Orthopathy (from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

ὀρθός ''orthos'' 'right' and πάθος ''pathos'' 'suffering') or natural hygiene (NH) is a set of alternative medical beliefs and practices originating from the ''Nature Cure'' movement. Proponents claim that

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

, dieting, and other lifestyle measures are all that is necessary to prevent and treat disease. Natural hygiene is an offshoot of

naturopathy Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as natur ...

that advocates a philosophy of 'natural living' that was developed in the early nineteenth century. Natural hygienists oppose drugs,

fluoridation Water fluoridation is the controlled adjustment of fluoride to a public water supply solely to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water contains fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by addin ...

immunization Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an infectious agent (known as the immunogen). When this system is exposed to molecules that are foreign to the body, called ''non-sel ...

, most medical treatments and endorse fasting,

food combining Food combining is a term for a nutritional pseudoscientific approach that advocates specific combinations (or advises against certain combinations) of foods. Some combinations are promoted as central to good health, improved digestion, and weight lo ...

and

raw food Raw foodism, also known as rawism or a raw food diet, is the dietary practice of eating only or mostly food that is uncooked and unprocessed. Depending on the philosophy, or type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may include ...

or vegetarian diets.

History and practice

19th century

The orthopathy movement originated with

Isaac Jennings Isaac Jennings (November 7, 1788 March 13, 1874) was an American physician and writer who pioneered orthopathy (natural hygiene). Biography Jennings was born on November 7, 1788 in Fairfield, Connecticut.Orcutt, Samuel; Beardsley, Ambrose. (1 ...

in the 1820s, who practiced conventional medicine for many years but became discouraged with its results.Orcutt, Samuel; Beardsley, Ambrose (1880)
''The History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642–1880. With Biographies and Genealogies''
Press of Springfield Printing Company. pp. 601–603Lelieveld, H. L. M; Holah, John; Mostert, M. A. (2005). ''Handbook of Hygiene Control in the Food Industry''. Woodhead Publishing Limited. pp. 3–4. Jennings' system was firmly opposed to all medicine and was known as the 'no-medicine plan'.Whorton, James C. (2016 edition). ''Crusaders for Fitness: The History of American Health Reformers''. Princeton University Press. pp. 135–136. He prescribed bathing, rest and a vegetarian diet as part of his system. In 1837, Colonel John Benson, Sylvester Graham and

William Alcott William Andrus Alcott (August 6, 1798 – March 29, 1859), also known as William Alexander Alcott, was an American educator, educational reformer, physician, vegetarian and author of 108 books. His works, which include a wide range of topics in ...

founded the American Physiological Society (APS) in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to promote Grahamism, which lasted just three years.Iacobbo, Karen; Iacobbo, Michael (2004). ''Vegetarian America: A History''. Praeger Publishing. pp. 36–38. The APS was the first natural hygiene organization in the United States.

Mary Gove Nichols Mary Sargeant Gove Nichols (; August 10, 1810 – May 30, 1884), also known by her pen name Mary Orme, was an American women's rights and health reform advocate, hydrotherapist, vegetarian and writer.Iacobbo, Karen; Iacobbo, Michael. (2004). ''Ve ...

lectured for the Ladies Physiological Society, an off-shoot of the APS. In the 1840s,

Joel Shew Joel Shew (November 13, 1816 - October 6, 1855)Kelly, Howard A; Burrage, Walter L. (1920)''American Medical Biographies'' Baltimore: The Norman, Remington company. p. 1045 was an American physician, hydrotherapist and natural hygiene advocate. ...

was influenced by the dieting ideas of Sylvester Graham and promoted natural hygiene practices such as bathing, exercise and massage as well as the elimination of

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

and

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

.Engs, Ruth Clifford (2000). ''Clean Living Movements: American Cycles of Health Reform''. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 96. Isaac Jennings in his 1867 book ''The Tree of Life'', defined orthopathy as 'from orthos, right, true, erect; and pathos, affection. Nature is always upright—moving in the right direction'. George H. Taylor who introduced Swedish massage to the United States in the 1860s was known to promote natural hygiene and

physical culture Physical culture, also known as Body culture, is a health and strength training movement that originated during the 19th century in Germany, the UK and the US. Origins The physical culture movement in the United States during the 19th century ...

. Taylor believed that correct breathing and diet,

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...

and mechanical massage could replace medical intervention and restore health. Natural hygiene was often associated with

vegetarianism Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism may ...

during the nineteenth century. However, not all natural hygienists are vegetarians.

Russell T. Trall Russell Thacher Trall (August 5, 1812 – September 23, 1877) was an American physician and proponent of hydrotherapy, Orthopathy, natural hygiene and vegetarianism. Trall authored the first American Veganism, vegan cookbook in 1874. Biography ...

was a notable early proponent of natural hygiene and vegetarianism. Trall established his own version called 'hygeiotherapy', a mixture of

hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. The term ...

with diet and exercise treatment regimes. In 1887,

Susanna Way Dodds Susanna Way Dodds (November 10, 1830 – January 20, 1911) was an American physician, hydrotherapist and natural hygiene proponent. Biography Dodds was born in Randolph County, near Richmond, Indiana. She was a vegetarian and advocate of wome ...

and her sister Mary established the Hygienic College of Physicians and Surgeons in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

.Fisher, Carol (2008). ''Pot Roast, Politics, and Ants in the Pantry: Missouri's Cookbook Heritage''. University Of Missouri Press. pp. 19–20. They focused on 'natural methods of treatment: diet, exercise, massage, electricity and hydrotherapy in all of its manifold applications'. During the 1880s,

Thomas Allinson Thomas Richard Allinson (29 March 1858 – 29 November 1918) was an English physician, dietetic reformer, businessman, journalist and vegetarianism activist. He was a proponent of wholemeal ( whole grain) bread consumption. His name is still u ...

developed his theory of medicine, which he called 'Hygienic Medicine'.

