Holistic health is a system like naturopathy that aims to determine the cause of a health condition or disease by looking at the person's body, mind and spirit as a single whole. Holistic medicine encompasses many different therapies and techniques, including nutrition, physical therapies or exercises, herbal medicine and homeopathy. If you're thinking about following the principles of holistic nutrition, you should first talk with your health care provider about the benefits and the risks, as well as the diet's impact on your specific health status.
Function
Holistic medicine relies on your body's natural healing processes and is often used in combination with conventional medicine to help treat diseases or medical conditions, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Holistic medicine takes into account all parts of your physical, emotional and spiritual health, including your lifestyle, diet, environmental exposures, stress, health history and other factors, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. This type of alternative or complementary medicine typically utilizes nutritional counseling, lifestyle changes, herbal or homeopathic remedies, spirituality and physical therapies like acupuncture to treat and prevent illnesses.
Features
As one facet of holistic health, holistic nutrition typically focuses on following a diet that consists of naturally-grown, "whole" foods as sources of optimal nutrition, according to the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board. Holistic nutrition discourages the use of dietary supplements as "cure-alls," but it does encourage supplements when necessary. The macrobiotic diet is an example of holistic nutrition, which focuses on whole grains and fresh vegetables while eliminating or limiting high-fat foods, dairy products, meats and eggs. Holistic practitioners usually counsel people on how to select, prepare and consume foods to balance their nutrition and improve their health.
Benefits
Holistic nutrition also aims to balance your diet with your lifestyle habits to reduce negative environmental influences and promote overall health, according to the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board. Holistic nutrition attempts to eliminate harmful chemicals and toxins from your diet by eating organic and natural foods instead of processed foods. Some people believe that holistic nutrition can prevent or cure chronic diseases like cancer or heart disease, but no scientific evidence supports these claims, says the University of Michigan Health System.
Warning
Although holistic nutrition in itself isn't necessarily dangerous to most health people, you shouldn't use the diet as a treatment for any medical problem. If you have a chronic illness, you should always consult your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Also, don't stop taking any prescribed medications or undergoing recommended therapies in lieu of holistic nutrition, unless your health care provider advises you to do so. Despite the various claims about holistic diets and holistic medicine in general, no medical research supports their use in preventing or treating any health conditions. Instead, holistic medicine is typically used as a complementary therapy in conjunction with conventional medicine.
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