Holism in Wellness

By Ann Vogel

Holism in science is an approach to research that emphasizes the study of complex systems in their integrity. When talking about wellness and alternative health, holism refers to all those treatments and practices which consider the human being as a unity.

The holistic methods do not treat the human body separately; their aim is to achieve the harmony of body, mind and soul. For example when it comes to weight loss, the holistic approach would not only try to reduce the fat tissue of the body and maintain the newly achieved weight, but it would also look into the causes of obesity and try to change the attitude of the person. Achieving this kind of harmony is not an easy task but it is absolutely necessary in order to live at peace with ourselves and the world around us.

This approach has been applied for many years in ayurvedic medicine in India. Indeed it can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, the term itself coming from Greek, meaning whole, oneness, unity. Achieving harmony and balance are also the aims of traditional Chinese medicine.

The basic concept of holism in wellness and medicine is that the universe is a unity and everything is related to everything. Holistic practices do not treat the disease, they try to treat the diseased, and thus they concentrate on prevention and on the restoration and maintenance of balance. Holism looks for causes, instead of dealing with the symptoms and considers the nurturing of the soul just as important.

It is not enough however to pamper ourselves from time to time. If we want a considerable change, we need to conduct a new lifestyle and live consciously. This would mean paying attention to our eating and exercising habits, our weight, stress level and religious practices. Some practices that can be part of a holistic approach in wellness are: astrology, yoga, graphology, psychological counseling, Reiki, energy-massage, aromatherapy, Tibetan sound-therapy and many more.

To learn more about healthy and effective weight loss programs visit the Weight Loss Institute.

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