Traditional medical practitioners may focus on specific areas of the body in dealing with illnesses. If the patient feels body pain, they are prescribed with pain reliever. However, holistic services use an approach that aims to promote a patient's overall wellness. It is concerned with the body as a whole. Practitioners of this approach believe that maximum health may only be obtained when the mind, body and soul function optimally.

Before one can be considered healthy, his mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health must be in its prime. All aspects must also be synchronized to work perfectly. The environment is also believed to affect one's well-being. If one of these areas do not work to its full potential, all other areas will be affected. This results in illnesses and diseases.

Surprising as it may seem for some, the concept of holistic health is widely practiced since time immemorial. Early philosophers like Socrates and Hippocrates spoke of the interrelation of a person's health to everything around him. Similarly, ancient Chinese and Indian medicines use holistic approach. Not only do they deal with the medical anomaly, but they also include other factors that can possibly contribute to its amelioration.

Traditional medicines promise to eliminate the sickness. However, holistic health aims to completely get rid of the problem. Aside from dealing with the disease and its feeling of discomfort, it also identifies the underlying causes to prevent them from recurring. Preventive measures are taken to maintain the optimal condition of the body.

In its entirety, this is much more than undergoing treatments, taking medicines or visiting clinics. It is a whole new lifestyle. Every aspect of a person's way of living, even the foods he takes in, are monitored. A life free of illness may only be possible through eliminating the factors that could possibly cause diseases.

Only nutritious foods must be introduced to the body to keep it physically healthy. Any activities that could stress the body must be avoided. This includes engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse, smoking cigarettes and consuming too much alcohol. Poor self-esteem, negative mindset, high level of stress, excessive intake of sugar or caffeine and anything that could wane down the body are also discouraged.

The mental condition of the patient has to be monitored, too. According to studies, the patient's physical health is interrelated with his mental state. One can influence the other in a two-way method. The mind affects the body as the body affects the mind. Therefore, good mental health is imperative for a healthy body.

The patient must also be emotionally healthy. Loneliness can weaken the body. This is the reason that people with terminal diseases need to be constantly positive. When they give in to negative emotions, their body no longer functions effectively. The saying, laughter is the best medicine, is medically-founded after all.

Keeping yourself active is also part of holistic health. Getting adequate exercise can help keep you healthy. With its increasing popularity, numerous wellness centers are now offering holistic services, such as yoga, massage therapy, meditation, aromatherapy and so on. Alternative medicines, like acupuncture, acupressure, naturopathic and reflexology are also commonplace nowadays.