Holistic healing focuses on the balance of mind, body and soul and their connectedness in health. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Naturopathic Medicine are major holistic medical systems of the East and West, and although they implement various techniques, they all incorporate nutrition to initiate healing and establish balance.
Nutrition and Holistic Health
Nutrition is significant because it can help aid recovery from chronic illnesses and establish good health for the long term. Nutrition is an essential aspect of holistic medical systems, as food is a source of energy, providing essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Eastern holistic systems, which suggest food carries energy, link taste types to various universal elements as a way of restoring balance, while optimizing health and well being.
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a holistic medical system based upon the philosophy of the body's self healing abilities. Naturopathy focuses on the prevention of disease and its underlying causes. A naturopathic practitioner utilizes natural remedies to help activate the body's self-healing process. Education on the importance of taking care of your health is fundamental to naturopathic medicine, and a nutritious and organic diet rich in vitamins and minerals may be encouraged by a practitioner as part of a healing plan. Herbal and botanical medicines and mineral supplements may be administered with the recommendation of fasts and cleanses according to your individual needs to support health and wellness.
Ayurveda Healing System
The ancient Indian holistic medical system, ayurveda, advocates that food has energy and has the ability to alter your state of health and equilibrium. Food is classified according to various tastes -- bitter, sweet, sour, salty, pungent and astringent. These tastes, which are linked to the elements Air, Water, Fire, Ether and Earth, help strengthen, pacify and bring balance to doshas. There are three doshas in total: pitta, vata and kapha, each one representing specific character traits, strengths and weaknesses, while also connecting with the elements. Pitta corresponds to fire and water, while vata is linked to air and ether, and kapha is connected to water and earth. Although everyone has a dominant dosha, you possess aspects of all three. When illnesses occur, your doshas are said to be imbalanced. Specific types of foods, depending on your ailment and the season, would be recommended to re-establish the balance of doshas and promote holistic health and wellness.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Nutrition, which is also an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is utilized by way of diet and herbal therapy in conjunction with acupuncture and massage. Food is categorized similarly as in ayurvedic practice, with bitter, pungent, salty, sweet and sour tastes corresponding to the elements of Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood; these elements also interlink with internal organs. Diet and nutrition is decided in TCM according to the season, although your specific state of health, ailments and environment are also taken into consideration. Food can re-establish balance and eradicate illness. For example, asthma is a condition affecting the lungs, an organ correlating to Metal in TCM. An excessive amount of phlegm is sometimes produced with asthma, which TCM links to dampness. This dampness is caused by an imbalance of the Earth element, which connects to the spleen. A TCM practitioner would administer pungent, sweet and bitter foods and herbs that strengthen the Metal, Earth and Fire elements, while advising the avoidance of pacifying foods to re-establish balance of both Yin and Yang aspects while controlling symptoms associated with asthma.
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