Just like America existed- and thrived- before Columbus “discovered” America, so did holistic medicine exist and thrive long before the evolution of ‘modern’ medicine. Early founders of medicine traditions AIRazi, Ibn Sina, and Ibn Nafis who lived in the 9th, 10th, and 13th centuries respectively were in fact philosophers and scholars in a host of life sciences besides medicine- which illustrated a holistic approach.

One may argue modern medicine itself must give credence of its own emergence to holistic medicine. Still to this day, doctors in places like Syria are called ‘Hakeem’, meaning “wiseman”, just as hospitals are called “Houses of Wisdom”.

Wisdom may be explained as the higher realization that is attained through reflection and contemplation… and we need only observe the vast interconnections between the human body and nature to understand much of human health, as our ancestors did. Nature tells us what fruits and plants are best for what body part and condition- very simple observation of some fruit and plant shapes, for example, reveals that they resemble the organ for which they are most beneficial. A slice of a carrot looks just like the eye, a walnut looks just like the brain, the shape of celery is similar to that of the leg bone, and sweet potatoes mirror the pancreas. The list goes on: some tomatoes resemble a heart just as a tomato slice does to a heart cross section, avocados look like the uterus, ginger roots match the stomach, mushrooms appear like the ear, and serotonin-rich bananas look like the smile they create.

Holistic healers in parts of Egypt, today, often prescribe the uniquely shaped plant called ‘Yaqteen’ to heal the body organ they most resemble. Cutting edge medical and scientific research today confirms foods that religious scriptures associate with the “forever young” in life after death, are indeed extremely potent in preserving youth and fighting aging.

Thus, we have realized the power of holistic health. To dig into the concept a little further, here are the three general types of ‘health’ – physical health, mental health and spiritual health. We usually treat each one separately as though they are not related… for instance, we might see a psychologist for mental health, a doctor for our physical health and a healer for our spiritual health.

Holistic medicine is a form of healing that considers the whole person – body, mind, spirit, and emotions – in the quest for optimal health and wellness. According to the holistic medicine philosophy, one can achieve optimal health — the primary goal of holistic medicine practice — by gaining proper balance in life.