines and drugs which cause more harm than good. They have given rise to new diseases in our body. This is on the rise and is not restricted only to laypersons, but has affected the doctors as well. We all have become victims of some kind of diseases or the other. In a way we are lucky, that in these modern times we have the latest technology at hand. But, unfortunately the fact remains, that we are still unable to find a cure for many kinds of chronic diseases.

Many chronic diseases can be cured through Naturopathy. Naturopathy is a distinct philosophy where various methods are implemented for treating illnesses or diseases without drugs and surgery, by eating proper food, hydrotherapy (baths), using five basic elements: sunshine, air, water, earth and ether; herbs, poultices and exercises. This science and practice follows physical, biological and psychological laws for the restoration and maintenance of the good health and correction of body disorders. In short, Naturopathy aims to stimulate the body’s homeostatic mechanisms to restore its healthy structure and its functions.

Patients can be cured from aches, pains and the medicines they have been used to taking for a long period of time with Naturopathy. I’ve been privileged to treat successfully thousands of patients who were suffering for a stipulated period of time and undergone all kinds of medications. A simple and logical therapy with a combination of proper food, therapeutic fasting, different kinds of baths and hydrotherapies have proved that chronic and acute patients alike can be cured within a short period of time or few weeks. They also gained confidence and their health was restored without taking any medicines.

I’m not a magician, saint or a God. So how was I able to achieve these fantastic results? The answer is simple, my patients followed and took my treatment with their full faith and diligently followed the philosophy of Naturopathy and recovered 100%. Now they are leading a very happy and healthy life and are totally satisfied with the Naturopathy treatment.

One can say that there is a power or a force, if you will, behind life and that is the power of the Mother Nature! Mother Nature has this unique gift of giving and taking life. We too have this to some extent, but unfortunately we abuse or misuse it by eating unhealthily and the wrong kinds of foods thus inviting diseases in our body. A person is in good health when all his physiological faculties are in perfect balance. But if one of the faculties goes off balance, inevitably the other faculties get affected too. And this directly results in some form of disease.

We think we have the basic education and knowledge of almost everything. But the most important fact we overlook is that we do not know how to maintain good health. According to my experience, Naturopathy and its principle (theory and practise) are the basic start for a good foundation of the health science. Correct and successful diagnoses can help the physician to help the patient. Our body is not made of any artificial source, but is the gift of Mother Nature. In Naturopathy, the main “junction” or the organ to be looked after is the stomach. If the stomach is functioning smoothly, then the whole system functions smoothly too.

The main concept of the philosophy of health is proven by Hippocrates, “the Nature Heals”. The basic as well as the root of human being is the philosophy of Mother Nature. According to my experience and knowledge since 32 years and independent practice in this field for 24 years it has proven every human being should develop the knowledge of basic principles of health. I explained and brought this knowledge to the attention of many senior doctors, professors and medical scientists after seeing the remarkable results of the patients. They themselves said: “Kumar, it’s great pity that people were denying and ignoring the value of this science”. Our health is our greatest wealth or asset, but it becomes a liability due to our sheer ignorance.

If the people were to sit up and take notice of Naturopathy, then they would be at a great advantage. Then it would be easy to diagnose their diseases and can be treated successfully by concentrating on the fundamental areas like case history of the patient, hereditary traits, present and past medications prescribed, present health problems etc. and most importantly; “the food they eat”.

There is yet another factor that one must not over look and that is: self motivation to get well soon and lead a healthy life. It has to come from the patient himself, with the support of the doctors too, to cure the patient and nurse him back to good health.

Usually it’s observed that health problems arise from faulty eating habits. The direct result is: indigestion, gas formation and constipation. These in turn form toxins, mucus and other morbid matters in the body. To add to these there are ever-present external factors like tension and the harmful and polluted environment we live in. And as if this is nothing, we add to the problem by eating unhealthy food and consuming strong medications, which add more toxins in the body, thus worsening its already bad condition.

