When we hear the words "holistic," "complementary, or alternative medicine," it is easy to assume that it is just the practice of herbal supplements, yoga, traditional Chinese medicine or meditation. However, holistic Healthcare is more than a complementary approach; it sometimes surpasses the ethical practices in the Western world of allopathic medicine. It's interesting because Health can be defined, regulated, and broken down into numerous analyses that sometimes need to provide a better picture of what proper Health or true Health entails.
According to the World Health Organization, Health is the absence of disease or illness. Modern medicine includes conventional, orthodox, Western, and allopathic medicine, which predominantly treats symptoms, infection, and disease. Traditional medicine is what we refer to as Eastern or Holistic medicine.
Holistic medicine, also known as Holistic Healthcare or integrative medicine, is a unique ancient healing system that considers a person's entire body, mind, and spirit. It predates modern medicine, focusing primarily on prevention and incorporating various complementary and alternative practices beyond synthetic medications or symptoms to support the physical body. In terms of its evolution, the primary aim of the holistic medical system is to achieve stability and balance in life, setting it apart from other healthcare approaches.
While modern medicine has brought many extraordinary and life-saving advancements to the life sciences, one of its flaws compared to its sister practice is the need for integration with Nutrition training and the adverse side effects of Pharmaceutical Influence. (We will look more in-depth into these in future posts.)
General Concept
The concept of wellness in holistic medicine is comprehensive. It encompasses five dimensions, sometimes called the eight pillars of Health. These dimensions include wellness's physical, nutritional, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial, and environmental sectors. When these dimensions are implemented accordingly, they contribute to homeostatic well-being, a state of balance and harmony that is crucial for overall Health.
The role of the practitioner
The role of the practitioner is simple and straight to the point. Holistic doctors and practitioners address a wide variety of wellness concerns. A holistic practitioner generally has a medical background and may use conventional medicine to treat a patient. They use various clinically proven and alternative treatments — from surgery, pharmaceuticals, and herbs to dietary changes, exercise plans, and psychological or spiritual counselling to treat their patients. They might also recommend evidence-based complementary or alternative treatments, such as Body-touch therapy, acupuncture, ayurvedic therapies, traditional Chinese medicine or qi gong, for supportive care. The holistic practitioners' primary role is to teach, help, and guide others to live harmoniously with themselves and their environment. They educate and empower people in many dynamic ways to take personal ownership and responsibility to effectively meet their health needs and experience more power and peace while alive. Rather than suggesting an overwhelming list of lifestyle changes, Holistic Doctors give complete control and power to the seeker by determining which changes will significantly impact their Health.
Holistic providers include medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, homeopathic doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and osteopathic professionals. No matter their specialty, they all focus on holistic healing, which assesses all aspects of the human experience.
Things to look for when seeking A holistic health practitioner:
As with all professionals, some are good at their jobs, while others could be better. Before choosing a holistic doctor:
Always do extensive research or get a recommendation from a trusted source.
Contact a credible health organization.
Request a referral.
Questions to take into consideration when seeking a holistic healthcare provider:
In doing this, some questions to remember are: Are they board-certified in holistic medicine by a credible medical board? Moreover, the doctor's treatment philosophy, mission statement, or motto should always be paid close attention to. It would be best to question whether or not there is alignment in similarity to your views—and always make sure to examine how you feel around this person. Consider how comfortable you are with the practitioner and ask yourself if they respect your concerns and beliefs. Are they sensitive to your wounds, emotions and current state? These are things you need to ask yourself when coming in contact. Holistic medicine and Healthcare take a team approach, involving the person in question and the provider. Hence, it is essential to ensure we feel comfortable and respected.
Important Note: To Those of you who have come across this blog post and have an overwhelming feeling of shame or anxiety about being misunderstood with your Health and you are tired of taking medications that may help your condition yet exacerbate many additional Difficulties to your Health. Holistic Healthcare is a fantastic option many people did not know existed and is worth checking out. A holistic approach does not mean that you cannot continue to see your current doctor, take prescribed medication, or ignore the science behind the meds or health advice. The holistic approach is simply a way to balance clinical medicine and a more general well-being feeling. Please continue to follow your doctor's instructions, but feel free to experiment with a few risk-free ideas simultaneously! I am not a doctor (yet), but I recommend inquiring with your current physician to see your options. This reassurance about holistic and conventional medicine compatibility should make you feel safe and informed about your health choices.
While the dimensions of wellness mentioned above give a guideline sense of what we should focus on when it comes to the balancing act of preventing illness and disease, it is by no means prescriptive. The path to wellness differs for many and is unique for each of us in Body, Mind and Spirit.
Our biology, personality, culture, and worldview define what wellness means to each of us. That is why one's approach should be uniquely personalized to meet that person's specific needs. However, in principle, the common thread is that a well-intended path toward wellness will always require a holistic approach in all three areas. This individualized approach ensures that you are a patient and a person with unique needs and circumstances, making you feel understood and catered to.
Principles of Holistic Medicine Founded that unconditional love and support are the most potent healer
Principles of holistic medicine include the following:
All people have innate powers to reset their body, mind & Spirit
The patient is a person, not a disease.
The journey to enhanced wellbeing takes a team approach involving the patient and doctor and addresses all aspects of a person's life using various health care practices.
In conclusion, Holistic medicine seeks to improve the individual's overall wellness through whole-body balance. It examines health care's focus beyond assessing and treating discreet physical symptoms to include an equal emphasis on how mental and spiritual health factors contribute to overall wellness—recognizing the 'whole' person in the prevention and treatment of disease yields valuable help and guidance for the patient. Since holistic Healthcare's overall goal is to achieve optimum balance in all areas of life, the health benefits are second to none. To keep moving towards optimal Health, it is crucial to consider one's mental and physical consumption on a day-to-day basis.
As always, I am humbled to share information that could be proven beneficial. Thank you for reading to all who have made it this far. Until next time, take care!
Citations: Holistic Medicine: What It Is, Treatments, Philosophy, and .... https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/what-is-holistic-medicine What Is Holistic Health Care & Why It’s Important – The .... https://www.thereikirefuge.com/2019/10/what-is-holistic-health-care-why-its-important/A Majority of Diseases Treated With Holistic Medicine by .... https://www.vivahealthylife.com/diseases/
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