Your Comprehensive Guide to Holistic Health and Wellness

In today’s world of paracetamol and cetirizine, the art of holistic health has slowly been making waves. Holistic health recognises the body, the mind, and the spirit and believes they all come together to keep you healthy.

Sounds pretty cuckoo right? This type of medicine completely contradicts modern medicine where you would focus on specific symptoms or diseases. But what if we gave holistic health a chance? Could it help you achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life? Let’s find out all about it today!

Holistic health is a form of wellness that looks at the whole person rather than just the symptoms. It’s a woke form of wellness that takes into consideration mental, emotional, social, and spiritual factors before giving you treatment. By addressing these areas, it aims to align all aspects of your life leading to improved overall well-being.

The mind-body-spirit connection is central to holistic health. This concept suggests that our thoughts, emotions, and spiritual beliefs can greatly impact our physical state. And at the same time, our physical condition can influence our mental and emotional state. Makes sense right? So, let’s just take a look at the three main aspects of this really old, yet really new way of health:

The Body:

Physical health is essentially ensuring our body and organs are working in sync. Like the Japanese metro system. It believes in nutrition, exercise, sleep, preventive healthcare and vital parts of your body and physical health. And when these aspects aren’t followed, your body doesn’t function like you should. Like the Kolkata metro.

The Mind:

Another important part of holistic health. Your mental health, the way you process information and emotions, and your general psychological well-being all play an important role in this. Mindfulness, meditation, and positive thinking play a massive role in your mind’s state according to holistic health.

Spirit:

Don’t worry! Spirit in holistic health is less Bhool Bhulaaiya and more Osho. Focusing on your spirit can give you a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection to something greater than yourself. Prayer, meditation, and spending time in nature can nourish your spirit.

Now let’s get to the meat of what is actually done during holistic health. This approach uses traditional medical practices while incorporating holistic healing approaches. So, let’s take a look at some integrative medicine methods:

Acupuncture:

Remember the scene in Kung Fu Panda where Mantis sticks needles all over Po’s back? That’s literally what it is. It sounds scary but there’s nothing to worry about! These needles are precisely placed to stimulate healing and balance energy flow. Some of us at Kofuku have actually tried this and it worked, after the initial tickles, of course.

Chiropractic Care:

The Alan Harper of traditional medicine, a chiropractor treats musculoskeletal disorders by adjusting your spine and other joints. Now, this should be scarier than acupuncture, but the chiropractors said it is safe. You anyway have that one guy who cracks more knuckles than you knew existed.

Herbal Medicine:

Well, the two words give it away, but it essentially involves using plants and herb extracts to treat various ailments and support your health. They might not taste great, but they’re really good for you!

Massage Therapy:

Your mind might go to Bangkok, so don’t get too excited. Massage therapy involves easing the muscles and tissues to relieve pain, reduce stress, and promote relaxation.

There are many ways holistic health is done! Some are easier to follow than others, but a disclaimer for Kofuku is that all of them take time to work. It isn’t popping a pill and feeling better but essentially following one of these methods while also changing your lifestyle! So, without further ado let’s take a look at some common holistic health practices.

Ayurveda:

Our grandparents swear by it, but our taste buds hate it, and emphasize balance in bodily systems through diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing.

Yoga:

Kofuku is a big fan of yoga because its physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation promote flexibility, strength, and mental calmness! Something we need when working all day and night.

Tai Chi:

Walk through any park in East or Southeast Asia and you’ll see 80-year-olds dancing like they’re in slow motion. Don’t be fooled because 10 seconds later, they’ll be doing 10 sets of pull-ups with the pinky finger! That’s the power of Tai Chi.

Mindfulness:

Inner Peace…. Inner Peace…. The practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment.

Now, if you’re choosing to live a holistic life, it means you’re making conscious choices that support the integration of your mind, body, and spirit. Here are some tips to help you embrace holistic living:

Eat Whole Foods:

Opt for unprocessed foods. So, bid adieu to your Kit-Kats and Kwality Walls Paddle Pops. Go for lean proteins, fruits and veggies, and snack on dried fruits and nuts!

Stay Hydrated:

With so many heat waves across India, remember to drink your water. If you want to spice things up, try adding some Tulsi and Lemon slices to your water. 2-3 liters a day is ideal, so try to have a bottle of water with you at all times. And no, beer doesn’t count.

Avoid Processed Foods:

Have whole foods and avoid ‘hole’ foods, so avoid doughnuts and other sugary foods as much as you can. A cheeky cheat meal here and there is okay, in fact, it’s recommended, but try not to make it a cheat week!

Now, in the second part of the trilogy of the mind-body-spirit connection, let’s take a look at the holistic ways you can keep your body in check:

Exercise Regularly:

Whether it’s running, swimming, or even dancing, get groovin’. Try getting at least 150 minutes of solid exercise per week.

Get Moving:

We’re all sitting in front of our laptops all day, so try moving around instead of just sitting all day like a walrus. Taking the stairs and stretching are two easy ways to get moving!

Mind-Body Exercises:

Include activities like yoga or Pilates in your daily routine to improve your flexibility, strength, and mental focus.

The climax of your mind-body-spirit connection is to get your mind and spirit in check. Now, you don’t have to live like The Dalai Lama to achieve this and there are three easy methods you can practice every day!

Practice Mindfulness:

Add 5 minutes of breathing exercises like Pranayama and meditation and watch how calm and stoic you become!

Manage Stress:

Figure out what gives you stress in your daily life and manage it by trying out some techniques like time management, relaxation techniques, or seeking support from a therapist.

Positive Relationships:

You aren’t Kendrick, and the person you don’t like isn’t Drake. Create healthy relationships with the people around you and they’ll be your support system through hard times!

Prioritize Sleep:

Make sure you get enough sleep every night to improve your physical and mental health. Try getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

Listen to Your Body:

Pay attention to your body and respond to its needs. You know your body the best. Rest when you're tired, eat when you're hungry, and take breaks when you need them.

Seek Balance:

Strive for balance in your life. A healthy balance of work, relationships, and self-care can give you the peace you crave. Try not to be so clingy, avoid overcommitting and make time for activities that bring you joy and fulfilment.

Holistic health might have a rep of being a hippie, but when used right, it can be a great way of getting better. A disclaimer that we must say is that if you do feel extremely sick and require instant remedy, please visit an allopathic doctor. Remember, the journey to holistic health is a personal and ongoing process, and it’s never too late to start making positive changes for a healthier, happier you.