| | Holism is about the big picture; it pertains to the idea that nothing happens in vacuum pressure. When seeking answers to an issue, holism puts the emphasis on the 'whole' as opposed to the parts.
The English Oxford Dictionaries define holism:
The theory that elements of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the complete, or cannot be understood regardless of the whole, which is thus regarded as higher than the sum of the its parts.
And when holism is about health:
The treating of the whole person, considering mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
Another way to consider holism is by using the analogy of systems both natural and manmade (i.e. an ecosystem a health system, a family system, a solar system, etc.).
A system is really a complex 'whole' with a clear boundary; there is another and an inside. The content inside a system (for example: weather, animals, and plants) is made up of interrelated, interdependent parts that directly reflect the entire context, within that they exist, (for example: an ecosystem).
Whenever the complete of anything produces an outcome higher than any of its parts could accomplish, individually, we call that synergy, (for instance: a thunderstorm, the music of an orchestra).
The contrary to holism, reductionism, instead analyzes something by its component parts.
marijuana edibles uk : Treating the Whole Person
The traditional approach of the medical system has taught us to identify health from a reductionist perspective. We go to the doctor to obtain some specific part of the body fixed because it has stopped functioning well and may be causing us pain.
Millions of people get excellent results using the medical-model. The only problem is that this model considers, almost exclusively, just the health of the body. So when it involves mental health, the normal solution is to prescribe antidepressant medicine.
Why is this a problem? We humans are complex beings. We've minds, emotions and a soul, the non-public, intangible relationship to a macro reality beyond ourselves. What's more, who we are, is constantly influenced within the contexts of family, community, country and world.
A holistic approach to health and fitness addresses the reality of these multiple interrelated and interdependent parts which make us who we are. The malaise of any one of them can directly (and negatively), affect the fitness of other parts of our life.
For this reason alone, the initial focus of holistic care is on the person and not the issue or disease. Stress, anxiety, and depression, for example, often find yourself translating to a physical symptom. It's all connected.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) national survey, in September, 2017, The American Psychiatric Association reported that antidepressant use had gone from 1 in 50 people 30 years ago to at least one 1 of 9 between the years 2011 and 2014, and now in 2018.
This is clear evidence of the rise in mood disorders for Americans.
Why the increased use? As stated, nothing happens in a vacuum therefore assessing one's lifestyle regarding home, relationships, finances, work, etc. becomes a critical task to determine their impact. The bottom-line would be to find the root cause (s) and establish a restorative plan.
Cannabis and Holistic Health
The medicinal usage of cannabis is a world apart from its recreational use. In many cases, the lower the amount of THC found in any medicinal formulation, the higher the desired effect. The saying is: Start low; go slow. Treatment is never one-size-fits-all because the current interplay of someone's body, mind and soul are of primary consideration.
Historically, the entire ancient cannabis plant was used for a beneficial impact on someone's overall, general condition, far beyond mere symptom control. This makes it a perfect match to the holistic approach to health.
Not unlike the complexity of the human being in context of our various lifestyles, cannabis a complex plant of the plant kingdom. It's effectiveness being an overall tonic is due to the fact of cannabis containing approximately 100 molecular compounds, with THC and CBD most researched and understood.
When the whole of the cannabis plant is used as medicine it provides a synergistic or 'entourage' effect which accounts for why the therapeutic use of cannabis provides relief to a wide selection of conditions.
In this manner therapeutic cannabis use stands in stark contrast to traditional medicine that typically isolates plant compounds and manufactures them in pharmaceuticals to focus on one symptom or bodily system.
I believe that more and more people are discerning the difference between the medical and holistic types of health. Each has its time and place. When discovering the countless benefits of medicinal cannabis, our your overal wellness, lifestyle and broader culture can transform for the higher.
Susan is a 2018 graduate of the Holistic Cannabis Academy with over 45 years of personal involvement in the spectral range of wellness modalities. Her mission today would be to intervene in the noise of modern life and help people identify and remove stressors that trigger their dis-ease while providing strategies towards a full time income experience of inner calmness, contentment and inspiration. | | | |
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