What is holistic wellness?
You may have heard the term “Holistic Wellness” floating about social media or in the news. You may have no idea what I’m talking about, or you may think it is some hippie-dippy-trippy concept. Let’s get into what Holistic Wellness is and isn’t…
Holistic: ho-lis-tic. Characterized by the belief that the parts of something are interconnected and can be explained only by reference to the whole
Wellness: well-ness. The state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal
Holistic Wellness is the belief that the ultimate goal of wellness is to incorporate the 7 areas of wellness for our ultimate well-being. The 7 areas of Wellness are:
Physical
Emotional
Intellectual
Spiritual
Occupational
Social
Environmental
The thought process here being that one area affects all areas. For example, one’s environmental exposure to harmful chemicals potentially negatively affects their physical health. With declining physical health, emotional health often mirrors that decline. But, if a change is made (moving to a healthier and safer home, for example) both the physical and emotional health should be improved. Of course, this is a drastic example. Everyone has different goals or health concerns that can be improved upon by practicing holistic wellness.
Science is finally catching up to what humans have innately known for millennia. We are unique beings made up of more than the sum of our parts. Prevention Magazine has even estimated that 90% of all physical problems have a psychological component!
Dunn, Chris, Lisa Deroo, and Frederick P. Rivara. "The use of brief interventions adapted from motivational interviewing across behavioral domains: a systematic review." Addiction96.12 (2001): 1725-1742
You may have heard that Holistic Wellness also promotes “alternative therapies”. A better way to think about this is that Holistic Wellness promotes the idea of Least Medical Intervention. Holistic Wellness promotes the idea of becoming responsible for our own choices and how they can improve our lives. A person with high blood pressure starts walking & exercising; this improves their heart health and can lower their blood pressure to a healthier level. They may then, by working with their health care provider, be able to stop taking blood pressure medication. As a result of exercise, they may also achieve a healthier weight and feel a boost in their self esteem and confidence!
Holistic Wellness is NOT make believe, a far out idea that comes from taking too many drugs, or a replacement for needed medical treatment. Holistic Wellness is NOT a one size fits all approach.
I know this can be confusing- so just remember this, YOU are more than a diagnosis. You are a human being with emotional, spiritual, intellectual needs that are just as important as your physical health.