Holistic Health 101
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Holistic Health
…what exactly is it?
For those who don’t know, I’m a nurse. I originally entered the medical field to make a difference, to heal, to save lives. After a few years of nursing on inpatient units, I knew I was keeping patients alive, but I wasn’t even scratching the surface to help individuals reach their greatest healing potential. In terms of the health of my patients at the bedside (and my own), I quickly realized conventional medicine was missing a huge piece- maybe even missing the whole point.
In 2016, my interest in holistic health intensified to more of a passion as my mom unexpectedly faced a frightening breast cancer diagnosis, an aggressive form known as Triple Negative. Nothing could prepare her or our family for the harsh realities of this diagnosis. My mom was always somewhat “granola”…our family had an understanding of toxins in relation to the body and disease, and we rarely had harsh chemicals in the house. So when SHE, someone healthy, young, and somewhat aware of carcinogens went through this, I instinctually started digging deep into environmentally-related disease, preventable holistic practices, and natural remedies. After a year of chemo, radiation, and surgery, my mom is now cancer free and kicking ass (GO MOM!).
I mean, Hi mom! is she thriving or what?!
Although her care was medically superb, I was discouraged and frustrated with her medicinal and medical-focused team. There was constant hesitancy and resistance to include natural measures, even if only complementary to her treatment plan. In addition, it seemed anything to address her spiritual or emotional needs had to be handled by HER, through her own motivation, research, and on her own dollar. Being on the other side of the patient/medical team forced me to shift my own perspective as a nurse. As an RN and future Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), I hope to focus my career on providing patients a holistic balance, while also embracing natural and preventative practices to reach optimal health.
We, especially Americans, are facing increasing rates of chronic disease, cancer, stress, anxiety, and depression, in addition to more pollutants and toxins than ever in our food, air, and water. Whether we are trying to prevent disease, decrease side effects, or avoid increasing medical bills, shifting to more natural and preventative measures to health seems inevitable. We keep hearing we need to live more holistically, or as some may consider “the hippie lifestyle” but what exactly does this mean?
Although this seems like a trendy term, the principles of holism have been around since Hippocrates 2500 years ago. Eastern healing traditions of Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine suggest it has been around even longer.
The American Holistic Health Association (AHHNA) states, "rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or her environment. It emphasizes the connection of mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to achieve maximum well-being, where everything is functioning the very best that is possible."
Let’s break it down.
Holistic Health by definition:
Takes the whole person into consideration - body, mind, spirit, emotions and environment. These factors and all integrated, interacting, and inseparable. If one part is not working, all other parts will be affected. We must be in a balance and harmony of all of these things to achieve positive state of being and optimal health.
Looks at the root cause of the disease or illness, and does not just treat the apparent symptoms.
Believes you are an active participant in your health and the one making decisions in your day-to-day wellness.
Overall, holistic health is a way of life - it’s about making conscious decisions everyday to prioritize all aspects of your health.
(Eliopoulos, 2017)
Sound pretty logical right? Unfortunately, this has not been reflected in our modern healthcare system especially in the west. Our biomedical, “sick” model and reductionist tendencies to analyze the body into parts rather than the whole, is failing patients on so many levels.
We are definitely catching on, realizing more than ever that we need to shift our perspective on our own health and more importantly on healthcare overall. This interest in preventative measures and personalized care has pushed individuals to explore outside practices and complementary therapies. In fact, it is suggested that 34% of American adults now use complementary and alternative therapies like meditation, dietary supplements, yoga, Tai Chi, chiropractic, and osteopathic methods (Clarke, Black, Susan, Barnes, & Nahin, 2015).
I would like to be clear here, holistic care is not the same as complementary therapy or alternative medicine. While complementary therapies are often an aspect to holistic healthcare, the terms cannot be used interchangeably. Again, holistic care implies a balance and harmony among the mind, body, and spirit. Complementary therapies alone may not be adequate to address overall health and do not guarantee holism. They should be used wisely, safetly, and with thorough consideration and research. First and always, discuss these or any changes in your healthcare plan with your physician or medical team!
The good news is that you don’t need to drastically change your life to start living holistically. You also don’t need to only eat the food you grow on your roof and do yoga seven times a week (although I am definitely not going to argue against either…). By making small changes and bringing it back to basics like eating nourishing food, regularly moving, and getting adequate sleep, you can quickly redefine your health. If you are ready to embrace a more holistic life, check out How to Live Holistically Now. I promise, it’s not as far-fetched as you think.
I am excited to share my experiences with holistic health now and through my journey of becoming a primary care practitioner. Please share your experiences with western medicine, natural health, and holistic practices! Leave a comment below or find me on social media.
XO,
Jac
References:
American Holistic Health Association
American Holistic Nurses Association
Clarke, Black, Susan, Barnes, & Nahin. (2015) Thrend in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002-2012. National Health Statistics Report, 79. Retrieved January 5, 2016, from http://www.ced.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr079.pdf
Eliopoulos, Charlotte. (2017) Invitation to Holistic Health: A Guide to Living a Balanced Life. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
