The majority of people have only a basic knowledge of how the body works. It takes a great deal of time, schooling and/or self-teaching to learn the complexities of the human body and how each organ and body system specifically works. Even then, many mysteries remain. Without getting into complex textbook explanations, everyone should know AND utilize basic diet and lifestyle practices that cater to a healthy, functional body. Without this practical and foundational knowledge, the amenities this precious life has to offer cannot be as truly enjoyed as they would be, free from the worry of the inevitable development of preventable conditions and diseases.
The conventional medical profession recognizes the intricacies of the human body and the numerous ailments that can reside in it. However, their approach is based on the treatment of symptoms. Conventional medicine has limited knowledge of how the body works in synergy and a minimal understanding of the impact that nutrition has on the body.
Conventional or Western medicine knows how to heal broken bones and mend wounds. But when it comes to say, bone cancer, they can’t necessarily pinpoint the origin, rid, or even minimize the effects of cancer without invasive radiation and chemo that damage the cells of healthy tissues, fluids, and organs. These procedures use drugs to treat parts of the body individually, disregarding the interconnectedness of the entire being.
Conventional medicine doesn’t take into consideration sex, age, and/or stress-related hormonal imbalances and their direct relationship to an individual, in conjunction with their diet, toxicity level, and lifestyle practices. Instead, they medicate with structurally altered, synthetic, patentable (money-making) hormones to try to alleviate symptoms. These synthetic hormones elevate the risk for cancers like breast and prostate, as well as other major health concerns. Mainstream medicine doesn’t allow the body to correct the imbalances itself naturally through diet, supplementation, and lifestyle changes.
Traditional medicine treats the body as if the mind, emotions, and spirit have little to no effect on bodily functions. For example, when arteries get clogged, treatments are prescribed to unblock narrowed passages. Even though nutritional changes and/or medications might be recommended, an emotional eating disorder that was a major factor in the onset of the illness is completely ignored.
Until very recently, traditional western medicine completely isolated the treatment of the body, mind, emotions, and spirit as if they did not work in synergy. Thankfully, the medical profession is just beginning to catch on and consider their interrelationship (as well as their direct effect on health and wellness), as integrative medicine is becoming increasingly popular.
Fortunately, complementary and alternative medicine practices are now becoming more recognized in Western societies, despite the current monopoly of conventional medicine, and their ass-backward symptom-treatment approach.
DID YOU KNOW: More than 85 percent of chronic disease is caused by environmental factors like diet, behavior, environmental toxins, and lifestyle?? Conventional medicine proves to be a complete failure as they continue to address the symptoms of disease with deadly drugs NEVER addressing the root cause!
Here is some data to illuminate the slow but steady changes taking place:
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study about the use of alternative medicine from 1990-1997 in the US. They found that the use of alternative therapies like herbal medicine, massage, megavitamins, self-help groups, folk remedies, energy healing, and homeopathy increased from 33% in 1990 to 42% in 1997. In 1997, people spent an estimated $27 billion in alternative therapies, with around $12 billion out-of-pocket, exceeding the out-of-pocket expenditures for all US hospitalizations. It was also noted that less than 40 percent of these patients disclosed to their physicians their use of complementary or alternative medicine, likely fearing their opposition and bullying tactics. (1)
Researchers reported the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) between 1997-2002. The national survey concluded that the prevalence of CAM use has remained stable from 1997 to 2002, representing about 72 million US adults. It was found that most of CAM users were ages 40-64, female, non-black/non-Hispanic race, and with an annual income of $65,000 or higher. The most commonly used therapies in 2002 were herbal therapy, followed by relaxation techniques, and chiropractic. (2)
In 2007, the national survey indicated that 4 out of 10 adults and 1 in 9 children (11.8%) used CAM therapy. The most common users were American Indian or Alaska Natives (50.3%) and white adults (43.1%). Between 2002 and 2007, there was an increased use in acupuncture, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, meditation, naturopathy, and yoga. (3)
Holistic medicine use has been rising steadily in the past twenty years, but there is still a long way to go. The interconnection between body, mind, emotions, and spirit can’t be ignored. In order to have and maintain a healthy body, healthy spirituality thought processing, and emotions are indispensable. Symptom suppression is not the road to take when aiming to increase the length and quality of your life. Taking a holistic, whole-body approach is the ultimate method required to achieve a pH balanced body and thus prevent disease!
HOLISTIC BODY HEALING
Physical well-being, from a holistic standpoint, can be defined as the optimal functioning of the body’s major systems (cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, skeletal, central nervous system, lymphatic, etc.) all working in unison. The ultimate goal is to keep pH levels balanced and control inflammation so the body remains in a state of homeostasis or self-healing. The inability to do so will initiate the premature breakdown of organ tissues and body systems, resulting in disease and an early departure.
