Holistic Health

Holistic can be defined as the process of looking at the whole system rather than just concentrating on individual components. The overall sum can be greater than a simple totaling of the individual parts, because the "system" adds something in addition. Another term is "systems thinking". Holistic emphasizes the organic or functional relation between parts and the whole.

Holistic health is a state that can be claimed when a person approaches life by considering the whole person and how he/she interacts with their environment. Their goal is always to achieve a maximum level of well-being where everything functions optimally. With holistic health, individuals accept responsibility for their own level of well-being and make daily choices that enhance and maintain a healthy balance.

There is an historical context to approaching health care in a holistic manner.
Five thousand years ago, traditions stressed living life in harmony with nature in order to maintain health. Socrates stated that "the part can never be well unless the whole is well". In 1926 Jan Smuts used the term "holism" as a way of viewing living things as "entities greater than and different from the sum of their parts". However, it was not until the 1970's that the term "holistic" became a common adjective in our vocabulary.
The term HOLISTIC includes an approach that deals with the whole person-physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. In contrast, conventional medicine views physical ailments as separate and unrelated to non-physical aspects such as emotions and beliefs. In other words, a holistic approach considers the entire body as a complete system rather than focusing on particular body parts or systems. In addition, a holistic approach is interested in the whole of the human condition: past, present and future: biology, society, language and culture. Holistic also emphasizes the organic and functional relation between parts and the whole. Holistic can be spelled WHOLISTIC by some.

Holistic Medicine is defined by the Canadian Holistic Medical Association as follows:
"Holistic medicine is a system of health care which fosters a cooperative relationship among all those involved, leading towards optimal attainment of the physical, mental emotional, social and spiritual aspects of health."

It emphasizes the need to look at the whole person, including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. It encompasses all stated modalities of diagnosis and treatment including drugs and surgery if no safe alternative exists. Holistic medicine focuses on education and responsibility for personal efforts to achieve balance and well being.

When disease and chronic conditions do occur, the Holistic Health principles can also be applied. The term is usually changed to holistic medicine, and additional factors are added. Holistic healthcare professionals work in partnership with the people they assist. They recommend treatments that support the body's natural healing system and consider the whole person and the whole situation. This approach goes well beyond aiming only to eliminate symptoms when they are experienced.
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