Holistic Medicine

The oldest forms of medicine are enjoying a comeback .Modern holistic medicine is an approach that treats the whole patient ,not just the disease .It is a way to maintain good health rather than cure illness .The most important influences on today’s holistic medicine are ancient Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, both of which promoted whole body health.
 Holistic medicine usually combines diet ,physical exercise and meditation, together with other alternative techniques such as massage and acupuncture .Herbal treatment ,a practice of treating illness by using plants, is influenced by the writings of Culpeper as well as Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Homeopathy is one of the forms of holistic medicine which is widely practiced in Europe and the USA .Homeopathy began in Germany in the early 1800s, when Samuel Hahnemann bescribed how very tiny doses of a drug had an effect on his patients .According to Hahnemann, the more the drug was diluted,the stronger its effects .The substance selected would produce similar effects to the disease itself if given in large doses. In the UK homeopathy is regarded as a non-traditional but just about acceptable treatment.
 Meditation and contemplation have an important role in holistic medicine. They were brought to Europe by Indian teachers who combined Indian Ayurvedic medicine with Western beliefs. Transcendental meditation is one of the best known of these techniques .People repeat words inside their head to reach a state of deep relaxation.
 The holistic movement has made many doctors look at the whole patient ,not just the disease .Life-style,emotional problems and diet are just some of the factors that can affect a person’s health . Holistic medicine emphasizes good diet , exercise and fresh air ,all of which
contribute to health .Some clinics now offer holistic medicine along with traditional treatments ,so
that their patients can choose a combination of treatments that suits them. One problem with holistic medicine is that it is difficult for people to be sure a doctor is reliable. To solve this ,many countries want alternative doctors to form professional bodies.