Q12: Can holistic health help with serious medical conditions?
A: Holistic approaches can be very beneficial as complementary support for serious conditions but should never be a replacement for appropriate medical treatment.
Documented benefits for serious conditions:
- Cancer: improvement in quality of life, reduction in side effects of treatment, better immune function
- Heart Disease: reduction in blood pressure, reduction in inflammation, better management of stress
- Diabetes: improvement in blood sugar control, weight management, and positive effect of lifestyle changes
- Mental Health: better treatment outcomes when combined with therapy or medication
Important guidelines:
- Always work with qualified healthcare providers
- Use holistic approaches as complementary treatment, not as an alternative
- Tell all doctors which approaches you are using
- Monitor your progress through regular medical testing
Q13: How do I know if a holistic health practitioner is qualified?
A: When choosing a holistic health expert, pay attention to the following credentials and qualities:
Educational background:
- Practitioner must hold a pertinent degree from a duly accredited college or university
- Specialized training in their area of practice
- Regularly updates their knowledge (through certifications & courses)
Professional approach:
- Work closely with medical doctors
- Give evidence-based (research) recommendations
- Do not promise miracle cures
- Respect your existing medical treatments
- Clearly explain each recommendation
Red flags to avoid:
- Claiming to cure serious diseases
- Suggesting to stop all medications
- Not having proper credentials
- Using fear-based marketing (showing fear selling)
- Provides one-size-fits-all solutions
