{"id":845,"date":"2017-12-06T19:28:34","date_gmt":"2017-12-07T02:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.michaelmirdad.com\/?p=845"},"modified":"2023-09-06T14:56:50","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T21:56:50","slug":"holistic-health-healing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/holistic-health-healing\/","title":{"rendered":"Holistic Health &#038; Healing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1248px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p>The topics of health and healing are commonly found in the media and in our daily conversations. As we all know, there is no shortage of books, articles, teachers, and doctors who tell us what we need to do to remain in optimal health. The problem is, that they rarely agree with one another, which typically leaves us without a clear direction of what we might do to live the healthiest life possible.<\/p>\n<\/div><style type='text\/css'>.reading-box-container-1 .element-bottomshadow:before,.reading-box-container-1 .element-bottomshadow:after{opacity:0.7;}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-reading-box-container reading-box-container-1\" style=\"--awb-title-color:#5b22a5;--awb-margin-top:0px;--awb-margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"reading-box\" style=\"background-color:#f9f9fb;border-width:1px;border-color:rgba(226,226,226,0);border-left-width:3px;border-left-color:var(--primary_color);border-style:solid;\"><div class=\"reading-box-additional\">\n<p>Physicians pour drugs of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, into humans of which they know nothing. \u2013Voltaire<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><p>So how then, are we to know, what is true and accurate, and what to apply when it comes to health and healing? The first thing might be to figure out what works best for <em>us<\/em>. Next, it\u2019s a good idea to consider looking for the rules commonly agreed upon between various sources. Another important thing is to consider the sources of our information. For example, it seems wiser to consider the input of that which has been proven to work more so than something that is new and untried. We might think twice when it comes to a source that has a huge financial investment\/gain in our following their advice and\/or protocol. Lastly, it\u2019s wise for us to be responsible for our choices, but one of these choices might be to consult with our health professionals.<\/p>\n<p>One thing is certain, however, the concepts of health and healing, as found in the systems of holistic health, are tried and true and tend to have far fewer side effects than what we find in modern medicine. Another thing that is certain is that holistic health encourages a healthy lifestyle as a preventative, rather than merely reacting to any signs of illness. This healthy lifestyle involves implementing at least a basic level of a healthy regimen, and the results are nearly always astounding.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\"><h4>What is Holistic Health?<\/h4>\n<p>Holistic (or whole-istic) and\/or Natural Health is generally divided into three groups: Prevention, Maintenance, and Cure.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Prevention means to live holistically enough to prevent imbalances from arising in the first place. It means maintaining a predominantly alkaline pH level, as well as a healthy balanced regimen of good diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, and a stress-free lifestyle.<\/li>\n<li>Maintenance means that if ever we see ourselves slipping out of our healthy regimen, we shift back as soon as possible. Maintenance (such as that of a car) also means that we understand that no matter how much prevention we use, life still wears down certain parts that need to be attended to. This means we need to adjust to life\u2019s changes (e.g. hormonally, etc.) and maintain the best health and fitness possible.<\/li>\n<li>Cure means that if\/when there is any form of breakdown in our health or fitness, we would choose the most holistic approach possible to effect a cure\u2014always knowing that there are times when we might even use allopathic approaches (e.g. broken bones, necessary surgeries, etc.). Cure also means to refrain from masking symptoms and instead actually evoking a shift in the condition.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Whatever category we may be addressing, to be truly referred to as \u201cHolistic\u201d (or Wholistic), it generally must fit the following criteria:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The modality of prevention, maintenance, and\/or cure utilizes things that are as natural, organic, and non-invasive as possible. This might include foods, herbs, fasting, nutrients, exercise, tinctures, or even massage, colonics, and acupuncture.<\/li>\n<li>The practitioner attempts to treat the client as one, whole, being\u2014thus embracing the body, mind, and soul of the client. This might mean addressing our emotional state, genetics, energy systems, core issues, or even our Ayurvedic constitution.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\"><h4>The Primary Rules of Good Health<\/h4>\n<p>The most essential topics to cover here are the ones that cross the borders of all forms of treatment (i.e. Prevention, Maintenance, and Cure)\u2014as opposed to having a more limited application. So let\u2019s simplify all the varying opinions and synthesize them into four simple (but essential) rules to follow:<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-5\"><h3><strong>#1 \u2013 Diet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>The Best Diet for the Body: It\u2019s all about Alkalinity<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>When we approach the topic of better health, the single most important goal (according to many) is to achieve and maintain an alkalized body. The body needs to be mostly alkaline (in its pH level), rather than acidic. Edgar Cayce (a popular clairvoyant and the person considered to be \u201cthe father of wholistic medicine\u201d) was possibly the first major proponent of having a healthy, alkalized system. One of the ways we can achieve this is by centering the diet around alkaline-forming vegetables and fruits. This can improve metabolic function, maintain a high state of health, promote weight loss, and prevent colds, infections, and other illnesses.<\/p>\n<p>Alkalizing foods are those that supply predominantly alkaline-forming minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and manganese. Again, most vegetables, fruits, herbal teas, and green food concentrates are in this category. Acidifying foods supply predominantly acid-forming minerals like copper, iodine, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon. Meats, grains, fried foods, sugars, processed foods, and most fats and dairy products belong in this group. In fact, most of these are so destructive to the body that they actually rob the body of nutrients as they are metabolized.