Modern medical science has come a long way in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Diabetics are able to manage their blood sugar with dietary changes and medication. Though a cure has not yet been found, people with HIV are living longer and healthier lives when only a few years ago this diagnosis would have meant certain death. Even those in need of organ transplants are able to go on to live normal, productive lives in many cases. With all of its successes, it is often easy to ignore where modern medicine has missed the proverbial boat.
The Down Side of Modern Medicine
The many advances of science and medicine have a particular focus on pathology – that is they are centered on defining, diagnosing and managing diseases. While this is no doubt an important and often complex process, there is more to human health and wellness than simply making us feel better when we are ill.
The medical field has been sub-divided into a plethora of specialties that often leave patients confused as to which doctor they should see for a particular ailment. What would once involve a simple trip to your family doctor can now involve referrals to specialists. Involve health insurance companies in the mix and the confusion only grows.
Whole Health
The biggest and most glaring deficiency in modern medicine is that most doctors are trained to treat symptoms and not the person. In order to enjoy complete health, one must first look objectively at the whole being. There is little doubt that physical health is absolutely important but to take care of the body to the exclusion of the mind and spirit is to have only a partially healthy person.
True health care – Whole Health Care is a proactive and involved process that views each of these three key components as having equal importance and treating them all with equal dedication.
The Holistic Health Care Answer
By its very definition, holism or Holistic Health Care, embraces the body, mind and spirit as three equal and interconnected parts of the whole being. The common bond that links the many different forms of holistic therapy is that each of them treats your physical, mental and your spiritual health.
Even one of the most widely known and accepted forms of holism – massage therapy – has benefits that go far beyond just loosening your muscles. Massage sessions help to relieve muscle tension, relax the body and increase circulation throughout your body all while simultaneously releasing stress and invigorating the mind.
With the wide array of holistic options, learning more about them can be a challenge that is too much for a person to take on in today’s hectic world. The Center for Healing Arts has introduced a way to bring the most knowledge and respected healing arts practitioners right into your home with a series of sessions on DVD that allow you to learn at a comfortable pace without the time commitment of wading through books after a long day at work or the wasted time involved with search engine results.
Subscribers to their program receive a new DVD every two months taught by experts in the various fields of the healing arts – not faceless amateurs behind a computer monitor who could be endangering the lives of you or your family with incomplete or incorrect information.
How Do I Know What To Do?
First, it is very important for you to know that the point of this article is not to discredit the modern medical establishment whatsoever. The goal here is to help you to understand that doctors are not all-knowing sentient beings in whom we should place all of the responsibility for our health and wellbeing. Your health is your responsibility and the fact that you don’t have M.D. or PhD at the end of your signature does not in any way alleviate you of that.
That said, the best way to learn more about holistic medicine is to research the various therapies and methods to find one or more that seem to feel comfortable to you. Trust your instincts and don’t give up hope. It takes dedication on your part to find what works best for you and your family.
Divne Pointer is a novelist and freelance writer with a special interest in holistic health and a fan of http://thecenterforhealingarts.com The Center for Healing Arts' films on healing
