Consider this scenario. You have come down ill. You arrive in the waiting room of your general physician’s office. You fill out the appropriate forms, pay your co-pay, and are taken to a treatment room. Here a nurse asks you a handful of questions, takes your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. You may sit another 10 minutes or more reading a magazine until your physician enters to ask you questions, write a prescription if necessary, and then you are on your way. Your doctor says call if your symptoms persist or get worse. Otherwise – case closed. What is wrong with this picture?
As our health care system shifted to treat large quantities of people, it inevitably has lost some key components that are necessary to maintain a healthy population, and this system is becoming more and more inadequate with treating chronic illnesses and diseases. One of the missing components is taking into account that health is personal. When you take the “person” out of health care, health care will always be inadequate. However, holistic and integrated practitioners evaluate the whole person – physically, emotionally, and spiritually – and take all three into consideration with every treatment plan. This creates not only an individualized program, but often leads to a better understanding of the root cause, and therefore allows the practitioner to create a more effective treatment plan.
Another component that holistic practitioners take into consideration with an individualized treatment or prevention plan is your environment. This includes, pollution, water quality, and personal care products to name a few. Addressing these environmental health factors creates overall better health for you long-term.
Lastly, holistic practitioners utilize science-based practices and intuitive techniques, which begin with developing a more established relationship with patients. This means you spend more time with the practitioner and that practitioner has tools at his/her disposal to help bridge the gap between science and your needs.
Your health is one of the most important elements to a good quality of life. What can be more personal than your health care? You deserve to have a health professional that thinks so too.
About the Authors
Rowena Chua, MD
Dr. Chua is board-certified in Integrative Medicine and Neurology. She completed her neurological training at Northwestern University and a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her focus is on taking care of the whole person, rather than treating a specific symptom, through nutrition, mind-body approaches, and balancing the neurohormonal, immune and digestive systems. She guides patients in discovering the body’s innate capacity to seek wellness, look for balance, and heal itself, and works as a partner in identifying treatment options that reflect a patient’s unique needs and life circumstances.
Credentials: MD