Anniversary: Narayana Verlag celebrate their 45th anniversary
2026: 45 years of naturopathy – from the foundation on 1 February 1981 to today
Thank you for 45 years of trust!
“Take your health into your own hands” – this credo has accompanied Narayana Verlag for 45 years now. What began in 1981 with the initiative of two doctors has, over the decades, developed into a multifaceted company. In addition to naturopathy literature, Narayana Verlag now offers, under the brand Unimedica, a wide range of high-quality dietary supplements, superfoods and natural cosmetics. And we are far from having reached our goal: planned for the future are, among other things, the relocation of the publishing house to Auggen and the launch of a new online shop. None of this would be possible without you – the more than 3 million satisfied customers of Narayana Verlag. Through your loyalty and feedback you play a decisive role in enabling us to continue our work with passion and commitment as an independent, owner-managed publishing house faithful to tradition.
The history of Narayana Verlag at a glance
The beginnings – a friendship with a shared vision
It all began during medical school: when Dr Herbert Sigwart and Dr Ulrich Welte first met in the 1970s, they had no idea that a few years later they would found a publishing house together. What connected the two students was the observation that conventional medicine often reached its limits, especially with chronic illnesses. In search of alternative approaches, they early on discovered homeopathy and naturopathy.
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The beginnings of a vision: Dr Herbert Sigwart and Dr Ulrich Welte in the 1970s.
Valuable practical experience with Dr Max Otto Bruker
After their studies the friends went to Klinik Lahnhöhe. There Dr Max Otto Bruker, a renowned physician and pioneer of naturopathy and wholefood nutrition, had taken over the medical management in 1977 and was looking for ward physicians. The experiences Sigwart and Welte gathered at Klinik Lahnhöhe were impressive: patients from all over Germany who had often been exhausted by conventional therapy and were critically ill were admitted, many of whom had already given up hope of recovery. During this time the two doctors learned over 50 different naturopathic treatments and were able to observe at close quarters the remarkable treatment successes achieved at the clinic through the therapies and a raw-vegan wholefood diet.
Klinik Lahnhöhe and the pioneer of raw-vegan nutrition Dr Max Otto Bruker.
Impulse for founding the publishing house: the Berlin Health Days 1980
The two doctors also shared their enthusiasm for naturopathic therapies at events. At the Berlin Health Days in 1980 they gave slide lectures to more than 1,200 medical students. Using striking before-and-after photos they documented the treatment of patients with often very severe conditions and were thus able to convince many initially sceptical students. The interest in naturopathic specialist literature sparked by the lectures finally marked the birth of Narayana Verlag, which was officially founded on 1 February 1981. The first independent work published by Narayana Verlag in 1984 was the original edition of Samuel Hahnemann’s foundational work Organon der Heilkunst.
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Dr Herbert Sigwart giving a lecture to a large audience.
Group practice and health food shop in the Black Forest
In 1983 Sigwart and Welte decided to settle and founded a group practice in idyllic Kandern in the southern Black Forest. A year later a health food shop was opened in the same building. In the following years, due to high demand, their medical work was primarily in focus – Narayana Verlag fell into a temporary “sleep”. That changed when Dr Markus Kuntosch joined the practice in 1999, freeing up new capacities. In 2006 Herbert Sigwart’s sister, Dr Katrin Sigwart, also joined the publishing house.
After opening the group practice, medical work was initially the priority.
Over 700 published book titles
After the expansion of the publishing management through Dr Katrin Sigwart, publishing activities gained significant momentum. In 2007 alone seven new titles were published, including works by renowned authors such as Jan Scholten, Farokh Master and Louis Klein. With 40 to 50 new releases a year the programme steadily grew – today it comprises over 700 own titles on naturopathy, healthy nutrition, sports and psychology. The offer is complemented by a wide range of German-, English- and French-language books from other publishers.
Clinical experience from everyday practice – a valuable basis for the publishing work.
Narayana Verlag also organised numerous seminars and congresses on naturopathy. Renowned speakers spoke on topics such as paediatrics, mental illness, chronic diseases and veterinary medicine – in various congress centres and at universities.
