The Benefits of Holistic Health Practices

Holistic health vs Conventional Medicine: The Benefits of Holistic Health Practices

As an intro to this post I’d like to share with you, excerpts from a descriptive paragraph I recently came across. It is published to the Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) website, under the title, What is Holistic Health? The answer to that title question consists of the entire paragraph, part of which is excerpted below:

Holistic health is an approach to life that considers multidimensional aspects of wellness. It encourages individuals to recognize the whole person: physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual. The individual is an active participant in their health decisions and healing processes, including wellness-oriented lifestyle choices…”

The paragraph goes on to say that…

These traditional holistic approaches focus on the use of food, herbs, supplements, teas, homeopathic remedies, and essential oils as “medicine”. Movement, dancing, singing or chanting, sound and vibration, drumming, prayer, meditation, mindfulness, and touch are examples of activities that are included in holistic approaches.

When it comes to our health, we often find ourselves at a crossroads, torn between the conventional medicine that has been ingrained in our society for centuries and the emerging field of holistic health practices. EMPFESIS is a snapshot of what holistic heal is truly about: Emotional, Mental, Physical, Financial, Environmental, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Social Wellness. More complete descriptions of the words behind the acronym can be found toward the bottom of this page.

Treatment vs prevention

While conventional medicine focuses on treating symptoms and diseases, holistic health takes a more comprehensive approach, addressing the mind, body, and spirit as interconnected parts of a whole. In this article, we will explore the benefits of holistic health practices and how they can inspire us to take charge of our well-being.

One of the key advantages of holistic health practices is their emphasis on prevention rather than just treatment. Conventional medicine tends to intervene only when symptoms become apparent, often leaving us feeling like passive recipients of care.

In contrast, holistic health encourages us to be proactive in maintaining our health, empowering us to make lifestyle choices that promote overall well-being. By adopting practices such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques, we can prevent many common ailments and improve our quality of life.

Another benefit of holistic health practices is their focus on the individual as a whole, rather than just a collection of symptoms. Conventional medicine often treats symptoms in isolation, without considering the underlying causes or the impact on other aspects of our health.

Healing the whole person

Holistic health, on the other hand, recognizes that our physical health is influenced by our mental and emotional well-being, as well as social and environmental factors. By addressing these interconnected aspects, holistic health practices can lead Continue reading “Holistic Health vs Conventional Medicine”