Some medical professionals believe in incorporating alternative methods of healthcare to alleviate or remedy the illnesses that strike many individuals. One of these approaches is through holistic medicine. The following will help you understand what exactly this type of medicine is and what the potential benefits are to those who receive it.
Holistic Medicine Defined
The practitioners of this therapeutic endeavor suggest that healing and wellness are achieved by promoting optimal physical, mental and spiritual health. It is through attaining a proper balance in all aspects of life that one can establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Holistic professionals suggest that individuals who demonstrate an imbalance in any one particular area puts them at greater risk of developing an illness.
Principles
Holistic doctors follow several specific principles that guide detecting and treating ailments. Some of these principles include the notion that:
- Every individual possesses a certain degree of innate healing capabilities
- Patient care should be a joint effort between both the patient and their team of healthcare professionals
- A variety of different healthcare practices are often required to obtain optimal holistic health
- True therapies are those that address the underlying causes and conditions precipitating a specific ailment, not just the associated physical manifestations.
Holistic Treatments
It is important to note that holistic health does not dismiss traditional practices. Diagnoses can still be confirmed through physical examinations using modern medical practices; however, while treatments for specific illnesses may require established protocols, holistic practitioners also employ a variety of remedial techniques in treating the patient back to health. Such endeavors include, but are not limited to, altering one’s diet, exercising, natural supplements, and utilizing both mind and body-calming techniques such as yoga, various breathing exercises, and acupuncture.
The Benefits Of Holistic Healing
Earlier Identification Of Symptom-Precipitating Ailments
Because holistic healing focuses on identifying the root cause of varying ailments, they try to prevent and identify issues earlier on in the diagnostic process rather than waiting until after they surface. In certain cases, traditional medicine seeks to provide quick fixes of relief for specific symptoms but does not take the time to pinpoint the factor(s) causing the manifestations and working to prevent other symptoms from also arising.
Attainment Of Improved General Health
Followers of holistic practices often experience unintended positive health benefits considering the holistic approach and therapeutic endeavors are geared towards optimal health and balance in all aspects of one’s being. Patients will often report of an improvement to not only the specific symptom-causing ailment they originally came in for but also in other physical, mental and/or spiritual aspects of their life.
The Desire To Take Greater Responsibility
Holistic health places a significant emphasis on the patient’s responsibility in their own health and wellbeing. Not only are patients encouraged to implement new and more beneficial life habits, but are also expected to execute in a large part of their own healing process. As a result, holistic practitioners take a much more proactive stance in helping their patient to establish and maintain better health habits that last. For example, holistic patients may be required to partake in activities such as conducting independent research about specific ailments and treatments or engage in dialogue with their healthcare providers that will help them better understand the importance of taking responsibility in maintaining their own health.