Seminars and international congresses on naturopathy with up to 500 participants were organised.
Narayana Research – in-house clinical research
In parallel, in the early 2000s our own research activities began. Under the umbrella of “Narayana Research” clinical studies with dietary supplements were conducted – including a multicentre study at eight German heart centres on the effects of vital substances in chronic heart failure as well as multicentre studies on the effect of a ginger extract on rheumatic complaints. Clinical research was also carried out into the bioavailability of various naturopathic substances such as propolis and green tea extract.
Clinical studies under medical supervision – on behalf of Narayana Research.
The birth of “Unimedica”: a new product world
In 2018 the imprint “Unimedica” was launched – for books on healthy nutrition and naturopathic methods. Since then many foundational works by internationally known authors have been published there, including the Spiegel bestseller How Not to Die by Dr Michael Greger, Wenn der Körper nein sagt by Dr Gabor Maté and Hormone im Lot by Lara Briden.
To make some of the, at times, exotic ingredients described in the books immediately accessible to readers, Unimedica also began offering superfoods and dietary supplements. From the start all products were developed and manufactured in-house. The first available product was a vitamin D preparation – to this day Vitamin D3/K2 remains one of Unimedica’s bestsellers.
With over 400 products the in-house brand Unimedica offers a diverse range of dietary supplements.
With now more than 400 own products – from high-quality supplements such as OPC, Coenzyme Q10 and MSM through vitamin preparations, minerals, superfoods, teas and spices to natural cosmetics and high-quality edible oils – the development of Unimedica can be described as a remarkable success story.
The range includes not only tried-and-tested bestsellers such as B vitamins, vitamin D and magnesium, but also innovative active ingredients that are only gradually becoming well known – including spermidine, colostrum and PQQ. Many of the supplements are based on purely plant-derived ingredients and are available in organic quality.
The range is complemented by essential oils and a growing Ayurveda line which combines millennia-old knowledge with modern quality standards. In the area of natural cosmetics innovative hair soaps, nourishing skin creams and rich body oils complete the assortment.
The formulations avoid unnecessary additives, rely on high-quality raw materials and are mostly manufactured in Germany. Many products are developed in dialogue with customers – questions and wishes often provide the impetus for new developments. This keeps the range vibrant and close to actual needs. This development is supported by a team that works on the products with great dedication and expertise.
From creative team collaboration to precise quality checks in the laboratory.
Complex formulations from practice for practice
One special feature of Unimedica is the complex formulations – carefully coordinated combinations of active ingredients for specific areas of application. Instead of having to combine many single products, customers receive a well-thought-out formula in one product. The formulations are not developed on the drawing board but are based on years of our own medical experience.
Thus complex formulations for areas such as blood pressure, thyroid, blood sugar, liver, cholesterol, menstruation or bladder have been developed that combine several proven ingredients in a targeted way. The numerous positive feedbacks confirm this approach – and motivate continuous further development of the range.
For many customers the complex formulations are an entry into the world of dietary supplements – because they provide orientation and make selection easier. The formulations are regularly reviewed and adapted to new findings when necessary.
We continuously refine our in-house complex products with great care.
Two relocations and a look to the future
The move to Steinen in 2021 was another important step in the publishing house’s history. And due to the positive development of the company, another move is already on the horizon – to Auggen in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district. A new online shop is also currently being developed. The range now also includes a complete natural food assortment – from organic foods to environmentally friendly laundry and cleaning products.
From the first parcels to large-scale shipping.
Space in Steinen is becoming tight. The move to Auggen opens up new possibilities and an expanded offer for our customers.
We are proud to have built a strong team of more than 200 employees over the past 45 years who work with great commitment to continue developing the publishing house. In doing so we always orient ourselves to our core principles: traditionally independent, appreciative and naturally effective.
The Narayana Verlag team in summer 2025.
Our customers appreciate exactly this, and through their feedback and lively exchange they continually encourage us to continue on this path. On the occasion of our 45th anniversary we would like to sincerely thank you for your trust in us and our products!
