What is holistic medicine?

Science and Profession

Although the phenomenon of holistic medicine gained increased attention in the latter half of the twentieth century, most of the principles associated with it have appeared in various forms and in various cultures over the centuries. Ironically, it may have been the progress of medical science generally and the widespread use by doctors of new drugs to treat disease that sparked what some would call holistic medicine’s call for a return to basics. For example, some proponents of holism oppose automatic reliance on surgical methods of treating some ailments for not recognizing either their causes or more beneficial modes of treatment. In addition, holists oppose a reliance on drugs not only because they hold certain maladies to be curable (or indeed totally avoidable) without them but also because of possible negative side effects.

A number of quite sophisticated principles could fall under the presumed “basics” of the holistic approach to health. Primary among these is a conviction that—short of obvious conditions involving attacks by virus, bacteria, or chronic debilitation of certain organs of the body, including the nervous system—increased awareness of the nature of bodily functions can help maintain a healthy level of balance within the total organism. Essential to the principle of balance is recognition of the importance of the mind in influencing one’s reactions, both psychological and physical, to circumstances in the surrounding environment. Some holists adhere to the Abraham Maslow school of psychology, which places strong emphasis on questions of drive toward “need fulfillment” in both the physical and psychological domains. Certain bodily states can easily be linked to biologically stimulated drives, including hunger and sexuality. Less apparent psychological drives, however, may also trigger physical reactions. Imbalances in fulfilling the natural drives for love or success are held responsible for many forms of physical disorder that could be averted, such as anorexia nervosa, ulcers, and stress.

Several approaches to holistic medicine consider the end goal of good physical health to be not only the avoidance of disease but also the realization of a positive, life-enhancing experience. In some cases, the inspiration for such theories comes from long traditions in Asian philosophies and religions that assume close links between the psychic and the physical realms of life. An assumption that may or may not be shared between such philosophies and holists is that a “true” state of health leads to superior levels of awareness in both spheres.

Physicians interested in holistic medicine need not, however, be tied solely to disease-specific or “consciousness-heightening” aspects of what can be a very general field. Some specialists in geriatrics, for example, adopt holistic approaches to counseling the elderly about natural stages of aging, preparing them to accept, with a minimum of anxiety, the gradual decline that accompanies the end of life. Growing emphasis on hospice care for the terminally ill or aged, as opposed to hospitalization, is connected with this aspect of holistic medicine. In 2012, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reported that 1.65 million patients received hospice care in the United States in 2011.

Diagnostic and Treatment Techniques

Although individual physicians may espouse holistic approaches, many persons without formal medical training choose to practice it themselves to maintain their bodies and minds in the healthiest state possible. Such practices may be individual and personal, ranging from exercise and dietary habits to meditation. They may also involve group associations supported by the participation of trained physicians or laypersons. It has become possible to find method-specific holistic centers specializing in a range of techniques. These range from, for example, very general holistic health and nutrition institutes to highly specialized centers that strive to treat those suffering from chronic pain through localized electrical nerve stimulation.

Essential to almost all holistic approaches to treatment is an emphasis on the physician’s role as a facilitator—someone who is able to help the patient recognize what he or she should do to adopt various attitudes and actions that can alleviate all or part of the observed disorder. In this connection, a number of general practitioners maintain auxiliary personnel to provide various therapies (massages, controlled breathing, and so on) to supplement, or sometimes to replace, such standard treatments as drug prescriptions or minor surgery.

Perspective and Prospects

It was the South African political figure Jan Smuts who, in 1926, first used the specific word “holism” to describe, not holistic medicine per se, but the philosophical principle which holds that whole systems (and therefore whole organisms) involve entities that are greater than, and different from, the sum of their component parts. In medicine, the idea that external factors intervene to affect the way that an organism functions is almost as old as medicine itself. Hippocrates, for example, is known to have been concerned about environmental causes for certain disorders and to have included emotional and nutritional considerations in diagnosing patients.

Two aspects of holistic approaches to health and daily life in the postindustrial world are likely to continue increasing in importance in coming generations: concern over improving dietary habits and exercise patterns. The discovery of the possible long-term harm that can come from poorly balanced diets (particularly those with a high fat content or excessive chemical additives) has made such specialized practices of holists as vegetarianism and fasting more familiar and at least partly attractive to the wider public. Likewise, the holistic emphasis on regular physical exercise for people of all ages has increasingly become part of many general practitioners’ standard advice to their patients. In 2011, the journal Health Services Research reported that, based on data from 2007, 76 percent of health care workers were using a combination of complimentary and alternative medicine, which included such treatments as a vegetarian diet.

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