When we buy any equipment or a car we get a manual along with it, which explains how to make it operative and to use it to its fullest capacity. We follow the instructions carefully because we know that if we don’t, we might cause some damage. We also know how to maintain our house, wash the clothes and the car, do our daily chores, buy good cosmetics etc. and spend fabulous amounts of money to beautify oneself. But do we stop a moment to ponder over what is happening to our body from within? Are we really taking good care of it? Are we really aware of what is happening inside our body? Do we?

Unfortunately the answer is in the negative. We treat it very poorly and casually by eating the wrong kinds of food, drinking and smoking, consuming anything and everything that satisfies the palate and the senses. We sometimes don’t even bother to think what will happen to our body after so abusing it. This is the root cause of all the diseases. We must keep a check on our diet to maintain a good health, which in turn will automatically take care of the mental stability. If the body’s resistance is low, then there is a strong chance of loosing ones mental peace and balance. And once that is lost, our body is unable to digest the food consumed and this leads to the loss of appetite or “natural hunger”. What is this “natural hunger”? Why is it so important?

Natural hunger plays a pivotal role in eliminating the toxic matters and wastes from our body and helps to prevent the diseases that would play havoc with it. When the stomach is upset, the whole system is thrown out of balance. The reason being: we eat wrong combination of food; the times when we eat are wrong or we eat when we are upset. We have to be sure that we do not eat when we are upset. The body must be at peace, the mind should be calm and in a happy state when we eat.

It’s interesting to note that nowadays we eat all kinds of “junk food” with wrong combinations, at the wrong time and in large helpings. When we are sick we keep on eating wrong food. And to add to this, we take medications in heavy doses for a longer period of time. The body has the inert capacity to take it all in its stride for some time. And it also retains the toxins in our system. But with the gross misuse that is happening inside the body, the energy that is supposed to be used by the body to carry out other functions is now directing it towards building the toxins and disease, gas formation, indigestion and retaining the unwanted substances in the body for many years. This throws the organs in our body off balance and causes damage to the organs and eventually causes some destructive disorders or diseases.

If one were to follow the principles of Naturopathy, we could stand not only a good chance of preventing diseases but also cure the chronic and acute diseases in a short span of time. Even if one has to take medicines, they can be taken in small amounts for a short time. Many diseases can be cured successfully if the patient is motivated and puts in 100% efforts and faith in Naturopathy. Patients whose organs are already damaged won’t recover fully, but will still be able to maintain reasonably good health with the help of minimal allopathic medication. Naturopathy can effectively prolong their life span without pain and keep their mental balance. I have observed in my practice that patients who were suffering from destructive diseases with pain and depression, were told by their physician that they only had a few weeks to live, came to me for Naturopathy treatment, and within a few weeks time with the help of right food, herbs and hydrotherapies, their pain had considerably reduced, had stabilized their health and lived for a few years without pain, depression and medicines. In this way, Naturopathy has helped me to treat hundreds of patients in the advanced stages of their diseases with really satisfying results for both the sides; the patients as well as myself.

I am not against medicine or operation, but if it is necessary, then it should be used for a stipulated period of time and not be carried on for a lifetime. Only the patients suffering from organ or hereditary disorders might have to take medicines for a shorter or longer period of time. Even these patients, on eating healthy food, can minimize the quantity of medicines as well as minimize the side effects. Eating positive and healthy food with moderate eating will reap four benefits:

• Prevent diseases;
• Eliminate toxins from the body;
• Fast recovery;
• No side effects what so ever.

Dr. Stephen Fulder, a medical research scientist, was convinced and informed the Director of the Community Health Council (UK) that hospital food should improve to a healthy food. He believed that healthy food when combined with the right treatment patients could recover quickly and could stay in the hospital for a shorter period of time. (published by the press)

When the food is consumed in the right combination and moderate quantity, it strengthens the immunity and vitality in our body. In it’s unique way, the body has the capacity to detoxify and reduce the side effects caused by the other medications. The consumption of positive food plays an important role. Correct diet can help the body to recover quickly and efficiently. The results have been scientifically proved and I have seen it for myself whilst practicing Naturopathy. Hippocrates had declared and I quote, “All the diseases are in reality self purifying efforts of the Nature. Give me time and I will cure any disease. Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. Nature cures.”

