How to Define Holism
When searching for a yoga tutorial, a home remedy for a bad cold, or a new vitamin to add to your daily regimen, chances are you’ll run into the phrase, “Holistic Approach,”. Also known as holism, it is defined as, “a study or method of treatment that is concerned with wholes or with complete systems,”. Holism is rooted in the early 20th century when it was coined by General Jan Smuts in 1926 to describe how nature inherently produces wholes from groups of units. Since then, a lot has changed regarding holism, however, the basic idea still remains the same. To live a life that is natural and to live a life that is more whole.
Holistic Living and Medicine
In regards to healthcare, holism exists as a complementary approach to standardized treatments. That is, it shouldn’t replace a treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional, but that it should be an aid, complimenting whatever treatment that has already been prescribed. In the medical field, alternative and complementary medicines are known by the acronym, “CAM”. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, CAM is used by nearly, “38% of adults and 12% of children,” in the United States as a way to alleviate and remedy symptoms.
What is CAM?
CAM exists in a variety of 6 ways: traditional, body, external energy, mind, sense, diet, and herbs. Traditional includes everything from Chinese and Oriental medicine to acupuncture and homeopathy, while the body is centered around touch therapies such as yoga and thai chi. External energy-based alternative medicines include therapies such as Reiki and Qigong which are known to relieve pain and lessen anxiety. There are even holistic therapies catered around art, dance, and music that help facilitate emotional wellbeing. One of the more notable approaches under CAM, however, is nutrition. Holistic living is widely used as a way to bring balance to one’s diet. Through dietary supplements and herbal medicine, one can bring their digestive system back to a state of normalcy. Through these 6 paths of alternative medicine, CAM can facilitate a healthier and more whole life. Since our founding in 2012, Verda has been dedicated to educating the public on natural medicine and the benefits that a more holistic life can bring.