Holistic health refers to the healing of a person, including the mind, body, and spirit. It is the approach taken mostly when modern medicines fail to cure a person. Or when individuals hesitate to take western treatments in general.
Holistic healthcare professionals believe that there is a chain of interconnectedness in all our body parts. In short, if one piece falls weak, it will affect our body as a whole. And therefore, create an imbalance that can cause struggles later. It is crucial to note that these imbalances can be emotional, spiritual, or even physical.
The idea behind holistic health is to allow individuals to decide about their health. They do so by informed choices, self-study, and education. Holistic health can be highly beneficial for you. It helps in decreasing inflammation in the body, fighting the common cold, and alleviating daily stress.
There are several holistic treatments, including diet, exercise, psychotherapy, and relationship and spiritual counseling. Reflexology, reiki, traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, yoga, etc., are also part of holistic healthcare treatments. Each treatment is different and addresses differentiating issues in humans.
If you happen to visit Arizona, you can talk to a naturopathic doctor in Phoenix to help you out with treatments available. A naturopathic doctor usually carries out these treatments. However, there are other healers whom you can consult as well. For instance, many believe Sacred Women to be constructive and life-changing healers.
As mentioned above, holistic health looks beyond the physical body. In reality, there are five aspects of holistic health: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and mental, each of which we have discussed below.
- Physical
Physical health is often the first thing most of us think about when talking about health. It is because our physical health is the easiest to measure, diagnose, and cure. And also because our body is the first to show symptoms of any weaknesses or imbalances.
Maintaining and supporting your physical health is highly crucial. It decreases your chances of chronic illnesses, improves your metabolism, and keeps your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check. Here is how you can improve your physical health:
- Get sufficient sleep. At least eight hours of sleep is mandatory for every individual to function efficiently. Otherwise, your body will not get enough rest. It can increase the chances of sleep deprivation that can lead to more severe issues.
- Consume high nutrient foods. A healthy diet helps you live longer, boosts immunity, strengthens bones, and decreases cancer and heart failure risks. Nutrients also help the digestive system function, support a healthy pregnancy, and keep skin, teeth, and eyes healthy.
- Include daily physical activity in your routine. Physical exercise is highly crucial not only for weight maintenance but also to improve your health overall. A thirty-minute workout session every day would be sufficient.
- Limit alcohol and avoid smoking. The dangers of smoking and overconsumption of drugs aren’t alien to us. If you genuinely want to improve your physical health, it would be best if quitting smoking was your first step.
- Emotional
Emotional health is one of the most overlooked aspects of our well-being. Some say it’s because of human nature, while some argue that society’s norms dictate emotional well-being as insignificant. When in reality, your emotional health is as significant (and in some cases even more) as your physical health. People often appear physically strong when they are emotionally broken.
However, with more awareness, an increasing number of people are opening up about their emotional health and looking to seek help. Some ways you can look after your emotional well-being include:
- Everything mentioned above for physical fitness is equally essential for emotional health.
- Practice meditation and mindfulness. These are of great help to take your mind away from your worries. If done correctly, meditation and mindfulness can do wonders for people. It can help gain a new perspective about stressful situations, increase self-awareness, and reduce negative emotions.
- Seek therapy when needed. Treatment changes how you interact with people. It teaches you life-long coping skills and makes you feel better about yourself.
- Social
Social health refers to a person’s ability to interact and form meaningful relationships with others. Social health is also an essential aspect of holistic health.
Below, we have mentioned a few ways you can improve your social health:
- Take out time for in-person outings. Although communicating and making connections have become much simpler because of technology, virtual relationships still don’t equal the level of happiness in-person meetings can provide.
- Set boundaries. Setting boundaries ensures you only remain in contact with people who will do you no harm. It’s good for your emotional, physical, and mental well-being.
- Become part of your local community. Local gatherings are an excellent way to meet new people, form friendships, and share your perspectives.
- Spiritual
Spiritual health doesn’t mean becoming religious. Instead, it refers to the ways you connect with your inner soul and the world around you.
You can support your spiritual health by:
- Meditating
- Spending time in nature
- Practicing your faith
- Mental
Good mental health can lead to a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression. It increases self-esteem, improves moods, and aids clearer thinking. It also helps you form meaningful relationships, gives you a sense of satisfaction, and increases your happiness. Some of the ways you can improve your mental health include:
- Seeking out learning opportunities
- Keeping your mind active
- Avoiding drinking, smoking, and consumption of recreational drugs
- Talking about your feelings
- Eating healthy
- Taking a break from daily tasks when needed
- And seeking help
Conclusion
Experts say that holistic health philosophy dictates finding the right balance in life. And you can only find balance if you are functioning efficiently.
Holistic health can improve your habits and lead to beneficial lifestyle changes. It prevents several conditions and illnesses such as pain, anxiety, strokes, high blood pressure, addiction, cancer, etc. Your body will be able to withstand diseases more easily. Holistic treatments are chemical-free with minimal to zero dangers and are also lighter on the pocket. It is an excellent alternative to modern medications and treatments.