What is holism?

Holism is described as looking at the whole of the subject rather than just an aspect of it. This is not a new concept. It has its roots in ancient healing traditions. Ayurveda (an ancient system of medicine from India) saw wellness as a balance of mind, body, and spirit. Ancient Greeks, Chinese (Traditional Chinese Medicine), indigenous peoples and several other cultures practiced this holistic approach to health and wellness. As modern medicine evolved in our culture, there has been more focus on specializations and treating the symptom rather than the whole person, and this has become the norm. Though this is slowly changing back to a more holistic approach, still, in traditional modern medicine, the symptom is what is usually addressed rather than considering other factors that could play a part in the symptom.

We know that a person’s emotional state plays a role in physical health. Depression, stress, grief and anxiety affect the immune system, digestive system, skin as well as other elements of the body. A relatively new field of health called, psychoneuroimmunology, is the study of this concept and how a person's psychology/emotional state affects their immune and other systems. It has become more evident that learning about a person’s entire current situation and symptomology is necessary to fully and effectively address their health. Fortunately, more doctors and health professionals are approaching wellness from this holistic perspective.

In holistic aromatherapy, we can address multiple factors to deal with health and well-being. If a person comes to me and says they are having trouble sleeping, there are several oils I might recommend. But if I ask a few questions, I might gain an insight into a bigger picture of what is going on with this person and could address issues that would result in better outcomes. Lavender is often used for insomnia, and it might be an appropriate choice. However, we might ask, why is this person suffering from insomnia? Is it stress? Is it pain? Is it dietary choices? These would be questions worth asking to get the “big picture.” The answers to these questions would also inform me as to appropriate oils I could use to formulate a blend that would effectively encourage better sleep.

One of my clients who is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, has had a long history of sleeping 3-4 hours a night and was suffering with profound sleep deprivation. Finally, one of his health professionals suggested this lack of sleep might be a symptom of the Parkinson's. He asked for my help in coming up with a blend to help him. Since Parkinson's disease is an imbalance in brain neurotransmitters, I formulated a blend to address this along with oils for sleep. His sleep improved dramatically in just a few nights.

On a positive note, Western medicine seems to be shifting back to treating people holistically. The rise of alternative treatments, natural medicine practitioners, and the market of natural remedies that have few to no side effects, are great signs of a return to this "whole-istic" paradigm. It is now common for a doctor to ask how a patient is feeling emotionally to help address physical ailments. A step in the right direction!