Imagine...
...going to your doctor’s office and after being sincerely asked how things were going for you and what problem you were having, someone actually sat down and attentively listened to your story. In doing so, they gained an understanding of how your illness was affecting YOU. After hearing what you had to say, you were given a thorough examination and included in a discussion about the suspected root cause. Consideration was given to a variety of natural, conventional and alternative approaches. And the safest, most effective option was recommended to treat you. Welcome to the world of Holisitic Medicine!
A true, holistic approach is centered upon treating YOU, not your disease. It encompasses the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of your well-being. It is based upon the knowledge that you are unique. As the esteemed physician, Sir William Osler said, “It’s not as important to know which disease the person has, as it is to know which person, has the disease.”
Conventional medical practice is geared toward what is known as a “disease centered” approach. Unfortunately, with this approach the individual is often over-looked and treatment is based on a set standard, rather than being tailored to one’s specific needs. In holistic medicine, what is practiced is known as a “patient-centered” approach. One that sets the needs of the individual as the top priority, and adapts the treatment accordingly.
The best practitioners of Holistic medicine don’t stop being holistic when it comes to treatment options. They should also be familiar with and frequently use, natural and alternative therapies in addition to conventional treatments. One of the mainstays of natural therapies is known as detoxification.
Detoxification is the process by which your body rids itself of harmful substances. It is a process that is going on in your body every second of every day, and the major organs utilized are the liver, colon, kidney and skin. Without the ability to detoxify, your body would not last more than a few days!
The most commonly impaired detoxification pathways are in the liver and the colon. In the liver, toxins are processed by thousands of biochemical reactions that are dependent on a wide variety of nutrients. The exact requirement for those nutrients is genetically determined and is also unique to you, the individual. From there, toxins are passed into the intestinal tract where they are met by beneficial bacteria that further neutralize them and ready them for excretion. The presence of the right nutrients, the health of that beneficial bacteria and the proper function of the colon are critically important to keep your body from being slowly poisoned.
In today’s world, we are all bombarded with toxic substances. The EPA estimates that in 1994 alone, over 2.2 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment in the United States. Moreover, it is estimated that as much as 25 percent of the United States population suffers to some extent from heavy metal poisoning. It’s no wonder that the incidence of chronic disease is steadily on the rise, even among our children.
Aids to detoxification are not only helpful, but in many cases necessary to maintain wellness. Therapies such as colon hydrotherapy, far infrared sauna and chelation for heavy metal detoxification are invaluable. Coupling these treatments with stress management, lots of pure water and supplements to restore proper function can be life-changing interventions for many people.
The good news is that God has given your body an amazing ability to heal. By removing toxins and restoring nutrients you can maximize that healing ability. So find a practitioner who will listen. Find one who's informed. Find one who cares. And enjoy the world of Holistic medicine.
