Where it began

The History of Holistic Medicine

The origination of Holistic medicine began with the Ancients of Old, somewhere between 4000 BC and 3000 BC. The Chinese and Eastern people of India believed that to be healthy, happy and whole, one must harmonize all elements of the human body and personality. They did not fail to take into consideration the psychological as well as the spiritual aspects of humans when they sought out effective medical treatments. Also taken into consideration was the way one lived, whether they in harmony with their natural surroundings and whether or not nutritional needs were being met.

Socrates and Hippocrates taught that one should consider all contributing factors to good health, such as the emotions; the elements, nutrition etc. should be taken into consideration when treating for ill health. In modern times, we have other factors to take into consideration as well. Socrates was known to stress we should not treat the body as the only part of man needing attention.

Today, sources of pollution, chemicals, medicinal drugs, food additives and many other factors can impact our health in negative ways, It was not until the early 1970s that Western civilization began to see the wisdom in treating the human psyche as well as the body together in alternative medical treatments. Allopathic medical treatment leaves out the mind, the will and the emotions which some believe in essence is the spirit of man. What is considered modern day, orthodox medicine, generally does not take our surroundings, our habits and our poor nutrition as a causative factor into consideration in regards to medical problems.

With the advent of major advances in today's modern medicine and the discoveries being made by science trying to debunk holistic medicine from being an accepted alternative way of treating disease, the holistic method of treatments continue to be confirmed as a viable and indeed successful avenue for treating disease.

It is becoming more acceptable by the general population go seek out alternative medical treatment. Just a cursory trip down your local grocery store or drug store isle will reveal alternative medical products that were once considered to be on the fringe of health care. In the recent past, you had to go to a health food store to find many of the products that are now common on grocery and drug store shelves.

All kinds of vitamins, herbal cold remedies, menopause or pms relief products, herbal teas and essential oils are just some of the holistic products that are now quite readily available for our consumption.

According to a study done in 1977, Americans were spending above $30 billion on alternative holistic health care items. Over 30 years later, the amount spent by Americans on these products only further confirms holistic medicine is a viable health care alternative that many U.S. citizens chose in addition to orthodox allopathic medicine. Once termed as quackery by the established medical profession, Holistic Medicine now stands alongside and compliments the medical profession. Many orthodox medical practitioners now recommend or prescribe holistic medical treatments and this is becoming more the norm now than the exception.