What is Holistic Health?

<p>Holistic health is based on the idea that well-being is a connection between mind, body and spirit, and individuals are composed of all these parts. When one of these parts is off-balance, an individual's well-being can be affected. With this in mind, holistic health focuses on the healing and maintenance of the whole person, rather than just a single symptom. </p> <p>Practitioners in this field look at the source of a condition and work to get the individual healed and balanced. A fundamental principle of holistic health is that what an individual consumes and how an individual reacts to his or her environment can affect physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health; therefore, this approach to well-being might be considered a lifestyle choice. Although some practitioners combine holistic medicine with conventional medicine, many begin treatment by trying to put the body in balance. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutHolisticHealth">Important Facts About Holistic Health</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Degrees </td><td> Certificate, associate's degree, medical degree</td></tr> <tr><td> Common Courses</td><td> Nutritional counseling, homeopathy, acupressure</td></tr> <tr><td> Online Availability </td><td> Onsite and online associate's degrees available</td></tr> <tr><td> Possible Careers </td><td> Holistic health practitioner, naturopathic physician, chiropractor</td></tr> <tr><td> Median Salary (2022) </td><td> $69,324 (<i>for naturopathic physicians</i>)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031) </td><td> 0% (<i>for health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other</i>)**</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *PayScale.com, **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---HolisticHealthApproaches">Holistic Health Approaches</h3> <p>Holistic health techniques can be used alone or in combination with conventional medicine. The most basic holistic health approach involves diet. Practitioners encourage patients to be conscious of what they consume on a regular basis and make lifestyle choices to eliminate foods that are harmful and add foods that are beneficial. Those who practice holistic health might incorporate some of the following additional methods to maintain health and promote balance and healing: </p> <ul><li>Traditional Chinese medicine </li><li>Yoga and meditation </li><li>Massage therapy </li><li>Herbal medicine </li><li>Emotional and mental counseling </li><li>Homeopathy </li><li>Aromatherapy</li></ul>