When you consider your health goals, how does a holistic practice fit into the picture? The answer is simple: a holistic medicine approach helps you find your way to optimal health.
Not only does the approach make sense from a health standpoint, holistic medicine also makes good financial sense.
Western medicine is arguably the most “advanced” in the world – and inarguably the most technically advanced. But in spite of this distinction, according to the National Institutes of Health, about a third of US adults use complementary and integrative health approaches. This is because holistic medicine is not only effective, but it also it a cost effective healthcare option.
How a Holistic, or Whole-Person, Approach Works
Holistic medicine is based on the integration of allopathic, or “Western” medicine, osteopathic, and hands-on healing practices (such as chiropractic) as well as ethno-medicine.
The Holistic approach to health considers the whole person – mind, body and emotions – in order to help the person achieve his or her optimal state of health and well-being. Holistic practitioners integrate conventional and complementary therapies to promote optimal health and to prevent and treat disease.
This approach frequently results in a patient using less medication, and experiencing less invasive treatment. While “alternative” medicine is sometimes looked down upon, the fact is a holistic approach often means there is an alternative to surgery and prescription medications with unpleasant side effects. How can that be anything but positive?
Holistic Health Care Is Cost-Effective
While an integrative, preventative method of health care has proven medically effective, it has also proven cost-effective.
While few large and long-term studies have been done, in those that have, results clearly showed that complementary, holistic, and integrative approaches are cost-effective. (One example: In a study of more than 3,200 adults with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), complementary approaches and lifestyle changes were as cost-effective and successful as diabetes drug intervention.)
Chiropractic, massage, holistic, and mind-body approaches to wellness are reaching mainstream proportions in the US. More importantly, the shift in our understanding of the treating whole person may be, at last, making sense.
If you are looking for medical professionals who see you as a whole person, and care about your entire health picture, please contact us.
