Whole medicine

DEFINITION: A treatment that takes into account the whole person instead of only the specific disease, illness, or condition.

• PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: Chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, meditation, naturopathic medicine, nutritional therapy, psychotherapy, stress reduction, therapeutic massage, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga

Overview

Whole medicine is a treatment that is an alternative to allopathic (conventional) medicine. Whole medicine is a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Complementary medicine is a combination of allopathic and alternative techniques, and alternative medicine is a substitute for allopathic medicine. Both disciplines evaluate symptoms before making a diagnosis, but whole medicine searches for the underlying cause or causes of illness. In addition, whole medicine embraces preventive healthcare to optimize a person’s health.

Whole medicine considers the body’s systems (circulatory, respiratory, and gastrointestinal) as interdependent components of a person’s whole being. One’s natural state is considered one of health, and illness is deemed an imbalance in the body’s systems. The whole-medicine approach emphasizes proper nutrition and avoidance of substances that are harmful to one’s health. Whole medicine also favors noninvasive techniques and the avoidance of pharmaceuticals.

In general, whole-medicine procedures and treatments are less expensive than those of conventional medicine. Thus, some people opt for this approach because of financial considerations. Also, many health insurers cover CAM therapies and treatments, especially chiropractic care.

Mechanism of Action

Whole-medicine practitioners employ the same basic principles of allopathic medicine, which encompass physical health, and they also incorporate mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Whole medicine practitioners emphasize a healthy diet and discourage eating refined or preserved foods. In addition to having additives, these foods are often high in sugar, fat, and cholesterol. Many practitioners promote a vegetarian diet or, at minimum, a reduction in meat consumption, particularly red meat consumption.

The goal of whole medicine is to bring all aspects of one’s life into harmony. This concept includes bringing all the energy flowing within the body into accord. Although noninvasive and pharmaceutical-free treatments are stressed, many whole-medicine practitioners are not averse to the inclusion of allopathic medicine and medications; these practitioners feel that the two disciplines are complementary. For example, most practitioners would agree that an inflamed appendix needs excision, a cancerous tumor needs to be surgically removed, and a person with diabetes requires insulin. For cases in which allopathic medicine predominates, most whole-medicine practitioners believe that their principles can help the ill person through the situation. They also believe that once the crisis of an acute illness has passed, whole-medicine techniques, which search for underlying causes, can reduce the chance of a negative recurrence.

Uses and Applications

Many applications of general medicine exist, and some incorporate whole medicine to varying degrees. Many wellness practitioners incorporate a combination of the following applications in their practice.

Chiropractic. Chiropractic focuses on the manipulation of the spinal column under the hypothesis that disorders of the spinal column affect one’s health by means of the nervous system. In addition to manipulation of the spine, chiropractic treatment entails manipulation of other joints and soft tissues. Chiropractors often recommend specific exercises to treat a condition and also provide lifestyle counseling.

Herbal medicine. The boundary between pharmaceuticals and herbs is blurred. Many pharmaceuticals are herbal products or are derived from plants. Digitalis, which is used for the treatment of heart conditions, is derived from the foxglove shrub (Digitalis lanata). Quinine, which has a number of medicinal uses (such as antimalarial and analgesic), is derived from the bark of the cinchona tree (Cinchona species). Herbal products have been used by Asian peoples for medicinal purposes since antiquity. Because herbal products are natural products, they do not fall under the jurisdiction of government regulatory agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA requires a rigorous testing process before a drug can be made available to the public. Some herbal products have proven benefits, while others have no proven benefit.

Homeopathy. Homeopathy involves the use of very small amounts of a substance to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight a disease. Homeopathic practitioners use substances, such as herbs and metals, as a treatment regimen. Some of these substances are toxic if given in higher doses. Homeopathic practitioners embrace the concept of whole medicine in that they treat the whole person rather than focusing on the disease itself. Before prescribing a treatment, they take a detailed history of the patient’s likes, dislikes, and habits. Many illnesses are not suitable for homeopathic treatment alone, but in others, homeopathic treatments have been shown to complement traditional medical treatment.

Meditation. Meditation involves entering a state of extreme relaxation and concentration. During meditation, the body is in a restful state, and the mind is freed of surface thoughts. Several major religions (such as Buddhism and Daoism) embrace meditation, but practicing meditation does not necessarily require a religious or spiritual component. Persons who meditate regularly report that doing so improves their concentration and ability to deal with life's stresses. People meditate for various reasons, including relaxation, personal insight, and communication with their god.

Naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medicine embraces the concept of whole medicine. The basic concept of naturopathy is that the body has an innate ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopathy is a complete alternative care system that uses many approaches, including diet and lifestyle changes, herbs, body manipulation therapy, exercise, stress reduction, homeopathy, practitioner-guided detoxification, psychotherapy, counseling, and acupuncture. Naturopathic medicine can sometimes be used with conventional medicine as a complementary therapy. Naturopaths include medical doctors with training in naturopathy, naturopathic doctors with college-level training in naturopathy, and others with lower levels of training. In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the percentage of American adults who used naturopathic medicine increased from 0.2 percent to 1.3 percent.

