Foresightedness is a virtue that has led to the evolution of humans since time immemorial.

And how can you not expect this quality in a man who is the ‘Father of The Nation’? What many people are saying today about health and healing, had been voiced ages ago by our very own ‘Bapu’.

Gandhiji did lifelong experiments in Health and Hygiene and that lead to his believe in Nature cure. He believed that the Human body is a wonderful and perfect machine. If it gets out of order, it can set itself right without medicine, provided it is given a chance to adjust itself.

If we are not self-disciplined in our habits of food etc. or if our mind is agitated by passion, emotion or anxiety, the body cannot eliminate all the refuse and that part which remains uneliminated turns into toxins whose presence gives rise to symptoms which we call disease.

The disease is an attempt of the body to get rid of toxins. If the body is helped in the process of elimination by fasting, cleansing of the bowels by enemas, baths and massages, the body could be restored to its normal health.

Here are the 5 excerpts from the book ‘Nature Cure’ by Mahatma Gandhi, that proves that he was a firm believer of natural cure methods:

• Disease is Nothing but a result of Negligence or Indulgence: We’re all aware that excess of anything is bad. Be it the excess of indulgence or excess of denial: both of these conditions give rise to disease. Gandhiji clearly states that man falls in the loop of eating more, having digestion issues, visiting a doctor, taking medicine and becoming completely fine. Then he again eats more and visits the same doctor to reinstate that vicious cycle. A doctor lets the patient indulge in a vice again and again on the continuance of a course of medicine.

• Nature Cure is education and not a treatment: Unlike the modern branch of medicine, nature cure does not sell the cure to a patient, it teaches him the right way of living. That knowledge, will not just help him cure on his own but also save him from falling ill in future. A nature curist’s method begins where an ordinary doctor’s treatment ends. It is a way of life in which there is no room for illness or disease.

• The Nature Cure methods use the basic elements of our existence: Our body constitutes of 5 elements, namely: Earth, Water, Ether (space), Sunlight and Air. These elements are the ones that are responsible for our survival and the cure of any dis-ease that we bring in our lives due to our follies.

1. Earth - He advised that increased exposure to mud can cure a lot of health problems. Use of mud pack on the lower abdomen can treat constipation and when applied to the head, it relieves headaches. Stung by a wasp? Our dear Bapu said – “Mud application relieves the pain of a wasp sting". 

    

2. Water - According to him, Hydrotherapy is a well-known and ancient form of therapy. If someone is suffering from a headache or fever, a piece of cloth soaked in cold water can be a boon. Hip bath and spine bath are two very famous types of hydrotherapy techniques. Wet sheet packs are also useful in Insomnia. 

    

3. Ether (Akash/Space) - As per Gandhijee, Akash is the source that can be used by us to regain health. Thus, we should try maximum exposure to the sky to enjoy good health. More the contact with Akash, the more he attained peace of mind and contentment. Just like nature constantly demands vacuum; our body needs digestive vacuum from time to time. The concept of fasting ensures that our body is in a balanced mode. 

    

4. Sunlight - Being the ultimate source of every energy on Earth, the Sun plays a large chunk of role in us enjoying perfect health. The role of sun-bath is as important as ordinary water-bath. In case of slow blood circulation in the body, exposure of the uncovered body to morning sun works as the best tonic that accelerates metabolism. 

    

5. Air - Living in the open, in the midst of fresh air from an early age leads to no headache or cold-related issues. Living in a constant suffocated surrounding that lacks fresh air can jeopardize with people’s health. Humans breathe by inhaling air and inhalation supports our life cycle. Proper inhalation of fresh air strengthens the immune system.

• 99% of illnesses can be cured without drugs - A well-regulated diet, Water and Earth treatment and similar household remedies are the cure of most of the illness a man can get. The one who runs to a doctor for every little ailment and swallows all kinds of mineral or animal drugs becomes a slave of his body instead of remaining its master.

• There is unity of cure as there is unity in disease - As per Gandhiji, all mental and physical ailments are due to one common cause that is subjecting yourself to excess of food, anger and sleep. It therefore natural that there is should be a common remedy for them. Nature cure treatments for all diseases are more or less similar except for some variations. It primarily consists of a natural diet, sun and water bath with plenty of clean and fresh air to breath.

Just like our Father of the Nation, being in sync with nature is what we recommend at Wellcure for a medicine-free and healthy life. Our ambition is to help everyone incorporate simple and natural living and healing principles in their life. :-)

By: Sumeet Kapur,

Founder, Wellcure.com

Source - “Nature Cure Book, Written By M.K.Gandhi”