In this modern society, people have adopted consuming unhealthy food. It would be nice if people could take positive and healthy food whilst they are suffering from any problem, as this could expedite their recovery. “Eating wrong kind of food will only lead the body from one disease to the other and the person will become a victim of acute, chronic and/or destructive diseases, thus making ones life miserable.”

One of my patients from Zeeland, the Netherlands, was in advanced stage of cancer. His physician had told him that he had maximum 3-4 weeks to live. He was suffering from acute pain and was taking heavy medications to subside

it, but to no avail. The medicines had such a terrible effect on him, that when he ate, he would feel nauseous and vomit the food he had eaten. He came to me at this point of time, knowing full well how long he’d live, but he wanted to take a chance and be treated Naturopathically. I prescribed a diet for him, and lo and behold,! after two weeks of undergoing the treatment and following the diet diligently, his pain had vanished, he was feeling better and maintained very comfortable and balanced health for a long time..…much longer than the verdict his physician had declared! After a month when he visited his doctor, the good doctor jumped out of his skin to see his patient so healthy! And was further surprised to learn that he was eating well, without any complaints of nausea and vomiting. This patient even felt he could jog. And when he went for a check-up to the hospital after 8 months, the specialists there too were dumbfounded to see him walk in on his own steam in the room! They were seeing a miracle walking in front of their eyes in form of a patient whom they had written off some time ago.

Many cancer patients who have followed the diet prescribed by me when they were undergoing chemotherapy didn’t have any nauseous or vomiting sensations. This goes to prove that a correct diet is very important and essential for a patient who is suffering from any kind of ailment. The stomach is the main junction of every problem, which has to be taken care of. If the stomach is fine, then there’s no cause for worry.

In the past few decades, the health scientists had maintained that a certain amount of caloric intake was important part of the diet. Now it has been proved by American scientists that calories are not the most important part but, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are, and they must be an integral part of our daily diet. They have come to the conclusion, that a healthy diet and moderate eating habits not only keep the diseases at bay, but also prolong the life expectancy of a person. They conducted a research on animals and people and the results were aired on the National Geographic Channel in January 2003. They professed the same thing, which I had proclaimed 20 years ago. Diet is not just only calories!

One has to remember:

• When to eat
• What to eat
• In what quantity to eat
• The right / specific combinations to eat
• What food to be avoided / not to be eaten.

We can prepare hundreds of recipes, which are healthy, delicious, easy to digest and assimilate. If one were to follow the principles of caloric intake and consume lot of “rich food”, then the body could only build up toxic matters, which could lead to indigestion and constipation. It’s a well-known fact that a body can go without food for some time, by only drinking water and whilst doing this, the body needs full rest. This only can be done under the supervision of an expert physician.

The human being cannot be compared to an engine in the sense that, an engine can be made operative by giving it fuel. But the moment the fuel is cut-off / exhausted, the engine will automatically come to a dead end. The human being is a combination of three vital things- the body, mind and the spirit. Food is not to be regarded as fuel to run the “body machine”. Without food the “body machine” will still run for a certain period of time on the Nature’s energy such as air, earth, water, ether and sunshine.

When the natural food is being prepared in the right way it is called a healthy food or “sattvic food”. This food does not build toxins in our body, so it is easy for the body to digest it. Here I can state an example: 2 patients of mine were suffering from the same sickness. But, one was eating positive food and the other one was eating negative food; “rajsic and tamasic food”. They followed the same medications and within 48 hours you could see an astonishing result in the person who was eating positive food. This patient made a fast recovery and had to reduce medications immediately. When I proved this to senior physicians from the medical universities they were amazed!