20th century

Natural hygienist

George S. Weger George Stephen Weger (September 2, 1874 – January 16, 1935) was an American physician and Orthopathy, natural hygiene proponent. Biography Weger was born in Baltimore, Maryland.Carr, Michael W. (1903)''A History of Catholicity in Northern Ohio ...

managed Weger Health School in

Redlands, California Redlands ( ) is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 73,168, up from 68,747 at the 2010 census. The city is located approximately west of Palm Springs and east of Lo ...

(1923–1935). Herbert M. Shelton who has been described as 'the twentieth century's premier natural hygienist', was influenced by Sylvester Graham and Russell T. Trall. Shelton wrote much on the topic, beginning with ''The Hygienic System: Orthopathy''Herbert M Shelton, 'The Hygienic System' vol. VI: ''Orthopathy'', Dr. Shelton's Health School: San Antonio, Texas, 1941 in 1939, which renamed orthopathy as 'Natural Hygiene'. Consumption of 'incompatible' foods in one meal is said to lead to ill health, and consumption of 'compatible' foods is said to maintain it: Shelton defined

and seven groups of food, sorted by function as: supplying energy (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) needed to build the body (proteins, salts, and water) and regulating bodily processes (minerals, vitamins, and water). White supremacist

Ben Klassen Bernhardt "Ben" Klassen ( ( O.S. February 7, 1918) – ) was an American politician and white supremacist religious leader. He founded the Church of the Creator with the publication of his book ''Nature's Eternal Religion'' in 1973. Klassen ...

was influenced by Shelton and natural hygienic principles and promoted his own 'racial health' regimen known as Salubrious Living.Love, Nancy S. (2016). ''Trendy Fascism: White Power Music and the Future of Democracy''. State University of New York Press. pp. 112–114. Berry, Damon T. (2017). ''Blood and Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism''. Syracuse University Press. pp. 92–93. However, Klassen emphasised there were differences between his doctrine and the natural hygiene movement as the latter did not focus on perpetuating the white race like his regimen did. Klassen co-authored the book ''Salubrious Living'' with

Arnold DeVries Arnold Paul DeVries (November 30, 1921 – February 16, 1996) was an American natural hygienist, alternative health writer and pioneer of the Paleolithic diet. Biography DeVries was born in Kesley, Iowa and graduated from Aplington High Scho ...

in 1982. Interest in natural hygiene was renewed in the 1980s following publication of ''

Fit for Life ''Fit for Life'' is a diet and lifestyle book series stemming from the principles of orthopathy. It is promoted mainly by the American writers Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. The ''Fit for Life'' book series describes a fad diet which specifies eat ...

'' and ''Living Health'' by Harvey and

Marilyn Diamond Marilyn Diamond is an American author and speaker on the topic of anti-aging and longevity. She is known for advocating a "cleansing" or "detoxification" diet. Career In 1985, with her then husband Harvey Diamond, she co-authored the best-selling ...

Organizations

In 1948, the American Natural Hygiene Society (ANHS) was founded by Herbert Shelton, William Esser, Gerald Benesh, Christopher Gian-Cursio,

Jesse Mercer Gehman Jesse Mercer Gehman (January 17, 1901 – 1976) was an American naturopath, vegetarianism activist and amateur wrestler associated with the natural hygiene and physical culture movement. Biography Gehman graduated from the American College of ...

, Irving Davidson, Jack Dunn Trop and Symon Gould. In 1998, the ANHS became the National Health Association. In 1956, Keki Sidhwa established the British Natural Hygiene Society (BNHS). The International Association of Hygienic Physicians was founded in 1978.

Criticism

Medical experts consider natural hygiene practices such as

anti-vaccination Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance, or refusal, of vaccines despite the availability of vaccine services and supporting evidence. The term covers refusals to vaccinate, delaying vaccines, accepting vaccines but remaining uncertain abou ...

, fasting and food combining to be

quackery Quackery, often synonymous with health fraud, is the promotion of fraudulent or ignorant medical practices. A quack is a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, ...

.Pepper, Claude (1984)
''Quackery: A $10 Billion Dollar Scandal''
U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 94 There is no scientific evidence that prolonged fasting provides any significant health benefits.Barrett, Stephen; Jarvis, William T. (1993). ''The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America''. Prometheus Books. p. 114. A prolonged fast may cause 'anemia, impairment of liver function, kidney stones, postural hypotension, mineral imbalances, and other undesirable side effects'. Claims from natural hygienists about fasting curing

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

are not supported by scientific evidence. According to the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

, 'available scientific evidence does not support claims that fasting is effective for preventing or treating cancer in humans'.Russell J, Rovere A, eds. (2009). 'Fasting'. ''American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies'' (2nd ed.). American Cancer Society. .

Founders

Isaac Jennings.png,

Sylvester Graham LCCN99406591.jpg, Sylvester Graham Joel Shew.png,

George H. Taylor physician.png, George H. Taylor Mary Gove Nichols.png,

Susanna Way Dodds 1893.png,

George S. Weger 1903.png,

References

{{Veganism and vegetarianism, state=collapsed Alternative detoxification Alternative medical systems Fad diets Fasting History of vegetarianism Holism Lifestyles