Holistic health care focuses on the general well being of the body and all of its complex systems. It focuses treatment not just on the symptoms or the immediate problem but on trying to improve the bodies entire well-being. Successful application of holistic care practices is not only intended to cure the ailment but also put you into a higher level of spirituality where you are closer to Nature or to your chosen representation of God. Often meditation or some form of inner contemplation of the problem is combined with natural herbs and medicines to allow the body to manage its own repairs.

Another term that is frequently used in conjunction with holistic health assistance is wellness. Indeed all over North America there are establishments being set up using the term wellness center. Although some of these are genuine wellness centers and integrate both mental and physical fitness with nutrition and stress management, many are simply fitness centers with a nutritionist on staff. Wellness is the hoped for result of all forms of health management whether it is traditional drugs and surgery or a variety of holistic care, the target is for the person to be able to be happier, content with their life and to live their life with a minimum of pain. As with all medicine and medical care, sometimes one set of actions and medicine is not enough to fix the problem, and, therefore, there may come a time when holistic medical care needs assistance.

Integrated Medical Care

Integrated medical care is a principle where the patient undergoes a combination of standard pharmaceutical and physical therapies combined with components of health. There is absolutely no doubt that positive attitudes and behaviors can drive recovery from a wide variety of illnesses. It is also true that sometimes nothing works. Medicine is an art with science providing only some of the instruments that doctors and other health practitioners should use to try and nudge the odds of getting well. Combining holistic health care and what is now called traditional health care should be a no-brainer if it provides a better outcome for the patient. After all, what we now call holistic health care was the normal practice until the last few hundred years and it is still considered essential in many of the eastern and oriental countries.

Integrated medical care truly integrates behavioral and mind-body practices with preventive medicine, self-management, traditional drugs, surgeries and therapies to provide the best chance for survival or for the patient to get well. This is in essence the current practice form of holistic health care.