Nutritional therapies. A wide range of nutritional therapies are available in all developed nations. Most embrace the concept that a healthy diet is essential for maintaining good health. Nutritional therapy is often a component of both conventional and allopathic medicine. With a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) or a CAM practitioner, nutritional therapy can help many illnesses, including diabetes, kidney disease, digestive disorders, heart disease, high cholesterol, some cancers, and many chronic illnesses.

Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy embraces the concept of improving one’s sense of well-being by talking about problems with a psychotherapist. Psychotherapists include medical doctors with specialized training in psychiatry, clinical psychologists, mental health counselors, and social workers.

Stress reduction. All whole-medicine therapies embrace the concept of stress reduction. Methods may include mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mind-body medicine (MBM), and massage.

Therapeutic massage. Therapeutic massage involves holding, manipulating, and applying pressure to the body’s soft tissues. The manipulations have the goal of promoting health and wellness by reducing pain, muscle spasms, and stress. Adjunctive therapies, such as aromatherapy or soothing music, often accompany therapeutic massage. Types of massage therapy include Swedish massage, which is a gentle, relaxing massage; pressure point therapy, which focuses on a certain portion of the body; and sports massage, which focuses on specific muscle groups. Massage therapy has been reported to improve circulation (both blood and lymphatic), reduce muscular pain, reduce joint pain, increase range of motion, relieve stress, relieve tension headaches, enhance postoperative recovery, and promote rehabilitation after an injury. It is also helpful in relieving anxiety in chronically or terminally ill patients before or after treatments.

Traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a form of CAM that is commonly practiced in Asia. TCM also has advocates in the Western world and is increasing in popularity. TCM is a holistic approach to health that attempts to bring the body, mind, and spirit into harmony. It primarily consists of herbal medicine; however, it also embraces acupuncture, nutritional therapy, and massage.

Yoga. Yoga is a physical and mental discipline that originated in India. It reflects the belief that for one to be in harmony with oneself and the environment, one must integrate the body, the mind, and the spirit. For these three entities to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance. This balance is accomplished through exercise, breathing, and meditation.

Other practices. Other whole-medicine practices are Ayurvedic medicine and American Indian, or Indigenous, medicine. Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India, emphasizes the reestablishment of balance in the body through a healthy lifestyle and through diet, exercise, and body cleansing. It encompasses the body, mind, and spirit and is based on natural remedies derived from the earth. It combines herbs, spirituality, and magic and is overseen by a medicine man or woman.

Scientific Evidence

Much of the literature regarding whole medicine lacks a high level of scientific evidence. Valid studies randomly assign persons to a treatment group or to a control group, which is given a placebo (a substance with no pharmacological activity). The largest number of valid studies in whole medicine have been conducted on herbal products. Placebo-controlled studies are easier to conduct on herbal products than on other whole-medicine procedures, such as massage and acupuncture. Also, many whole-medicine studies comprise anecdotal reports in which a participant claims some benefit from the therapy (resulting in a placebo effect).

Aside from limited whole-medicine studies with a high level of evidence, it is well established that good nutrition, stress reduction, and other healthy lifestyle practices embraced by whole medicine are conducive to health. Furthermore, the medical literature contains innumerable well-conducted studies documenting the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. For example, obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many other diseases; smoking tobacco (or marijuana) increases the risk of many types of cancer.

Choosing a Practitioner

The training of practitioners of whole-medicine ranges from postgraduate work to no formal training. Persons seeking whole-medicine care should examine the credentials of practitioners, regardless of professional degree. It is appropriate to ask what professional degree or degrees the practitioner holds, where their training occurred, and to what professional organizations they belong.

Informative resources for locating a whole-medicine practitioner and gaining education concerning choosing a practitioner include the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine, the Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine, and the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. However, it is the responsibility of the person seeking care to check a practitioner’s credentials before treatment. The American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board (ANMCB) administers certification for whole-medicine practitioners. Practitioners certified by ANMCB must meet certain standards based on their level of certification.

Safety Issues

Many medical experts are concerned that some persons with serious medical conditions, such as malignancy, will seek alternative medical care or purchase worthless herbal products rather than conventional medical care. In contrast to possible health risks from a whole-medicine regimen, the basic principles of healthy diet and stress reduction, for example, which are embraced by whole medicine, are safe and beneficial to one’s health.

Bibliography

Donatelle, Becky. Health The Basics. 14th ed., Pearson, 2022.

Murcott, Tony. The Whole Story: Alternative Medicine on Trial? Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.

"The Whole Story." The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM), aihm.org/about. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Synovitz, Linda B., and Karl L. Larson. Consumer Health and Integrative Medicine: Holistic View of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practices. 2nd ed., Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2020.

"Whole Medical Systems: An Overview." WebMD, 28 Feb. 2022, www.webmd.com/balance/understanding-alternative-medicine. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.