The food we eat; the information we consume; how we manage our stress; how well we rest; the exercise we get; and the head-space to nurture our mind and soul... it all contributes to our overall wellbeing.
Thankfully, in recent years more and more attention has been put on mental health and work-life balance. Activities such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga are on a fast trajectory and no longer considered fringe, ‘hippy’ activities. Sound therapy itself - even though used for millennia (that topic's for another time) - is becoming accessible to so many. The likes of Wim Hof have brought the power of the breath and cold water therapy to the masses on a global scale. The pandemic itself forced people to slow down and take stock of what is truly important - our health, family and connections, joy and inner peace.
The medical approach of the last 100 years has been to focus on treating the symptom, usually through medication or surgery. But what is more and more evident (as I know from personal experience with Crohn's Disease, depression and anxiety disorder), is that this rarely treats the root cause, so the problem often just manifests in further illnesses (or 'disharmony' in the body), as it tries to send out a signal that all is not well. It's like shooting the messenger and thinking that it solves the problem.
And so that is where holistic health comes in – where we consider our health as an inter-connected whole (and not just the body, but also the mind and soul), rather than simply treating individual symptoms.
In holistic health, we dig deeper and tackle health from several angles, helping your body and mind to become more supported and nurtured so that the root cause(s) can be exposed, treated and healed (and it's not usually one thing, but an inter-connected cascade).
I truly believe – through my own experience – that we have everything we need to heal ourselves naturally of so many ailments, particularly if we catch them early enough. I know that is a big statement to make and that drugs can be literally life-saving, but actually, we should look at far more ways to medicate than simply pharmaceuticals.
For me, it's not an either/or: we should look at all natural interventions first (such as the various energy and sound healing modalities; nutrition; gut microbiome; detoxification; practical mental health support tools such as breath-work, meditation and mindfulness; etc); and then supplement with pharmaceutical drugs and therapies.
Our bodies and minds are the most incredible healing machines: all they need is the right support. See them as a car – without the right fuel and maintenance, they will start to break down. And the opposite is also true.
The amazing thing about the human body is that it is literally designed to heal and does so constantly, without us even realising - in fact, our body replenishes every single cell over the course of 7-10 years.
Don't underestimate what a big difference little changes can make in your diet, lifestyle and mental health practices.
You may wish to see holistic health as having five pillars – although I’m sure others could be added:
Physical (nutrition; toxins; exercise)
Mental (stimuli; mindfulness)
Social (connection; belonging)
Sleep and relaxation (restoration)
Soul (faith/optimism; emotional balance)
If we can nurture each of these, our overall (holistic) health can be optimised. And with that, comes true empowerment.
The beauty is, it's never too late to start. We just need to love ourselves as we would a best friend or child and give ourselves the same support and encouragement to do the work. It's so worth it.
Which small changes could you start with today?
NB: This article is my personal opinion and not intended as medical advice. Please see a doctor if you have any queries about any symptoms you have.
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