Often in contemporary medical practice a patient’s symptoms are analysed and the treatment thought to address those symptoms best is automatically prescribed.

The problem with this approach is that often you are working with eradicating symptoms – the signs of an underlying problem – rather than the broader, more holistic and systemic health concern from which they spring.

Holistic doctors who are trained in mainstream as well as alternative medicine provide the best of both worlds. Here’s why:

Holistic doctors work with the whole patient

Many medical practices are run like fast food outlets, where patients are processed as rapidly as possible. Good holistic doctors examine more than a checklist of each patient’s symptoms: Part of holistic medicine involves getting to know patients’ stories and finding ways to work with every aspect of the patient to devise a combination of therapies and/or supplements that will best promote wellness.

Holistic doctors take an adaptable approach

Many medical practitioners will doggedly stick to a set plan of action when treating any particular cluster of symptoms, yet each person’s body and constitution is different. A holistic doctor understands that each patient’s unique body and mind-body connection requires its own, tailored approach.

Being holistic means looking beneath the surface

So often we deal in surfaces – the advised plan of action for being overweight might be a diet, for example. Yet a holistic doctor looks deeper. A tendency to overeat, for example, may be the result of an emotional response to stress. If this is the case for a patient, a holistic doctor is likely to work stress management techniques into the suite of treatments and therapies prescribed. This combined approach, involving treating symptoms in tandem with underlying issues is a hallmark of the holistic approach.

Do you need a supportive holistic doctor to help you maintain optimal health? Get in touch with Doctor Allie today.