What is Holistic Health? Top 5 Holistic Practices
When I hear the term “holistic health” I think about how it simplifies, unifies, and explains the complexities of wellness. When you look at a whole person, their body, mind, and spirit are all connected. Holistic health focuses on taking care of the whole person in order to prevent illness, heal past issues, or maintain overall well-being.
The goal of holistic health is to help people reach a state of overall health. So in this post, we're going to dive into what holistic health care and a whole-person approach to wellness means.
Holistic Health Definition
Holistic health is defined as an approach to wellness that takes into account all aspects of our lives:
physical
mental
emotional
spiritual
environmental
social
occupational
Various models might define or categorize the aspects of health (and life) in different ways. But at the end of the day, these are interdependent parts. Defining different components of wellness can help you understand what's impacting your health and how lifestyle factors contribute.
Holistic Medicine
Holistic health care may focus on the mind-body connection. You might also utilize alternative medicine, and holistic health practitioners like naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, and others.
Taking a holistic healthcare approach is partly about the modalities used to treat illness, disease, and medical conditions...but it's not just reactive.
A holistic approach emphasizes not only the absence of disease but also achieving optimal health in all areas.
That means lifestyle choices such as proper nutrition, exercise, and relaxation techniques are in order to achieve optimal balance and thrive.
In essence, holistic health focuses on taking care of yourself so you can have overall health, productivity, and fulfillment in all areas of your life.
Why Does the Concept of Holistic Health Matter?
Holistic health and wellness is an overall approach to healthy living that includes your everyday lifestyle. It's about work, play, and rest. You're asking the key question: How do I cultivate wellness from the inside out?
A holistic lifestyle approach broadens the definition and scope of health. Instead of waiting until you're sick to go to the doctor for treatment, you might think about lifestyle changes that will prevent symptoms and illness in the first place.
Here are three questions you may want to consider:
On a scale of 1-10, how strong is my health in the areas that were listed above? (Or see Duke Wheel of Health below)
Am I actively pursuing lifestyle choices and habits that will boost my health, energy, and wellness?
What is my current plan for health care, and what professionals and practices do I have in place to support me?
Holistic Health Practitioners
Don't write off holistic health as "woo-woo" and only for the crunchy-granola-hippie lifestyle. You can continue to follow your current healthcare model but expand it to be more holistic.
Just to be real with you, when I have a headache or stomach bug, the only goal in my mind is fast pain relief! At these times, I tend to reach for medicine – not essential oils.
But I also recognize that supplemental and alternative treatments can provide the same relief for illness as traditional medicine. And they may even work better, with minimal side effects. I've also seen holistic health practitioners for various reasons throughout the years.
In addition to your current medical model, consider how holistic approaches can enhance your prevention and treatment plans.
Do you currently see a holistic health practitioner? Doing so could help you build out a support structure that helps you maximize your health.
These professionals may include:
nutritionist
personal trainer
mental health counselor
spiritual counselor
massage therapist
acupuncturist
naturopathic physicians
etc.
5 Benefits of Practicing Holistic Health
Are you curious about the benefits of practicing holistic health? Mindful awareness practices and attention to overall wellbeing can make a big difference. Here are five reasons why incorporating holistic health practices into your lifestyle can have a significant impact on your overall well-being:
1. Improved Physical Health
When you practice holistic health, you'll reap the benefits of a healthier body both inside and out. By focusing on nutrition, exercise, and stress management, you'll experience improved physical health, including increased energy levels, improved sleep, and a stronger immune system.
2. Mental Clarity
Holistic health is not just about improving your physical health, but also your mental health. Incorporating mindfulness practices like meditation or journaling can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a more clear and focused mind.
3. Long-Term Results
Unlike fad diets or quick fixes, practicing holistic health is a lifestyle change that can lead to long-term results. Rather than just addressing symptoms, holistic health focuses on the root cause of health issues and creates sustainable changes for life-long health.
4. Personal Empowerment
With a holistic health approach, you take control of your own health and well-being. By learning how to nourish your body, mind, and spirit, you become empowered to make choices that support optimal health and happiness.
5. A Balanced Life
Holistic health values balance in all aspects of life, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. By prioritizing balance, you'll experience reduced stress and a greater sense of overall well-being.
Components of Holistic Health
The best way to practice holistic health is to create a healthy lifestyle plan that works for you. This may include setting daily goals or creating a routine for physical activity, getting enough sleep, eating nourishing foods, and managing stress.
You may also want to explore tools such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness practices, journaling, and other activities that help you connect with yourself and your environment. Additionally, it's important to stay informed about healthcare topics and holistic medicine so you can make informed choices when it comes to your own health. For example, you can explore the resources available at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
At the end of the day, holistic health is all about creating balance in your life and taking ownership of your well-being. Holistic health isn’t a panacea; it takes work and dedication to see results.
Top 5 Holistic Health Practices
Here are some examples of common holistic health practices for physical health, emotional health, mental health, spiritual health, and overall wellness
Because these practices are holistic they overlap and affect more than one category of health listed above.