Our body has the power like that of a turbo-engine: a wonder mechanism. But unlike the turbo-engine our body mechanism is a gift of Mother Nature. So natural healing is very important for the human body. When we have a healthy body it can give us a harmonious life style and this gift can offer us a healthy and happy life. “A healthy way of eating can remove all kinds of anger, depression, tension, fear, hypertension, aggressiveness, pain and aches.”

Nature has a strong healing power, it cures and gives life. Animals, for example, heal themselves when they are sick or injured. They instinctively stop eating or perhaps chew some grass, drink fresh water, stretch, rest, and get enough fresh air and sunshine until the natural hunger returns. You can see in this way, that by fasting the toxins from the body will be eliminated and the natural hunger will be restored and one can eat normally again. When humans are sick they take large quantities of medicines or undergo a complicated method of treatment instead of checking their wrong eating and living habits. In this way the body is afflicted by all types of diseases. The body has its own natural power to restore the health if we follow the principles of Mother Nature. Almost every disease can be cured through our own strong healing power. We have to become responsible for our own health by adopting a natural, holistic lifestyle rather than continue treating symptoms by eating medicines and wrong food. Medicine can be used for a necessary purpose for a short duration, if required. What we see now is that medicines are being used as a side dish throughout life.

Based on the theory of Dr. Andrew Tailor Still (1828 – 1917) the body is capable of its own remedies against disease and other toxic conditions when it is in a normal structural relationship and has favourable environmental condition and adequate nutrition. In my experience this can be achieved by the keen hunger and proper food. One should not judge the “hunger pangs” by the clock but instead follow the digestion clock. By that I mean one must eat the next meal only after the previous meal is completely and totally digested and it gives the signal of the “keen hunger”. In between the meals, drinking water is necessary to clean the digestive system and restore the vital force to activate the keen hunger.

One should eat only after noticing the presence of sufficient power to digest the food to be eaten, and not before. We should make sure that this power of digestion will be available until the digestion is completed, that is, the power may not be withdrawn at any point of time. On this qualification hangs a rule, which will be expounded later in its proper place. If this power is withdrawn, so as not to be available for the digestive function, then digestion will be suspended and will result in indigestion.

When the keen hunger is felt, the vital energy will be created in our system. It will eliminate the toxins and the body will tune the immunity. When the body has established the vital force, it will strengthen our immune system and will prevent diseases. If the body loses it’s digestive power then it will cause indigestion and the body will start storing toxin. Thus eliminating our vital force and it will reduce the rate of our immunity.

How do we know that the power in our body is sufficient to digest the meal? The answer is simple: by feeling the natural, keen hunger! And if one eats without feeling the keen hunger, then it will adversely affect their health. At this point of time a question might come to ones mind: how does one when suffering from long term sickness or having a deep rooted disease or those who eat without waiting for keen hunger, become healthy and regain their health?

When the body is frail, fatigued or the mind is disturbed, it won’t feel the keen hunger. And if the food is taken at this point of time it will turn into toxins in the body. True hunger arises only when the body is well rested, recuperated and the mind is calm and free from turbulent mood swings. Only then the food eaten at that time will prevent any ill health.

Loss of hunger causes indigestion, gas formation and constipation. In this situation the body loses its vitality and it will not perform its functions properly and add more toxins, mucus and other morbid matter into the system, which will lead to diseases. In the past the physician asked their patients four important questions at the time of consultation/check-up:

• Do you feel keen hunger?
• Do you have constipation?
• What food have you eaten today?
• How is your appetite?

Why did the physician ask these questions? They knew that the source of the problem was in the stomach. Because they knew very well that if the patient was not constipated, felt keen hunger and took the right medicine in right proportion and at the right time, then there was a strong chance for the patient to recover and feel better and discontinue the medicines and be cured completely.