<\/p>\n<p>Lifestyle factors also influence the body\u2019s pH balance. Prayer and meditation, restful sleep, deep breathing, and aerobic exercise, pump alkaline-forming oxygen into the body. Stress, noise, environmental pollution, and lack of sleep and exercise all create acidic conditions and ultimately disease.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>The Best Diet for the Soul: <\/strong><strong>Healthy Thoughts, Words, and Deeds<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Just as important as the foods and supplements we ingest, are the thoughts and attitudes that most consistently fill our minds. The body maintains a higher level of alkalinity through attitudes of love, peace, and forgiveness OR is made acidic through attitudes of stress, anger, and judgment. As Edgar Cayce once put it, \u201cWhat you think plus what you eat make who you are.\u201d Simply stated, love heals and hate kills. In other words, peace and love are the primary sources of both the prevention, maintenance, and cure of disease. Fear and hate, on the other hand, are the primary sources of stress, which is considered by most health professionals to be the number one cause of disease\/illness.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-6\"><h4><strong>#2 \u2013 Better Health Through Exercise<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>One of the best ways to increase our level of peace and balance is of exercise. The best exercise is not any form of routine that involves pushing ourselves too hard or making exercise into an addiction. In other words, more is definitely not better when it comes to exercise. Instead, it\u2019s best to only do exercises that help us remain connected with ourselves\u2014inside and out. In other words, for most people, walking is better than running. Therefore, some of the best forms of exercise involve slow movements, rather than fast, such as chi kung and yoga (to stretch and open up the body). Of course, some faster moving exercises are also helpful for specific things, such as some form of cardio workout for 20 minutes minimum.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-7\"><h4><strong>#3 \u2013 Therapeutic Modalities<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The range of physical and emotional therapies is almost as numerous as that of supplements and can range from internal therapies (e.g. colonics, chelation therapy, and violet ray apparatuses) to external therapies (e.g. massage, acupuncture, rolfing, craniosacral healing, myofascial release, reflexology, and herbal wraps). The purpose or goal of these modalities varies from one to another, but can include, cleansing the system, reducing stress, deepening relaxation, improving circulation, and supporting better elimination. And, although some of these modalities date back less than 100 years, many of them were practiced thousands of years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-8\"><h4><strong>#4 \u2013 Supplements<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Generally, the term \u201csupplements\u201d refers to supplementing whatever we are not ingesting through our diet. The foods we buy today rarely have the nutrients they once did, which means supplements are turning into necessities. Besides the standard supplements of vitamins and minerals, it\u2019s important to also recognize and honor our need for a regular intake of clean water (6-8 glasses of spring or filtered water but never within 15 minutes of a meal), fresh air (as often as possible), and sunlight (which is a primary source of nourishment for our pineal gland and energy-systems).<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Primary Supplements:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Multivitamin\/Mineral: Most practitioners of health now agree that everyone should find a good source for a multivitamin\/mineral that includes the proper ratio for their particular needs (e.g. extra B vitamins or Iron, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Ascorbates (which include vitamin C, calcium, and other essential minerals): These alkalize our body, as well as combating and preventing many diseases. Ascorbates replenish valuable electrolytes and muscle minerals and act as an antioxidant to fight free-radical damage.<\/li>\n<li>Protein (which includes essential amino acids): This nourishes and tones our muscles. Protein is also required for proper metabolic function and endocrine balance.<\/li>\n<li>Enzymes (usually only available in fresh, raw foods): These are important to assist with the digestion and assimilation of food and therefore allow for the best absorption of nutrients.<\/li>\n<li>Omega Oil Complex (many say this should include Omega oils 3, 6, and 9): These are essential for boosting metabolism and burning stored fat. Also improves memory and is important for normal functioning of all the body\u2019s tissues\u2014especially in the brain.<\/li>\n<li>Other supplements that many health professionals believe are essential for most people include DHEA\u2014for the body\u2019s rejuvenation, B-Complex\u2014especially to combat the effects of stress, and Probiotics\u2014particularly for people who have had digestive problems or who have taken antibiotics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-9\"><h4><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>A summary of the things that most people might consider to attain and maintain the most optimal health and wellness is as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Best Diet for Body and Soul<\/strong>: Maintain an alkalized system\u2014through a diet of alkaline-forming foods.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Better Health through Exercise<\/strong>: Choose a balanced regimen of slow (e.g. yoga) and fast (e.g. cardio exercises) that can be practiced at least 5 days per week and for at least 30 minutes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Therapeutic Modalities<\/strong>: Make it a point to receive at least 1-2 sessions of therapy (e.g. bodywork) per month.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Supplements<\/strong>: Despite the seeming onslaught of information (usually conflicting) on supplements, don\u2019t allow yourself to become overwhelmed. Most people end up only needing a half-dozen supplements to fill most of their nutritional voids.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Important Note<\/strong>: Although you might choose to follow these four rules for <a href=\"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/\">optimal health<\/a>, it\u2019s wise to consult an experienced and reputable Naturopath (or other health professional) in your area to see what they recommend within these four areas.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[74,81,80],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=845"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14058,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/845\/revisions\/14058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}