“The power to heal lies within each and every one of us.”

~Andrew Weil

The Krankenhaus für Naturheilweisen (KfN) (hospital for natural healing methods), situated in the south of Munich, is a true embodiment of integrative medicine. Germany’s largest hospital for natural therapies is distinguished by its remarkable commitment to integrative practice and empowering patients to foster their own health and wellbeing.

The KfN started as a homeopathic hospital in 1859. Since then it has evolved, introducing naturopathy and an explicit basis of conventional internal medicine in the 1960s. Embedded in the rigor and science of conventional medicine and incorporating forms of evidence-based natural therapies, the hospital uses a genuinely integrative approach to ensure patients get the most comprehensive form of treatment possible.

They have both inpatient and outpatient care, and in all cases they conduct comprehensive diagnostics. Through their person-centered approach, treatment plans are tailored to each individual to address symptoms in the context of personal mental and emotional components, and life history and circumstances. For acute illness, they tend to focus on conventional treatment with complementary natural techniques, while for chronic illness, they use a multimodal approach with more emphasis on natural methods.

They treat a wide ranges of conditions, including, for example, intestinal, neurological, skin and spinal conditions, tumors, autoimmune disease, allergies, etc. More recently, they have seen a number of patients with exhaustion syndrome post Covid-19. They conducted a study on how effective their therapy is for this new condition and found a significant improvement after six months of observation.

While homeopathy this is still a crucial part of the hospital’s capabilities, they now have numerous other treatment possibilities for both acute and chronic illnesses. These methods include, for example, physical and nutrition therapy, movement therapy, phytotherapy, purging procedures, hyperthermia, homeopathy, and several more.

Importantly, the services of the hospital are covered by health insurance if a patient has a referral from a family doctor.

Key elements

There are several key elements that make the KfN particularly impressive:

Truly integrative

They consciously apply an integrative approach to ensure the best possible treatment and benefit for patient. This extends beyond their own hospital, through a positive relationship with their neighboring conventional hospital, the München Klinik Harlaching.

Unique, evidence-based natural therapies

With conventional medicine as their therapy foundation, their additional evidence-based natural therapies include:

Physical therapy: External stimuli are used to provoke a physiological reaction in the body that can promote healing and relieve pain. Treatments include physiotherapy based on neurophysiological principles, movement therapy, electro-, hydro- and thermotherapy, reflective breathing therapy, reflexology and manual therapy. Many of these increase blood circulation, relieve tension and promote wound and bone healing.

Nutritional therapy: An essential element in chronic disease prevention and treatment. Approaches are used to tailor nutrition therapy to a given condition. For example, a special vegetarian diet, low-histamine nutrition, therapeutic fasting, and individual nutrition plans for food intolerances.

Phytotherapy: Medicinal plants with particular properties (e.g. anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulating or pain-relieving) are used to prevent, alleviate and treat chronic conditions.

Purging procedures: Techniques such as cupping therapy and bloodletting are used to correct imbalances in body fluids.

Hyperthermia: An artificial increase in body temperature is used to activate many regulatory processes that stimulate the body’s self-healing and promote sustainable improvement in chronic disease and cancer symptoms.

Neural therapy: Local anesthetics are injected into certain points and zones of the body to influence of the body's parent control loops.

Order therapy (German “Ordnungstherapie”): Promotion of a balanced and healthy lifestyle in everyday life, through techniques such as relaxation, movement, perception and art therapy.

Therapeutic fasting: The voluntary abstinence from solid and luxury foods for a certain period of time. Different approaches include Buchinger fasting, F.-X. Mayer therapy, whey cure, Schroth therapy, slime fasting, and tea-water fasting.

Homeopathy: An alternative approach based on the notion that “like cures like”: that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people.

Naturopathic care: Various methods to support self-care and promote healing. Wraps and pads, aroma care, and rhythmic rubbing can have effects such as boosting metabolism and activating the cardiovascular system.

Patient empowerment

An integral goal of all their treatments is to help patients play an active role in their health for long-term wellbeing.

Often simple measures that can have big results

With chronic conditions it can feel that a complex treatment regime is needed for real change, but the KfN demonstrates that besides their more unique therapies, simple measures can bring significant and sustainable results.

Widespread integration of nutritional therapy

Not only do patients receive personal nutrition advice, but the hospital kitchen also prepares meals tailored for specific patients / conditions.

Commitment to education

The hospital has a seminar room in which they have a variety of health seminars on a regular basis for both patients and practitioners.

Wider commitment to integrative medicine

In addition to their direct work with patients, the KfN contributes to making natural and integrative medicine a more common part of society. Through participation in the ‘Gesunde Vielfalt Gesellschaft’ (‘Healthy diversity Society’), they are politically active, and make information on natural medicine available through their homepage and magazine. They also produce a magazine that provides information on the latest scientific developments in natural health.

The KfN is committed to integrative medicine both through their practice and their involvement in society. Through high quality care and dedication, they are paving the way to empower patients in their health, and support integrative medicine as the way of the future.

Helpful links

Learn more about the Krankenhaus für Naturheilweisen (KfN)

Read about the Gesunde Vielfalt Gesellschaft

Explore their magazine for natural medicine

Read this article in German.