Every human being must be responsible for his physical, mental and emotional well-being. Now-a-day’s people are adopting unhealthy life-style, getting weaker health wise, depressed and mentally unstable. There are people who are taking herbal medicines, Ayer Vedic medicines, homeopathy treatments, vitamins and mineral supplements, shopping for “health food” at special health food outlets and purchasing organic products. But the fact still remains, that in spite of all these things they still lead a life that is not totally holistic and normal. They switch over to herbal remedies without giving the body enough time to detoxify itself or if the results are not quick, they blame the doctors for not healing them quickly.

When the body is infested with destructive disease the Vital Power in the body is at its nadir or the lowest point. The disintegration of tissues starts and due to this loss of vital alkaline salts that safeguards the body’s purity and helps to keep up positive health, it starts accumulating toxins rapidly which consists chiefly of slimy waste, that is acidic in nature. It gets into the tissues and permeates in our body.

There are many differences in the human body, which are by virtue of our genetic inheritance. The human being has a big role to play in changing the genes in our body. This will also make a difference in the value of our life. The eating habits of our ancestors played an important role in bringing about the evolution in the modern man. These changes will occur gradually as the body has evolved by the eating habits through the years. Consumption of vegetarian, non-vegetarian and negative food also plays an important role in our body. When we eat the negative food our immune system becomes weaker as the toxic matters get stored in our system, which looses the vital energy so it becomes a victim to disease. On the other hand if we eat the positive food the body will develop the capacity to eliminate all the toxic matters and encumbrances from our body. A positive diet will assimilate in our body positively and will purify the blood rapidly to produce increased vital energy which will in turn perform one of the most instrumental functions: regeneration of new cells in our body.

One need not be a scholar to know that chronic diseases are causatively connected with our food, thus, for instance, that obesity, gout and diabetes owe their origin to over-eating and chiefly to the excessive absorption of animal-food; while kidney- and heart-disease, tumefaction (swelling) of the liver are only too often caused through habitual absorption of alcoholic drinks, which in their turn create a craving for animal-food and highly spiced dishes.

It is now no longer a secret that the very common disease known as calcination of the arteries is brought on not only by mental excitation and worry connected with the battle of life, but that, as often as not it owes its origin to over-eating and excessive drinking, producing a premature wasting away of heart and blood vessels. Also we frequently meet with cases of calcination of the arteries brought on by excessive cigarette smoking, and not a few pay the penalty of this enjoyment by an early death.

The resistance frequently opposed by the disease in the form of crises, must, on the contrary, stimulate the patient and physician alike to persevere in the treatment. The tissue affected by the disease often hardens and becomes tough. But, like the sculptor, who, -the harder the stone out of which he is to chisel his statue, - sets to work with all the greater determination to hew out face, body feature and expression, so physician and patient must work together incessantly, with the set determination of giving the living substance shape and body anew, in harmony with nature, thus restoring it to its original normal state.

Though, of course, the naturopath seeking the cause of the disease and how to cure it, will base his method of treatment chiefly upon his choice of food and nourishment which in every case must claim first consideration, he will by no means limit his attention to these, but will carefully watch their effect upon the patient day by day. Now this most important factor often becomes an impossibility in the case of the home-patient. Though we naturally assume that the naturopath is thoroughly the master of the method, the difficulty still lies with the patient, namely in the question as to whether he is in a position and willing to strictly and conscientiously carry out the prescriptions as to food and manner of nourishment. And here, I regret to say, the naturopath will often meet with obstacles which render it extremely difficult, if not impossible for him to carry out what is necessary to cure the patient.

Unfired or raw food is of importance for the intestines. In the first place, it stimulates them, cures sluggishness of the bowels and chronic constipation. Besides which, it helps to purge the bowels of any noxious bacteriae, even in cases where, as with most civilized nations, they have settled in the system and caused intestinal catarrh and produced intestinal poisons, which latter are the source of ailments, diseases and disorders appearing in other parts of the body. In unfired, raw food, which owe their origin to sunlight and sun heat, full strength of the plant is preserved, and passes unimpeded into the human system, to exert its full healing and strength-restoring potency upon the ailing and disordered organism.

