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What is Holistic Medicine?

What is Holistic Medicine? 


Holistic Medicine is an integrated approach for healing the person as a complete and whole entity. It involves healing the body, mind, spirit and emotions together to ensure optimal health and wellness. The philosophy behind this approach is the achievement of proper balance in life by taking care of all of the interdependent parts in a person’s body. 

Holistic healing emphasizes the fact that imbalance between the physical, emotional and aspects of human life can negatively impact health. Therefore, practitioners who follow this approach use all forms of healthcare treatments ranging from conventional medications to alternative therapies for treating a patient. So, apart from prescribing drugs for treatment, lifestyle modifications to combat its potential causes including diet, sleeping habits, the prevalence of comorbid conditions, stress, personal issues and the spiritual angles are also explored. 


 Principles of Holistic Medicine 
  • 1. Relies on the strong belief that unconditional love and support acts as the best remedy for healing and entrusts an individual with the complete responsibility for his/her health and well-being. 

  • 2. Endorses the view that every person is endowed with innate healing powers and abilities. 

  • 3. Emphasizes the fact that the concerned patient is an individual with his own identity and should not be viewed merely from the disease perspective. 

  • 4. Involves a holistic and team-based approach to healing involving the active participation of both the doctor and the patient by introspection of all aspects of life and deploying a variety of relevant care practices. 
  
Benefits of Holistic Medicine 
  • 1. Helps in understanding the need for a well-balanced lifestyle that essentially emphasizes on whole body care. This is done by addressing not merely the physical condition but also the emotional and spiritual health of the patient.

  • 2. Enhances the overall general health by focusing on dietary habits and usage of promising therapeutic practices. Several stress-relieving and self-relaxing techniques like yoga are also deployed to benefit the entire body and mind. 

  • 3. Relies on a host of alternative therapies and approaches to build and strengthen the overall physical and well-being of all patients. Qualified therapists in Holistic Medicine develop a personalised plan for each individual to achieve positive care outcomes for decreasing their pain and anxiety levels. Some of the therapies used include Aroma Therapy, Reiki, Meditation, Breathing Exercises and Touch Therapy. 

  • 4. Tackles the root cause of the health problem rather than merely finding a cure. 

  • 5. The recommended holistic lifestyle changes provide a window of opportunities for the patients to experience natural health resources and participate in community events for religious, cultural and spiritual purposes thereby improving their mental well-being. 


 Types of Holistic Treatments 

1. Allopathic and Western Medications 
2. Surgical Procedures and Interventions 
3. Patient education on self-care and lifestyle modifications by promoting awareness on diet, psychotherapy, social relationships, spiritual counselling and meditation. 
4. Alternative Therapies like Acupuncture, Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy 
5. Complementary Medicines from traditional sources like Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Naturopathy 
  

The Case in Point-Holistic Medicine approach for Diabetes 

A Holistic Medicine Approach to treat Diabetes apart from taking prescribed medicines will include- 

  • 1. Intake of natural medicines for diabetes like ginger, aloe vera, cinnamon, milk thistle, bitter melon fruit, fenugreek and Gymnema herbs. 
  • 2. Making dietary changes by choosing nutritious foods with low glycemic index like greens, fresh vegetables, nuts and whole grains, increasing fibre intake, remaining hydrated and implementing portion control to sustain sugar levels. Additionally, all forms of refined carbohydrates, processed foods and sugars should be avoided. Apple cider vinegar and natural foods rich in chromium and magnesium are also beneficial. 
  • 3. Incorporating lifestyle modifications like exercising regularly, maintaining stress levels, monitoring blood sugar levels periodically and getting sufficient sleep. 
  •  4. Usage of alternative therapies like Guided Imagery, Acupuncture and Biofeedback for reducing anxiety and maintaining calmness. 
  • 5.Achieving weight control by using natural plant sources like Garcinia Cambogia and Germander. 
  
Thus treatment by Holistic Medicine promises to fix the primary cause of the healthcare problem rather than just alleviating the symptoms thereby creating successful patient experiences. 

For more details, visit Healthabove60 @ www.healthabove60.com

  

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