I have been passionate for years about exploring the holistic view on the body-mind-soul theme. But what does it mean and how does it fit in the picture of modern medicine?
Here is what I found on the NHS England website:
Complementary (Integrative or Holistic) medicine is a healing practice used together with Western (evidence based, conventional/allopathic) medicine.
Alternative medicine is a healing practise used instead of Western (evidence-based, conventional/allopathic) medicine.
There is quite a difference, and it is worth understanding it.
Official medicine is evidence-based medicine and it concentrates on fixing parts of the physical body and rarely relating it to the whole. This is the best approach in emergency situation.
All medicine system include a wide variety of subjects but have different approaches. None of the medicine systems should have pride and prime over others. This is not only my view.
Holistic medicine is often chosen by people having mild chronic diseases, and can work well along with the official medicine in a complimentary way. It lacks, so far, repeatable evidence from clinical trials but has reliable successes in many cases all over the world.
Some alternative practices are based on theories that have not been confirmed by the established science of how the human system works. They have some plausibility, producing evidence, but lack repeatability that is the base of modern medicine.
In some areas, especially in mental health, and chronic diseases, holistic medicine is becoming part of the official medicine,
It is also good to realize that research into alternative therapies is often not conducted at all or not properly, on a small scale, and sometimes with a bias in mind. However, more and more studies show that cancer treatments have significantly better outcomes if patients get in touch with their bodies and emotions, and is treated holistically.
We have to be mindful that some alternative therapies may be based on superstition, be harmful, done in inappropriate ways, by people who seek financial gain or fame. Saying that, we have also remember that there are also many misjudgements regarding diagnosis and treatment in official medicine. We should all work on improving our service to the health of our patients.
In the United Kingdom, it is legal for anyone to practise a complimentary or alternative medicine treatment, even if they have none or limited formal qualifications or experience.
However, the Federation of Holistic Therapists is PSA-accredited (Professional Standards Authority). It means that practitioners can join - if they choose - and if they want to be professionally recognized, with appropriate qualifications to an agreed standard.
