What Is Holistic Medicine?
The Benefits of Holistic Health
To plainly answer the question of “what is holistic medicine.” Holistic medicine is the treatment of the mind and the body. The approach to holistic health is the treatment of the whole person, looking past the ailment itself and taking a wider look at how to improve health. Not necessarily using exclusively natural treatments, many holistic healers take an integrative medicine approach to treat patients.
Similar Terms Associated with Holistic Health and Holistic Medicine
Natural Healing
Often referring to the use of non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical treatments to aid the patients health. This can be through nutrition, physical activity and assorted remedies for acute pain.
Alternative Medicine
This term is used to refer to medical techniques and treatments that are not widely practiced by the majority of conventional or allopathic medical doctors. Normally non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical treatments that can involve medical herbalism, homeopathy, reiki, acupuncture, meditation, nutritional supplements and countless others.
This alternative medicine practice is becoming more widely accepted because of the side effects of invasive treatments and the health ailments associated with many pharmaceutical drugs. As these practices become more common it will no longer be called alternative medicine as it will be the norm. Holistic healing and Holistic medicine are well practiced treatment methods that are preferable to alternative medicines when treating disease or health conditions.
Benefits of Holistic Medicine and the Holistic Health Approach
By supporting the prevention of illness and the pursuit of reaching higher health, Holistic health is a more proactive approach to health than traditional medical practices. Improving energy levels, vitality, well-being and positivity, making it an easy process to stick with throughout life. Motivating patients to continue the Holistic health approach in order to continue improving their well-being and quality of life while effectively preventing disease and health ailments.
Answering What Is Holistic Medicine:
Suzan Walter, the President of the American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) has put together a great summary of the principles of Holistic Health. It can be found HERE on the AHHA web page, strongly recommended for those wanting to learn about how incorporating the Holistic medicine approach can improve their life. A great summary to help answer the question of what is Holistic medicine and why Holistic health is such an important concept.
Taking into account psychological needs, physical condition and even spiritual needs, holistic medicine attempts to treat patients as a whole rather than simply treating the health condition in question. This allows for a well rounded approach to health which can have extreme benefits for prevention in the future. By practicing healthy habits you can help improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of health conditions developing.
Many traditional medical practitioners question the efficacy of this holistic approach, arguing it is not an effective treatment for any known disease. The more we learn about holistic medicine however the more this argument becomes moot.
