Most of us have been to a chiropractor. During our daily movements (or sometimes due to a lack of enough movement) our joints get out of place and we need realignment. Did you know that originally this practise was intended to not only realign our bodies but our energy flow as well? Holistic medicine believes that the wellness of an entire person; body, soul and mind, must be addressed instead of isolating only one component and treating it. In holistic chiropractic care, your practitioner will not only listen to what parts of your body need adjustment, they will also ask questions about your diet, exercise routine, and even your relationships and career. This practice believes that the solution to a problem must be tackled on many fronts and the pain you’re experiencing isn’t simply a matter of your physical body needing a change. There must be a whole balance throughout your person in order for true health to be achieved.
In holistic care, surgery and medication are a last resort, as opposed to the first plan of attack as in most modern medicine. Often medication is used as a mask to cover symptoms, but doesn’t necessarily deal with the real issue at hand. One medication can lead to another, each one taken to address the side effects of the one before. Surgery is an invasive procedure that can sometimes be avoided if the root cause of the problem is taken on instead of only the symptoms. Modern medicine is wonderful when it treats the person as a whole instead of simply the limb, organ, or issue as if it’s an isolated problem. In fact, modern medicine can be used successfully in conjunction with holistic health care to help a patient get back on the road to well being.
Along with chiropractic techniques, holistic care can involve the use of yoga, massage, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nutritional guidance.  A yoga class, for example, will not only give your body a good stretch, which can help improve blood flow and circulation, not to mention possibly waking up dormant muscles!) it will also calm your mind and help relieve pressures and anxiety.  In this way, with dedication and practice, body, mind and spirit can start working in harmony with each other.
Your treatment will usually involve both efforts on the part of the practitioner, but also on your own part as well. Patients recover far faster and see increased health benefits sooner when they take a lead role and responsibility for their own well being. Your practitioner can use chiropractic techniques and will then usually recommend another form of holistic exercise (such as yoga classes) and even examine your typical diet for ways to improve the nutrition you may be getting on a daily basis. In fact, nutrition is often at the root of many health care problems, and, with regular improved eating, may even eliminate the need for other treatments or medication. Your practitioner will not only help heal your body; he or she will also guide you towards healing yourself.