Your space in the medicine cabinet has been cleared, Ibuprofen and Advil, we’re making room for our essential oils and herbal supplements! We are living in a world where we can not only relieve our pain with over-the-counter medicines, but we can also use the simplest of resources to clear our systems. Call us granola, or “almond households,” but when research is done, the power of holistic medicine can be extraordinary.
Holistic medicine is not only essential oils on our wrists and herbal teas to sip on. The practice aims to soothe the mind, body, spirit, and emotions in order to provide peace and clarity to our well-being as a whole. Rather than focusing on one problem at a time, like with traditional medicine, holistic approaches work to care for the entire body. For an example scenario, imagine you go to the doctor due to repetitive headaches. With a traditional medicine approach, the doctor would likely prescribe you medication, such as pain relievers, and focus on treating the problem that is directly in front of them. However, with a holistic medicine approach, the provider would analyze the patient’s lifestyle habits, such as diet, stress, or sleep, and recommend practices to prevent headaches from presenting in the future. The core differences are found in the focuses and methods of each type of medicine. Traditional medicine focuses on being reactive and utilizing medications, while holistic medicine focuses on being preventative and utilizing natural therapies and lifestyle changes.
In recent years, a higher number of Americans are utilizing holistic practices within their personal healthcare. A study completed in 2022 showed that 36.7% of American adults are using holistic approaches, where the stat was 19.2% in 2002. Appeal to holistic medicine stems from multiple branches, but the key points drawing individuals in are the preventative care aspects and the opportunity to have a more personal care approach. Patients are granted the chance to take control of their health by lifestyle changes, and educating themselves on the benefits of enhancing their diet, sleep, and exercise habits, along with the ways we manage our stress. Instead of taking approaches that are usually one-size-fits-all, like in traditional medicine, individuals are able to work with a provider to customize a healthcare plan that best suits them.
Within holistic medicine lies multiple avenues to take regarding our health. There are mind-body therapies designed to strengthen the connection between our minds and bodies to promote overall well-being. Some practices include meditation, hypnotherapy, and yoga, all aiming to manage stress or reduce anxiety. Physical manipulation therapies work to focus on treating the entire body by realigning structures or easing muscle tension through acupuncture, massage therapy, or chiropractic care. Other avenues, too, like energy healing or natural therapies, all come together to produce the same goal for patients–a body that functions to its greatest capacity and allows us to live a well-balanced lifestyle.
Though we know we can benefit greatly from holistic approaches, it would be close to impossible to give up on traditional medicine. Surgeries, certain procedures, and many medications are just as beneficial to our health and are necessary for specific medical conditions. However, rather than having to choose one over the other, individuals are discovering integrative care. This combines both approaches, allowing patients to have access to the medications or procedures they need, while also healing our systems by holistic means. We work on addressing the root causes of disease or injury, while receiving the traditional medical care we need simultaneously. In situations where patients integrate both approaches into their healthcare, their symptoms are not only relieved long-term, but they often also feel fewer side effects from medications.
The pain relievers may linger in the cabinets forever, but when we educate ourselves on more health approaches, their usage decreases significantly. In a world where nature can be used to heal us, there is no reason we should not utilize what it has given us.