Mankind has destroyed many Natural resources and developed many industries, which are causing harm and adding to the pollution. We are well aware of the consequences and if we keep this up, in a few years there will be nothing left for the next generations. Fortunately the momentum of awareness is building up to protect and save the environment and to restore our flora and fauna. We are promoting usage of eco-friendly products and professing the implementation of the four R’s of pollution free eco-system: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. If everybody were to put this into practice, then our next generations will thank us for giving them the best gift of a disease free life and healthy environment! Hence I’d like to earnestly say that we still have the time to take the necessary steps to give our children a better environment; a healthy environment. But then what is the use of having a clean environment if we are unhealthy? Now the time has come for us to take strong precautions for our living and eating habits. In fact our health and well-being is in our hands!

We all know that our eating habits, since birth, are wrong. Certain foods that we had been eating from our childhood are the foods we grew up with. It is not easy to give it up; even though somewhere deep in our hearts we know that some types of foods are bad for our health. When we eat food that is not good for our body and we eat it for the gastronomic pleasure, the body has the tendency to store this food and it also stores the medicines, which were consumed. All this will turn into toxic matter and this waste has no chance to get flushed out of our body effortlessly.

Positive food is easy to digest and the wastes are easy to eliminate from our system with the body’s own mechanism. The most important thing to remember is that if one wants to yield best results from Naturopathy treatment it takes few weeks to cleanse and purify the system. When the body gains stability during the course of the treatment, the body feels lighter and healthier. The person then will enjoy the efficacy of the treatment and general well being of the body. Later if and when the person eats the negative food again he himself will realize that he has gone too far with eating negative food. His conscious will tell him, that it is enough now and he will give up eating the junk food. He will feel compelled to detoxify the body again and he can do so without approaching a Naturopath. Naturopathy treatment is required when patients are suffering from chronic, acute or destructive diseases. During that period they should undergo the treatment under supervision of a qualified Naturopath, until the body reaches its stability. Of course it is advisable to do a cleansing program for prevention of diseases, for this they don’t have to go for intensive treatment. Only some people will get certain illnesses during the cleansing program which was already established in the body and which we are not aware of. On this case they need minor treatments.

There are many people, including physicians, entrepreneurs and politicians who have changed their life-style by eating and living healthily in their young age. They are successful in their careers and are leading a harmonious life. This is the result of eating and living positively. I can only urge you all to sit up and take notice of your life and think how you’d like to lead it. You can start by reducing the intake of coffee, tea and milk products and replace them by drinking the best beverage....pure water; herbal tea, reform coffee and fresh juices made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut out fat from the main meals and replace it with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as they consist lot of fibres and when combined with nuts, grains and beans they increases the nutritive value of the food. This will give you a good head start to a healthy way of eating and living.

Our body has the innate power to heal itself. Just as every living creature has the inherent vitality to heal itself. Therapeutic measures in Naturopathy encompasses a wide range of techniques which are designed in such a way so that the nutritional food (fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses and legumes), appropriate and specific diet, fasting, hydrotherapies, herbs, poultices and exercises help to relax, revive, rejuvenate, restore and most importantly promote the self functioning ability of the individual. A conscientious Naturopath considers his moral duty to explain to the patient why he is suffering from that particular disease, what he can do for himself to keep up his improving level of health and how to gradually change his unhealthy life-style for his well-being.

Hippocrates, V. Priesznitz, K. Schroth, Louis Kuhne, K.L. Sarma and H. Shelton professed Naturopathy. Their chain of theories has given me an insight and knowledge of this wonderful science of Naturopathy and the health philosophy of Mother Nature. Theoretical and practical knowledge are very important for successful treatment. This amazing science, which is in fact, a way of life, has given me great confidence and success in healing people in many part of the world for the past 24 years. Naturopathy is gaining its rightful place in this world and is gaining popularity with leap and bounds as well.

Dr. R. Suresh Kumar