Are you considering nursing school? And more specifically, are you exploring holistic healthcare? If so, you came to the right place to learn the basics. In essence, holistic healthcare is an approach to health, disease and wellness that emphasizes mind, body and spirit interconnectedness. So, instead of just treating symptoms, holistic healthcare aims to address the whole person.
Regardless of whether you’re in the process of exploring courses such as the online fast-track nursing programs available at Wilkes University, career change options, or nursing career paths, holistic healthcare is an excellent topic. Moreover, it will strengthen your credentials as a nurse. So, let’s explore what it means.
What is holistic healthcare?
Holistic health is a way of living that promotes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance. Most people recognize that balancing some or all of these components improves overall wellness and quality of life. However, few people know how to achieve and maintain this balance.
In holistic healthcare, practitioners focus on the whole person – mind, body and spirit. They believe that each person’s health is unique and can’t be treated as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Holistic health looks to find the root cause of ailments and addresses lifestyle factors.
How does holistic healthcare work?
Health concerns can arise from a variety of sources. So, it’s essential to consider all of these when choosing a strategy for wellness. Most holistic healthcare practitioners have a wide range of skills and experience beyond standard medical training, including the following:
- Diet: Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is a powerful way to promote health. It also helps the body to heal itself when sick. So, it makes sense to get educated and informed on healthy eating.
- Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness can help people cope with stress and anxiety. Also, it can improve self-awareness and connection to one’s body.
- Nutritional supplements: Specific vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential to good health. Others assist the body in healing itself, which is why it’s part of holistic healthcare.
- Physical exercise: Physical activity helps the body to release toxins, improve circulation and strengthen the immune system.
Benefits of holistic healthcare
People turn to holistic healthcare because they want more than just a diagnosis and a treatment. They want to understand the causes of their issues so that they can take steps to avoid them. Also, they want to feel empowered to take charge of their wellbeing. The advantages of holistic health include the following:
- Greater self-awareness: When people tune into their bodies, they notice changes and connections. So, they know when a health issue arises or if a treatment works.
- Better coping skills: Holistic healthcare allows people to master stress and anxiety through mindfulness practice.
- Longer life spans: Healthy eating, exercise and other lifestyle choices help people to avoid diseases and conditions that shorten life spans.
Power of holistic healthcare
Holistic healthcare is a powerful way to promote wellness. Holistic healthcare approaches health as a complete state of being. It considers the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit, and it seeks to address the root causes of illness while recognizing that each person is different.