The Pros & Cons of Holistic Medicine: Why You Should Start Using It

Holistic medicine is a growing field that is becoming more and more popular. On the one hand, this is great because it shows that many people are starting to recognize how natural remedies can help relieve symptoms and ease conditions without exposing you to chemical compounds or pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, it’s not so great because holistic practitioners are starting to use their growing popularity as a way to try and sell their services at increasingly higher prices. That said, using holistic strategies on a regular basis could be beneficial for your health if you understand where they come from and what they might actually do for you in the long term. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of holistic medicine so that you have a better idea of whether or not it’s right for you.

What is holistic medicine?

Holistic medicine is a term that is frequently used to describe practices that do not focus solely on treatment. Instead, it is often used to describe a type of health care that also incorporates diet, lifestyle, and other outside factors in order to optimize your health. While the basic premise is nearly the same, practices and philosophies between holistic health care and complementary medicine can vary greatly. For example, many holistic therapies are not designed to be cost-effective, so the decision to use them stems more from a desire to try something out than a desire to actually change your health in any significant way. Some of the most popular holistic health practices include integrative medicine, functional medicine, energy medicine, and mind-body medicine. Of these, energy medicine and functional medicine are often lumped together under the umbrella of “alternative medicine”, which can lead to some confusion.

The Benefits of Holistic Medicine

A better overall health — One of the largest benefits of holistic health practices is that they can help you improve your overall health. This can include things like having better digestion, feeling less stressed and more calm, and even feeling better about yourself and your body.

Better treatment outcomes — Because holistic practices are often not focused on one specific disease or symptom, they are often able to address a wide range of conditions. In addition, these practices can be more holistic than standard medical treatments because they are often not focused on one specific aspect of your health. For example, instead of just treating nausea, holistic practitioners may also focus on the emotional aspects of the experience.

Better health insurance benefits — Because holistic practices are often not focused on treating one specific condition, they can often qualify as “complementary” medicine. This means that they can usually also qualify as “alternative” medicine, which has been shown to provide better health insurance coverage.

The Negative Effects of Holistic Medicine

No efficacious treatments — As we discussed above, many of the popular holistic practices are not designed to actually treat any conditions. While this can be an attractive feature for some, it also typically means that there are no efficacious treatments for these conditions.

No clear medical indications — One of the biggest problems with holistic medicine is that many practitioners do not have a clear medical indication for a particular treatment. For example, let’s say that you have what you believe to be cramps. There is no clear medical indication for treating cramps, so you could try eating ginger, drinking turmeric tea, getting a massage, or many other things.

Increased risk of harmful treatments — Because many holistic practices are not designed to treat anything, they can also often be used to treat things that are not helpful. This means that some people may use holistic health practices that are not useful for them, but that may be harmful for others.

Which Strategies Should You Use?

Ginger — If you are looking for something that has been shown to actually help with various symptoms and conditions, ginger is one of the most promising options. It can help with nausea, digestion, pain, and many other things. That said, it should be used alongside a diet that contains a lot of other beneficial nutrients as well as an increased amount of exercise.

Turmeric — Turmeric is another popular herb that is often used to treat a wide range of conditions. It has been shown to help with things like treating viral infections, inflammation, and even cancer. That said, the same caveats about the need for a healthy diet and exercise apply here.

Conclusion

As you can see, holistic medicine is incredibly promising, but it’s also incredibly risky. That said, it can be a great option for those who want to try something different but are not focused on a specific disease or symptom. There are many different types of holistic practitioners out there, and they often recommend different types of practices. However, you should know that many of the most popular practices are not generally helpful, so you will want to make sure you choose a practitioner who focuses on optimizing your health.

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