A Wholesome Alternative: Your Guide to Holistic Health and Its Healing Methods

What’s your approach to health?

Some follow the simple-is-best method. They try to eat right, drink a lot of water, be more active, and get enough sleep every night. They may also take some supplements and practice meditation.

Now, if you’re doing all these, then you’re already practicing some holistic health principles. But what does holistic health and wellness mean exactly?

Is it just a collection of healthy habits? Or is there more you need to know about holistic care?

Here, we’ll talk about the basics of holistic healing, as well as the different methods used by holistic providers.

Holistic Health: An Overview

If you have a backache, a doctor could give you a prescription for an analgesic if he or she sees that you need it. Your doctor might also recommend physical therapy and other pain management protocols if the pain is persistent.

But if you see a holistic medicine practitioner, you may or may not be given medications. That’s because holistic doctors don’t only look at a patient’s symptoms.

They also look at a patient’s body, mind, spirit, and emotions. And if any of these systems are not working right, it will have a negative effect on that patient’s health.

So going back to our backache example, a holistic provider could recommend conventional pain meds. But he or she could also devise a treatment plan that involves alternative treatments such as a visit to a chiropractor, acupuncture, massage, and so on.

Holistic Healing and Conventional Medicine

It’s a misconception that holistic healing is the opposite of conventional medicine. You should see holistic healing practices as something that complements mainstream medical care.

There are doctor-approved alternative treatments such as guided imagery, acupuncture, yoga, hypnosis, tai chi, and aromatherapy. The important thing is to use them as advised by your doctor. Don’t rely on them as substitutes for conventional treatments, especially for serious conditions such as cancer.

Different Types of Holistic Healing Methods

Aside from the complementary therapies already mentioned, other types of holistic healing methods include:

  • Ayurveda
  • Homeopathy
  • Naturopathy
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
  • Body movement therapies
  • Biofeedback
  • Visualization
  • Herbal medicine

If you’re interested in finding a holistic health practitioner, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) offers some tips. These include checking with your doctor first and finding out as much as you can about potential holistic care providers.

Be sure of their training, experiences, certifications, etc. Don’t go to someone’s who’s not willing to work with your health care team. Last but not least, check your insurance plan to see if it covers a holistic health practitioner’s services.

Want More Health Tips and News?

Now that you know more about holistic health, don’t forget that staying informed is one of the best ways to take charge of your health and wellbeing.

For more health tips and news, check out the rest of our blog. If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

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