“The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.”– Voltaire
Holistic health is a medical philosophy that considers physical, mental and spiritual well-being to be interconnected and equally important to health promotion and the treatment of disease. Its popularity is growing in the U.S., and it is increasingly used in mainstream U.S. medical practices.
The medical “mainstream” is a river that is constantly shifting course. It is very likely that some of the holistic health practices that are currently on the periphery will eventually enter the mainstream, which underscores the importance of hiring professionals who understand holistic health today.
Furthermore, as the healthcare system seeks to meet the needs of consumers from diverse backgrounds, and who have varied belief systems, an understanding of multiple medical philosophies is essential.
I have completed over 300 classroom hours studying holistic health topics including nutrition, herbal medicine and stress management though the education department at Shakti Rising, a community organization that provides holistic health services to women. Additionally, I have as many or more classroom hours teaching these topics. My personal experience with body-work modalities including acupuncture, massage, energy psychology, yoga, meditation and Reiki.
My research-based, capstone project for my Masters in Public Health degree was on the topic “Towards Promoting a Wider Range of Self-Management Skills among Patients with Asthma: A Review of the Literature on Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the Treatment of Asthma”.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
– Thomas Edison