When you think about healthcare, you probably think about doctor’s clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals. The reality is that it can, and should, be so much more than that.
A holistic approach to health incorporates all aspects of a person’s life into their wellness, treating the body as a whole, so it can perform its best and heal itself.
The human body is complex and every part is interconnected with the rest, so when one aspect of your health is suffering, you can be sure other problems will arise. Making lifestyle changes such as nourishing your body through a balanced diet, prioritizing sleep, and taking steps to reduce stress all promote full-body wellness and improve your quality of life.
Read on to discover how a holistic approach to your healthcare can change the way you navigate life with chronic pain or vestibular challenges!
A Holistic Approach to Care
Instead of simply addressing isolated problems or symptoms of a problem, holistic healthcare treats the whole person with the goal of creating balance by healing all aspects of a person’s life to improve overall well being.
Put simply, holistic treatments combine aspects of practices from many different cultures and medical disciplines to support the body’s natural healing process in every way possible.
Looking at the whole picture allows patients to see how their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health are all connected to one another. It may not seem like it, but your thoughts can influence your physical health. Those with a positive outlook on life tend to live with less stress, a boosted immune system, and lower levels of anxiety and depression.
You may not realize when it happens, but stress can manifest in your body as physical symptoms. Experiencing chronic stress can look like everything from high blood pressure and anxiety to vestibular headaches and digestive issues.
If you aren’t feeling great physically it can be difficult to keep a positive outlook on life, negatively affecting your mental health and causing stress or conditions like anxiety and depression, leading to more issues with your physical health. When you interrupt this cycle, you can start to notice improvements everywhere in your body.
Holistic care incorporates conventional medicine as needed, but prioritizes healing the root cause of problems and preventative care, allowing a personalized approach to treatment that utilizes all available paths to healing.
Integrating Diet for Comprehensive Wellness
A balanced and nutritious diet is one of the most powerful ways to take charge of your health. When properly nourished, your body can heal and perform in amazing ways.
A balanced diet includes important macro and micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. When your body doesn’t get the right balance of these, it can lead to an increased risk of common physical and mental health challenges.
On the other hand, when you consume the right balance of nutrients, your body can perform better than ever. You can even use your diet to manage symptoms from certain health conditions like dizziness or blood sugar imbalances.
Incorporating a balanced diet as part of your holistic wellness routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few tips to make it a little easier:
When you shop, pick whole foods like fruits and veggies, whole grains, and legumes.
Try to eat the rainbow - a variety of colors on your plate not only looks more appetizing, but offers a greater variety of nutrients.
Prepare meals in advance, so it’s just as easy as getting fast food or going out to eat.
Watch sugar and salt consumption, especially when managing symptoms from conditions like vertigo, diabetes, or hypertension.
Listen to your body’s hunger cues and how certain foods make you feel.
And don’t forget to stay hydrated!
Food plays a vital role in both your physical and mental health. Eating a balanced diet gives you energy, helps manage certain health conditions, and makes you feel better overall, giving your body what it needs to heal.
Lifestyle Changes for Health
By making adjustments to your everyday life, you can take charge of your health and be sure that the changes you’re seeing are sustainable. Taking medication or trying quick-fixes to relieve symptoms may offer short-term relief, but in the long run, you’re left right where you started. Small changes to your everyday routines add up and ensure long-term health and wellness.
Managing stress
is an integral part of your wellbeing. Chronic stress can lead to or worsen health conditions like chronic pain and dizziness, but finding ways to manage and reduce stress can greatly improve your quality of life.
Sleep hygiene
is one of the most important parts of health, and one that most of us struggle with. If a good night’s sleep has been eluding you, try setting a bedtime and sticking to it, putting down your devices 30 minutes before bed, and blocking out any light or noise that may be disruptive.
Increasing your physical activity
has many benefits ranging from getting stronger, to feeling more fit, to battling common health problems. Pair regular physical activity with a balanced diet to see huge improvements in your health!
It often falls to the bottom of the list, but prioritizing your mental health is just as important as everything else, if not more. Making time for activities like yoga, meditation, and practicing breathing techniques are great ways to connect with your body and improve your mental health.
Considering your support structure when making lifestyle changes can be one of the biggest ways to ensure long term wellness. Tell your family and friends how they can support your holistic lifestyle changes and why it’s important to you!
Detoxification for Well-Being
It may not be the first thing you think of when considering health and wellness, but getting rid of harmful toxins in your body is vital for optimal health. By making diet and lifestyle changes, you can remove toxins and support your body’s natural detoxification process, enhancing overall wellbeing.
The goal of detoxification is to improve the body’s function, removing the toxins to allow your organs to function properly. With this approach to treatment, people often experience increased energy, better gut health, improved immune function, and improved mental clarity. Some common approaches to detoxing are:
Fasting or juice fasting
Drinking enough water every day
Eating only whole foods
Eating more fiber
“Sweating it out” with physical activity or in the sauna
Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol
Eliminating or reducing caffeine intake
Periodically detoxing as part of a healthy lifestyle offers many benefits for overall health, making it a great addition to any holistic wellness routine.
Holistic Care for Dizziness and Pain
Whether it was from spinning too fast, low blood pressure, medication side effects, or a number of other possibilities, everyone has experienced dizziness at some point in their lives. But those are usually temporary and easily fixed. When you live with chronic vestibular conditions, it can be hard to imagine when you’ll get relief.
Navigating life while disoriented or always wondering when your next dizzy spell will be can be challenging to say the least. Vestibular conditions such as vertigo, BPPV, Meniere’s disease, or dizziness from concussion or stroke can make it difficult to live your life the way you want.
Treating vestibular conditions with specialized drugs to manage symptoms might be the conventional method, but we think there’s a better way. Finding and addressing the root of the problem while simultaneously healing the rest of your body enhances treatments and gives your body the chance to heal naturally and achieve long lasting results.
Holistic Health with Piton PT
Approaching wellness with a holistic mindset allows the body to thrive and puts you in charge of your health. Treating the mind, body, and spirit creates balance and ensures long-term health and wellness.
When you receive treatment for vertigo, dizziness, migraines, or concussions at Piton PT, you’ll have the expert support you need every step of the way. Our clinicians are passionate about a holistic approach to your care, ensuring personalized treatments tailored to your individual needs and goals.
Are you ready to stop masking the symptoms of your condition and take back control of your life? Schedule an appointment to see how your life can change with the help of Piton PT!