Holistic Medicine takes into account not only the body (the physical), but also the aspects of emotion, spirit, and mind. The belief is the “patient” is a person NOT a disease. Also, it can sometimes take a TEAM to heal not just any one specialty or treatment. With this in mind, let us consider some important potential aspects to help a person heal.

One of the most important elements is sleep. Our bodies need restful sleep to recover, recharge, and be revitalized. This factor is often overlooked but absolutely essential for improved health and overcoming pain. Believe it or not, a lack of sleep has been shown to impact pain perception in those suffering chronic pain. Lack of sleep also leads to fatigue, which negatively influences pain perception. So…talk with someone about poor sleeping if needed.

Another important issue is stress. Stress can be harmful to our physical health and well-being. Increased stress can lead to a rise in blood pressure as well as flood the body with excess cortisol and adrenaline which in high doses are not helpful for the body. Heart disease, ulcers, headaches, and fatigue can all be negative consequences of prolonged stress. Thus, it is important to find some stress-relieving outlet in life – exercise, read a book, talk to someone.

Next, diet is a factor to consider relative to health of the body. We must make sure to properly fuel our bodies so that it works for us. Without the proper nutrition watch the impact on the body in terms of negative physical health. As physical health declines, other aspects such as mental well-being may start to be impacted. Everyone is busy with life and eating on the run does not always lend itself to healthful eating. The good news is, there are new services out there that send basically proportioned food right to your door and little thought or effort is necessary for final preparation of healthy food options. Not only that, but a qualified nutritionist can further guide you to success.

Spirituality – for some this element is essential in their life. Without it, they may feel lost. It does not matter what exactly or who a person believes in, but rather the connection to something is important for their overall health and well-being.

As we further consider a holistic medicine approach, this does not mean some medication may not be involved or necessary. Medicine may very well be necessary to help control a condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes…at least until other aspects of care may be able to take hold and lower blood pressure or A1C levels.

A holistic medicine practitioner considers the entirety of the person and views/treats them from a broad perspective. They are not pigeonholed into any specific treatment, medication, or otherwise. They look to tap into a vast network of providers to assist the person in need. This may include treatments by physical therapists, massage therapists, mental health counselors, or an acupuncturist.

Hopefully you are ready to take that next step toward great health and wellness via a holistic approach.