What Is Holistic Medicine?
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.
Suzan Walter, President of the American Holistic Health Association (AHHA), put
together an excellent summary of the principals of Holistic Health. The
summary can be found on the AHHA
Web Page. For those unfamiliar with Holistic Medicine, I strongly encourage
reading this short summary.
Other Terms Associated with Holistic Medicine
- Alternative Medicine is often used by the general public
and some healthcare practitioners to refer to medical techniques which are not
known or accepted by the majority "conventional" or
"allopathic" medical practitioners (usually M.D.'s). Such techniques
could include non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques such as Medical
Herbalism, Acupunture, Homeopathy, Reiki, and many others. However, the term
Alternative Medicine can also refer to any experimental drug or non-drug
technique that is not currently accepted by "conventional" medical
practitioners. As non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques become popular
and accepted by large number of "conventional" practitioners, these
techniques will no longer be considered Alternative Medicine.
Alternative Medicine refers to techniques that are not currently accepted by
"conventional" practitioners, but what is currently accepted is
quickly changing. Even the definition of "conventional
practitioners" is quickly changing. Therefore, techniques that are now
considered part of Alternative Medicine will soon be considered part of
"conventional" medicine. The terms Holistic Healing and Holistic
Medicine are slightly more stable than Alternative Medicine and are therefore
preferable.
- Complementary Medicine is often used by
"conventional" medical practitioners to refer to non-invasive,
non-pharmaceutical techniques used as a complement to "conventional"
medical treatments such as drugs and surgery. The term implies that
"conventional" medicine is used as a primary tool and the
non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques are used as a supplement when
needed.
In many cases, properly chosen non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical healing
techniques plus properly chosen lifestyle changes can completely and safely
heal both acute and chronic illnesses. In other cases,
"conventional" medicine is only needed in emergencies or when the
safer non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical methods fail. In some cases
"conventional" medicine will be a major part of a Holistic Healing
Plan, but in some cases it is not needed at all.
- Natural Healing usually refers to the use of non-invasive
and non-pharmaceuticals techniques to help heal the patient. When most people
use the term Natural Healing, they are usually referring to physical healing
techniques only.