Holistic body healing identifies a symptom and aims to target the root cause of the problem by exploring all possible variables involved. For instance, when encountering hormonal imbalances, a holistic practitioner inspects all aspects of the nervous, immune, reproductive, and digestive systems, their involvement with parts of the hormone-producing endocrine system like the adrenal glands, as well as the mental and emotional stability of the patient and their belief system.
Chemical reactions can signal the body to induce food cravings as a way of dealing with uncomfortable emotional states. To satisfy these cravings most turn to sugary, fast, processed foods, high in bad fats and carbohydrates. These foods act as a coping mechanism for certain individuals, helping them deal with anxiety, anger, fear, sadness and most often times ill-perceived stressful circumstances. A vicious cycle is created as this emotional binge eating illuminates’ feelings of guilt and shame. This dangerous eating pattern based on instant gratification, while ignoring the consequences (denial), continues in an effort to try to drown out more negative feelings in the same dysfunctional way.
In addition, food cravings should be addressed multifacetedly. They can be pretty intense and go beyond the simple need to satiate hunger. These cravings can often be triggered by internal chemical reactions, alerting you to a type of food the body may need to fulfill a vitamin and mineral deficiency. For instance, meat-cravings may be the body’s way of alerting you to its need for iron or vitamin B-12, and chocolate or nut cravings to fulfill its magnesium need.
On the contrary, if you crave cake, bread, pizza, candy, and other starchy sweet foods, there is a good chance parasite infestation is the problem, or Candida yeast may be growing out of control in the intestines. These pathogens feed mostly on simple sugars, starches, and processed foods. They contribute to drops in blood sugar and signal the body to ingest more of these foods to keep these excessive pathogens alive and thriving. These disease-inducing microorganisms are also known to gobble up minerals like iron from your food, which eventually leads to deficiencies of this very important mineral. The body can also be craving sweets as it reacts to a drop in blood sugar, while insulin is being excessively dumped into the bloodstream due to insulin resistance, as cells are starving for glucose.
Food addictions can also manifest due to the chemical composition of a certain food. Most fast and processed foods are laden with chemical compounds that can be highly addictive. Manufactures conveniently add these chemicals to their products to increase shelf life and of course, keep the consumer coming back for more. The chemical preservatives and additives used in these so-called foods can be so intense (that when coupled with emotional eating disorders) that they render most people powerless. Unfortunately, many of these factors are rarely even thought of, never mind addressed by practitioners of conventional medicine.
As you have learned, the body has a direct association with the mind, emotions, and spirit. It is not simply, mind over matter but mind and body integrated. The body responds differently to diverse thoughts and emotions. The chemical processes in the body can change, depending on the types of emotions experienced. When a person thinks positively, is passionate about life, and full of gratitude, the body chemically responds by enacting a calming, relaxed state. This positive reaction is conducive to the body’s healing process and slows down the aging process.
Conversely, when an individual is angry, ungrateful, and perceives their life as highly stressful, undesirable chemical reactions occur. The resulting chronically raised cortisol levels (in addition to other negative reactions) further acidify body tissues and generate digestive, hormonal, and cardiovascular conditions that prematurely age the body, likely sending you to an early grave.
The physical effects of stress are a real threat to the whole body and should be taken seriously. For instance, a constant state of stress can impair the digestive system. The muscles of the GI tract (along with back, neck, heart muscles, etc.) tighten up when chronic stress is experienced, slowing down the digestive process. When this happens, bad bacteria can proliferate as improperly digested foods begin to rot and ferment. Not only does this predicament leave the body starving for nutrients, but now you’re at a much higher risk for digestive diseases like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colon cancer. The problem is exacerbated significantly when coupled with a poor diet and lack of exercise.
Furthermore, constant high blood pressure from improperly managed stress eventually damages the arterial walls of the heart, potentially resulting in cardiovascular disease, heart attack, or stroke. Healthy ways to manage stress like mindfulness and meditation can be very valuable tools, helping to prevent these chronic conditions from developing.
1- Eisenberg, D. M., Davis, R. B., Ether, S. L., Appel, S., Wiley, S., Van Rompuy, M., & Kessler, R. C. (1998). Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997: results of a follow-up national survey. Jama, 280(18), 1569-1575.
2- Tindle, H. A., Davis, R. B., Phillips, R. S., & Eisenberg, D. M. (2005). Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US adults: 1997-2002. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, 11(1).
3- Barnes, P. M., Bloom, B., & Nain, R. L. (2008). Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007.