Healthy Lifestyle Changes and Symptomatic Relief

The concept of making some healthy changes in ones lifestyle to prevent disease is rarely a consideration. I realize this is changing somewhat and there are some outstanding medical doctors doing great work in preventative health care, but generally this is not the rule. Another limitation is the emphasis on symptomatic relief rather than a comprehensive analysis of what is causing the problem. It is, for the most part, a segmentally oriented system. A tumor, for example, is viewed as the problem, rather than asking what was the cause of the tumor forming. If someone complains about fatigue, they might be given an anti-depressant rather than look for the cause of the fatigue. The number one complaint for prostate problems is low back pain. If this patient were given pain relieving medication or muscle relaxants, what would that accomplish for the cause of the pain, the prostate?

A major drawback to disease medicine is that if no disease is found there are no real problems assumed. The concept of one either being healthy or having a disease is just not accurate. Most people have signs and symptoms that can be precursors to a disease that, if they were treated appropriately, might prevent the disease from ever manifesting. This is the majority of patients and, in my opinion, they seldom get the treatment and advice they need.

A disease does not develop overnight. It is a process of stress and degeneration that usually goes on for some time. To ignore the warning signs until the late stages of ill health is not the most beneficial approach for the patient and it is also very expensive to the patient and our country. The holistic approach does not ignore signs and symptoms, but views them as warnings that something is wrong or out of balance. It does not mean that where the symptoms are is where the problem is. The inter-connectedness of all the body’s systems is appreciated.

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