- Naturopath
- Doctorate in Natural Science
- Expert in body ecology, nutritional re-balancing, natural and phyto-complementary food supplements

After receiving his doctorate in Natural Science form the Università degli Studi di Milano, Dr. Avoledo obtained a diploma in Naturopathy from the Libera Università Italiana di Naturopatia Applicata of Turin.

He delivered a thesis on “How the trans-disciplinary approach has contributed to rationalizing Naturopathy” (“Contributo alla razionalizzazione dell’approccio transdisciplianare in Naturopatia”.

For years his practice has been dedicated to soft techniques, holistic medicine, and natural products for well-being. Among these last items, primarily, natural and eumetabolic nutrition, herbal and phyto-nutritional products, food supplements, trace minerals, iridology, essential oils, and Bach flowers.

In addition to his work at SMA, he has his own private practice as a naturopath in Milan at the Centro Dojo. He is the referral expert in the Lombardia region for the Federazione Naturopati Heilpraktiker Professionisti (National Federation of Professional Naturopath Health Practitioners - FNNHP).

Within the Dada/superEva internet portal, he directs and manages the websites dealing with naturopathy and phyto-therapy and moderates their respective forums. He writes technical articles relating to naturopathy for Arte del Vivere-Shiatsu Do, a journal dedicated to bio-natural disciplines (DPN).

He belongs to the Scientific Committee and is editor of the informational articles of Naturalia Family Life, a magazine oriented towards family well-being. He conducts seminars and conferences on naturopathy and the bio-natural disciplines.

He is president of Salute Naturale, located in Abbiategrasso (MI), an association whose scope is the promotion of naturopathy.

He participated with the role of expert naturopath in the meetings of the Lombardia assembly that drew up the professional directives and training paths for operators in the field of personal well-being included in Legge Regionale n. 2/05, (Regional Law no. 2/05, Norms for the Bio-Natural Disciplines).

Dr Avoledo bases his professional activity particularly on the stimulation of the organism’s potential for self-healing and on the elimination of those factors which inhibit it.

Let's get to know Dr Avoledo better and find out more about Naturopathy by way of this short interview.

Dr. Avoledo, what does a naturopath do?

A naturopath is a professional who specializes in health and well-being, a field that is gaining popularity in Italy, as well. A naturopath differs from a doctor and other medical professionals even though there is frequent cooperation between these professions given the fact that he acts in a complementary role. The naturopath uses instruments and principles from naturopathy in order to help a patient maintain or recover the maximum state of well-being possible.

What is involved in a naturopath's work?

The distinguishing feature of a naturopath's work is that, instead of combating illnesses with surgery and more or less invasive treatments, he stimulates the body's functions and vitality thus fortifying it in a soft, non-invasive way. More specifically, a naturopath seeks to promote in a patient the most favorable conditions for a reactivation of his psychophysical equilibrium. In this way, the treatment helps to revive the capacity for self-healing that is innate and inherent in all of us, the vital force that every body possesses by nature. Naturopathy considers this ability an inborn feature in every living being; the naturopath works to maintain or recover this veritable “treasure” that a person has. He uses, in an integrated and synergetic way, various disciplines and methods that are strictly natural (such as nutritional re-balancing, food supplements, plants, essential oils, iridology, etc.) in order to achieve this goal.

Who goes to a naturopath?

Naturopathy is a soft bio-discipline that is appropriate in almost every situation and is also compatible with medical treatment that is already under way. Anyone who seeks to cure himself in a way that is harmonious with Nature can entrust himself to a naturopath. This type of treatment is especially beneficial for anyone who wants to learn how to become active in and responsible for his own health. As a matter of fact, the areas in which a naturopath has the most brilliant results are prevention, natural health education and the daily management of one's own well-being.

What are some specific problems for which naturopathy is recommended?

Naturopathy can be useful in a wide range of situations and people seek a naturopath's help for the most varied discomforts. This is the true strength of naturopathy: it's global. Since it's not a medicine - whether conventional or alternative - , its action isn't concentrated on the therapy for specific pathologies, but on complete re-balancing activities that are much greater, deeper and harmonious. The improvements in symptoms and prevention are the result of a natural and physiological self-healing process, not an action strictly geared towards curing an illness. This healing process is tied to a general improvement of vitality, in the same way as in the other bio-natural disciplines such as yoga or shiatsu. This particular approach allows the naturopath to be useful in an almost infinite number of cases. Here is a short list of some of the situations in which naturopathy has been statistically shown to be helpful:

• Problems linked with stress in broad terms (physical and mental tension, anxiety, nervousness, anguish, mood and sleep disturbances, palpitations, etc.).
• To overcome fatigue and lack of mental clarity, to gain more energy and become more active In the case of psychosomatic disorders.
• Gastrointestinal problems.
• To strengthen one's defenses against winter's discomforts and generally decrease one's predisposition for infection.
• To re-balance alterations in immune and inflammatory response.
• To lose weight and make personalized plans for weight control.
• When nutritional re-education is needed, by way of programs based on an individual's specific characteristics.
• For changes in the menstrual cycle and for other female disorders.
• For problems in the realm of sexuality.
• To loosen up joints and relieve muscular tension.
• To help with cellulite and fluid retention.
• To prevent the principle metabolic and hormonal imbalances.
• To integrate medical therapies.
• In all situations that normal medicine is unable to identify or defines as banal or discards as stress-related (the so-called CESE, Cumulative Effects of Sub-clinical Everything).
• To slow down psychophysical ageing.
• To get back into shape, improve one's general well-being and feel good about oneself.

What are some of the strong points of your personal approach? What do you concentrate on in particular?

Wherever possible, I try to pursue the following objectives:

• re-establish intestinal well-being, primum movens, in keeping with the naturopathic vision of many problems;
• re-balance the neurovegetative system (the so- called “stress axis”), that unfortunately affects almost all of us due to today's society and the rhythm that it demands of us;
• combat tissular acidification, often the origin of countless disturbances even though they may appear unrelated;
• suggest a proper diet. However, a naturopath doesn't prescribe diets (especially not the same diet for every patient), he selects and recommends a diet that is appropriate for the individual, based on his constitution and lifestyle. The diet that he suggests must be as healthy as possible, easily digested, as little acidifying as possible*, and rich in vital substances (enzymes, minerals, vitamins, etc.);
• modulate inflammation, which is a necessary bodily reaction. However, for many reasons and lifestyle errors, it's too often a dangerous fire that is constantly burning, thus creating damage at various levels and districts within the body;
• support the essential detoxification of the liver, one of our body's most important organs.

In short, I attempt to improve that which in naturopathy is called individual terrain by doing all that I can to fortify it. A terrain that is “reclaimed” after years of poor diet and a disorderly lifestyle allows for the deployment of all of a person's enormous vital potential. In this way, a person can feel healthy in the most complete, natural and long-lasting way possible. Avoiding the growth of weeds in our personal and precious terrain, nurturing instead the best fruits: this is what a naturopath does.

Dr. Avoledo, how many sessions are usually necessary?

There are no set rules. Usually one or two sessions are sufficient, although sometimes four or more are necessary. If a person puts into practice the suggestions for healthy living given by the naturopath and learns to become responsible and autonomous in the management of his own well-being, the treatments become infrequent and 1 or 2 yearly maintenance sessions are sufficient.

 We would like to invite anyone who is interested in finding out more about this subject to refer to the Eurosalus section dedicated to Naturopathy, naturopathic strategies and the FAQ. Any specific questions can be posted to the column Letters to the Naturopath.