Functional and Holistic Healing Practices
holistic healing plan
Functional and holistic healing practices are ways of treating a cause of a malady rather than just the symptoms.
Finding the Root of the Problem
For example, if you have a headache you may usually treat the symptom with ibuprofen. If you take a holistic approach to your headache, you may instead examine what you were doing before the onset of symptoms.
Was the headache caused by something you ate? Is it related to lack of sleep? Before treating the headache with a pill, you might change your lifestyle to prevent the headache from happening in the first place.
Finding the root of the problem can help you better understand how your body reacts to stimuli around and in you.
You may need to treat symptoms with medicine to eliminate root causes, but it’s not the only avenue you pursue toward healing.
Practical Ways to Apply Functional and Holistic Healing
It may sound like a lot of work, but there are many practical ways we can incorporate functional and holistic healing practices into our lives.
Decluttering
Did you know that decluttering is not just good for your physical well-being, but your mental health as well?
While decluttering your home helps prevent pests and the build-up of mold or dust, it also gives your brain a boost.
According to numerous health studies, there are mental health benefits to cleaning up your home.
An organized living space can reduce the amount of cortisol (our stress hormone) in your body.
This relaxes your mind and can help you feel calm and content. So if you’re wondering how you can take a functional approach to reduce stress in your life, turning to your home may be a good start.
Decluttering can also promote productivity because you have an inviting environment in which to work and create.
Having a place for everything, and everything in its place can make it easier to get started on projects and see them through to the end.
Here are some other ways you can improve your mental health simply by cleaning and organizing the space around you:
IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM
You can’t beat the feeling of having a handle on your life. When you live in an organized space, you tend to feel more in control of what’s going on around you.
You know where important documents are, whether or not the kids’ uniforms are clean for the week, and if the trash has been taken out for weekly pickup.
It’s normal to falter every now and then, displacing items or forgetting an appointment, but having systems in place to organize your home and office can set you up for success and boost your self-esteem.
BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
Have you ever lived with someone who never cleans up after themselves? Whether it be a roommate, a spouse, or a child, it’s exhausting to be faced with someone else’s clutter and mess.
When we responsibly clean up after ourselves, it can make it easier to get along with our housemates because it can eliminate resentment.
Also, our other relationships may improve if we feel more comfortable having loved ones visit a freshly-decluttered home.
REDUCED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS
If you want a holistic approach to reducing allergy or asthma symptoms, the answer might be cleaning your home or office.
When you can’t routinely clean your space because it’s overrun with knick-knacks and laundry piles, it’s easy for dust and other allergens to build up. This can exacerbate respiratory problems and affect your physical health.
If you’re feeling motivated to rent a dumpster and spring clean your home, don’t hesitate! There are companies like Western Elite, located in Nevada, that guarantee fast delivery of a dumpster so you can start decluttering.
And as a bonus, some will even separate recyclables from your roll-off dumpster rental so you can keep unnecessary waste out of landfills.
Changing Diet
Many of our health problems stem from how we fuel our bodies. Inadequate nutrition affects how we physically and mentally perform.
Part of functional medicine is addressing nutrient deficiencies that are negatively impacting overall health.
A functional or holistic approach to the diet may include adding supplements to our daily routine. Nutrition therapy can be a big part of recovery, whether it’s related to mental or physical health.
Clinically tested supplements, such as from SOLbriety, may help improve cognitive function and sleep, especially when coupled with lifestyle changes such as eating less processed foods, getting more exercise, and reducing alcohol consumption.
Diet changes may also involve eliminating certain triggers; a person experiencing chronic gut issues may need to stop eating dairy products to holistically treat the problem.
Together with a doctor, you can determine what practices work for you to treat health issues that may stem from food.
Exercising
It probably goes without saying that exercising is often part of a holistic or functional treatment plan.
Moving our bodies produces our feel-good hormones, and can increase our metabolism with the production of an enzyme called lipase.
Exercise can also reduce our risk of diseases, such as diabetes or heart disease. It sounds like engaging in 150 minutes of exercise per week is better than having to deal with potentially chronic consequences, such as poor mental or physical health.
Keep in mind that exercising can be as simple as a leisurely walk for 10 minutes at a time. You are always encouraged to start small and work your way up as you build confidence and stamina.
There are low-impact exercises suitable for all skill levels, such as swimming or water aerobics. Tai chi and Yoga are also popular exercises that take a holistic approach to wellness, focusing on not just the body but the mind as well.
A trained physical therapist or personal trainer can help you customize a holistic healing plan that meets you where you are.
Massage Therapy
If you think getting regular massages is over-indulgent, think again! Massage therapy is considered a holistic health modality. Therapeutic touch can boost both physical and mental health.
Massage therapy can reduce cortisol, lower the heart rate, and lower blood pressure. It can improve circulation, reduce chronic muscle pain or fatigue, and improve the immune system’s function.
There are so many different types of massage available, and you can find a massage therapist virtually anywhere!
From a hotel spa to a private business that focuses solely on massage, massage therapy may help holistically treat anxiety, gut issues, and headaches by preventing them before they start.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to functional and holistic healing plans. There’s also acupuncture, chiropractic practices, and reiki.
If you’re interested in integrating more holistic health practices into your life, seek out a doctor who specializes in those modalities.
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Category: Health