For example, walking is a physical health practice but also positively affects your emotional and mental health. So don't get too caught up in dissecting, labeling, and boxing in your health practices. Know that they all contribute to your wellness!
Here are five holistic health practices to incorporate into your daily life.
1. Healthy eating and nutrition
Eating a healthy and balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods is one of the key pillars of holistic health. Healthy eating practices include
consuming nutrient-dense foods that provide the body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
eating the right amount of food for your body type
eating mindfully and forming a healthy relationship with food
The impact of your diet on physical health and wellness cannot be overstated! An unhealthy diet can lead to weight gain, nutrient deficiencies, and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
In contrast, a nutritious diet is an excellent foundation for total health. What you eat also affects your mood, energy levels, and mental capacity to focus.
2. Exercise and physical activity
Next up we have exercise! Moving the body regularly plays an important role in holistic health. Exercise helps to reduce stress levels, improve mood, strengthen bones and muscles, maintain a healthy weight, and overall improve physical health.
Regular physical activity also helps to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and can even help to improve cognitive function.
Physical exercise can take many forms such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing, yoga, Pilates, or any other form that you enjoy!
A complete physical activity plan will train
stamina and endurance through cardiorespiratory activities like walking or cycling
strength and power through resistance training such as lifting weights
flexibility and mobility through stretching
balance and coordination through sports, dance, or activities of daily living
But the most important thing is to MOVE, so choose activities that you will enjoy and do regularly...not dread and talk yourself out of!
3. Stress management and relaxation
Stress can kill you – literally. Physical symptoms, chronic pain, and more are connected to stress levels and our ability to cope with them.
Holistic health takes into account the impact of stress on our daily lives. It is important to learn how to deal with stress in healthy and positive ways.
Identify stress triggers; these could be at work or home and might be triggered by certain interpersonal reactions.
Find healthy stress relief practices like deep breathing, journaling, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.
Talk through your stresses with others and surround yourself with a community of support.
Self-care
It’s important to take care of yourself! Self-care can look different for everyone, but some examples include getting enough sleep, practicing mindfulness exercises, journaling, taking a relaxing bath or shower, and enjoying a good book or movie.
Self-care helps you break up your routine and take your mind off situations that are causing stress.
Taking time for self-care can also help you tune into your emotional health and allow you to refresh and recharge so that you can better manage your stress levels.
4. Emotional and spiritual health
When it comes to spirituality, there are diverse views throughout the world and you'll even find debate and varied approaches within specific religions.
However, your spiritual health plays into your emotional health, community, and holistic approach to wellness. Your approach to spirituality also helps define who you are and why you're here.
Core questions that are part of defining spirituality include:
Your meaning and purpose
Love - for self and others
Your relationship with God
However you define spirituality personally, the following practices have positive effects on spiritual, mental, and emotional health.
Gratitude
Meditation
Prayer
Reading from uplifting sources like the Bible
Journaling
5. Alternative medicine and therapies
Finally, you may choose to invest in some alternative therapies and medicines. And remember that what we call "alternative and complementary" in Western medicine has been standard practice in other cultures for hundreds or thousands of years.
One of the most common preventative and treatment options would include herbs and supplements. This could be in pill form, capsules, or in the form of teas. Herbs contain powerful active components that can provide relief to conditions such as anxiety and insomnia.
Or one of my simple and cheap favorites when I have a cold: chopping up a raw clove of garlic and swallowing it with some honey.
There are also natural healing modalities like acupuncture and massage therapy. These treatments help to reduce stress levels, improve circulation, and even aid digestion by stimulating the nervous system.
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to balance the body and aid in healing, while massage therapy can help reduce tension and promote relaxation.
No matter which approach you take, when it comes to holistic health, remember that every piece is important.
Allopathic medicine (the traditional Western medical care system) has saved countless lives and improved our quality of living with medicine, surgery, and other care.
The goal of holistic health care isn't to turn away from these methods, but to consider what else can be added for a more well-round approach to wellness.
In Conclusion
Holistic health is an approach to wellness that takes into account physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. Ultimately, holistic health provides us with comprehensive care options so we can achieve optimum well-being both mentally and physically. Investing time into your holistic health will not only improve your quality of life but could even save you money in the long run!
Remember that holistic health is an individualized approach and it’s up to you to decide which practices work best for your lifestyle. It may take some trial and error, but with a bit of patience, you can develop a personalized plan that works for you.
What about Health & Wellness Coaching?
A Health & Wellness Coach could help you navigate your options and a more holistic approach to health. A Health & Wellness Coach provides support, guidance, and resources that help you create habits for success in all areas of life.
By working with a qualified coach, you can develop an action plan for achieving your goals and establish effective strategies to stay on track. A Health & Wellness Coach can provide you with the necessary tools to help you reach your highest potential in health and well-being.
So, if you’re looking for a way to bring balance into your life and take charge of your overall health, consider working with a Health & Wellness Coach. It may be just
Book a Discovery Call below to learn more, or visit the Coaching Page for more info.