title: Can naturopathy provide answers to the escalating health care costs in India?
abstract: There are substantial areas of overlap between naturopathy and public health, which include a focus on health rather than disease, a preventive approach, and an emphasis on health promotion and health education. Public health can look to naturopathy for answers to the emergence of chronic disease through natural therapies, many of which can take the role of primordial and primary prevention of several diseases. Some selected naturopathic therapies include nutrition, hydrotherapy, fasting therapy, yoga, behavioral therapy, and health promotion. We must reorient our focus on prevention and wellness to make a true impact on escalating health care costs. With the National Health Policy in India emphasizing the need for integrating the Indian Systems of Medicines with modern medicine, now is the right time for naturopathy and public health to come together to provide a holistic health care system.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Post Graduate of Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Jaya Prasad
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tripathy
keywords: cost-effectiveness; health promotion; india; naturopathy; public health