Holistic
Holistic approaches to Health
The diverse effects that holistic approaches to health have.
Definition:
The word ‘holistic’ is defined as being “the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease” (Pearsall, 2013). Therefore, a holistic approach to health can be defined as approaching health in a more open manner and not solely focusing on just the illness, but the individual’s mental/emotional, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing as a whole.
Explanation:
Holistic approaches to health addresses all aspects that affect the individual. While some medical professionals focus only on the body and not mind or vise-versa, holistic health focuses on “an individual as a whole, made up of interdependent parts, which are the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual” (Allison, 1999, p.8). These key elements are intertwined and connected. They are independent of one another, therefore indicates that what affect one affects the other (Perkins, 2013). Holistic approaches to health can then be explained as medical professionals not only treating the disease but also finding out mental, emotional and spiritual information about the person, which could lead to the root cause of the illness. Therefore giving a more effective diagnosis and minimizing possible relapse in the future.
Example:
Many modern medical practitioners would treat the patient’s illness rather than the patient individually. This can be seen as a narrow approach to health as it only focuses on the physical side of things. With a holistic approach to health, the medical professional would focus on the body as well as the mind and soul. This allows a wider view into the root cause of the illness and thus give a better and more effective diagnosis. For example, if an individual is stressed or anxious about a job interview, it may lead to the development of severe headaches and stomach pains (Allison, 1999). This demonstrates
The diverse effects that holistic approaches to health have.
Definition:
The word ‘holistic’ is defined as being “the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease” (Pearsall, 2013). Therefore, a holistic approach to health can be defined as approaching health in a more open manner and not solely focusing on just the illness, but the individual’s mental/emotional, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing as a whole.
Explanation:
Holistic approaches to health addresses all aspects that affect the individual. While some medical professionals focus only on the body and not mind or vise-versa, holistic health focuses on “an individual as a whole, made up of interdependent parts, which are the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual” (Allison, 1999, p.8). These key elements are intertwined and connected. They are independent of one another, therefore indicates that what affect one affects the other (Perkins, 2013). Holistic approaches to health can then be explained as medical professionals not only treating the disease but also finding out mental, emotional and spiritual information about the person, which could lead to the root cause of the illness. Therefore giving a more effective diagnosis and minimizing possible relapse in the future.
Example:
Many modern medical practitioners would treat the patient’s illness rather than the patient individually. This can be seen as a narrow approach to health as it only focuses on the physical side of things. With a holistic approach to health, the medical professional would focus on the body as well as the mind and soul. This allows a wider view into the root cause of the illness and thus give a better and more effective diagnosis. For example, if an individual is stressed or anxious about a job interview, it may lead to the development of severe headaches and stomach pains (Allison, 1999). This demonstrates
References: Allison, N. (1999). The illustrated Encyclopedia of Body-Mind Disciplines. New York, USA: The Rosen Publishing Group. Meyer, B.L., & Taylor, E.J. (2008). Holistic Approach to Severe Depression: My story. Nursing Made Easy, 22(2), 81-86. Pearsall, J., et al. (Eds.). (2013). Holistic. In Oxford dictionaries. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/holistic Perkins, C. (2013). Definition of Holistic Health. Retrieved from http://www.holistichelp.net/holistic-health.html