Compiled by: Dr. Nader Afravi

Naderafravi@gmail.com

International Yoga, Meditation, and Ayurveda Teacher (Yogatherapist)

Acupuncture Practitioner, Hydrotherapist, Massage Therapist

Founder and Director of the International Holistic Yogatherapy Institute (IHYTI)

Member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)

www.ihyti.com

Holistic Medicine (Holistic Health Sciences)

Introduction

Holistic Medicine:

Holistic medicine is a concept in the medical profession in which all aspects of people’s needs—including psychological, physical, and social—must be considered and viewed as a whole. As defined above, this comprehensive approach in medical science is widely accepted.

Various definitions of holistic medicine claim that disease arises as a result of physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental imbalances in the body. In holistic medicine, it is believed that the spiritual aspect of the patient should also be taken into account in treatment.

Some of the general recommendations of holistic medicine include:

Natural diet and herbal remedies

Nutritional supplements

Exercise, yoga

Rest

Psychological counseling

Reflection, meditation

Breathing exercises

Acupuncture

Homeopathy

Massage therapy

Criticism

However, in holistic medicine, apart from the effects of placebo-like treatments, there is no published scientific study proving that holistic medicine can treat any known disease. The American Cancer Society recommends that if holistic medicine is to be used at all, it should only be used alongside conventional medicine and not as a replacement.

In the continuation of this article, I will provide a brief introduction and overview of the fields of holistic science or holistic medicine, and, based on my expertise, I will introduce a number of them. May it prove useful.

Ayurveda

Acupuncture

Massage therapy

Hydrotherapy

Rolfing therapy

Organotherapy

Pyramid therapy

Radionics therapy

Osteopathy

Psionic therapy

Radiesthesia therapy

Biofeedback therapy

Negative ion therapy

Shiatsu massage therapy

Megavitamin therapyBach therapy

Nutritional therapy

Holistic approach to life

Chiropractic therapy

Alexander technique therapy

Hypnotherapy

Energy therapy

Aromatherapy  Salt therapy

Number therapy

Equine therapy

Nature therapy

Herbal therapy

Homeopathy

Sound therapy

Gestalt therapy                                                                                                                     2

Functional Mechanism of Holistic Medicine

Before defining and explaining some specific practices, it is important to understand that holistic medicine (or holistic health sciences) shares a common functional mechanism, which consists of three components: emotional health, physical hygiene, and spiritual development.

In fact, according to ancient human teachings, their analysis, and alignment with modern reasoning—especially physiological and pathological sciences—it is understood that whenever these three main components are in balance, a person is considered healthy from the perspective of holistic health sciences. Therefore, attention to these three components, by both the practitioner and the patient, is extremely important.

One might call holistic health sciences or holistic medicine a kind of “art of balance”; a balance in the three components:

Emotional health

Physical hygiene

Spiritual development

Schematic of the Balance of the Three Main Components in Holistic Medicine

International Holistic Yogatherapy Institute (IHYTI)

www.ihyti.com

Yoga therapy

Yoga is a system of individual self-help for maintaining health and achieving spiritual development.

Yoga is described as a method for controlling the waves of thought or the mind. It is a systematic approach to attaining unity with existence, and a school of mental meditation that encourages and assists human beings in reaching their highest potential and bringing that potential into actuality.

How does this method work?

Distinguished yoga masters, over the course of centuries, studied the subtleties and physical states of the human body, and then developed postures and movements that can be easily taught, performed, and repeated. These postures and movements, which Hindus call asanas, produce predictable effects on the functions of the human body, preventing the emergence of pain and illness, or helping to treat them.

How is this method practiced?

The domain of yoga asanas is vast, and their postures and movements are diverse.

Each yoga asana consists of three main components:

a physical movement, a process of thought control, and a process of breath control.

The circulation process of the human body can be strengthened through yoga practices, and the speed of blood flow can be increased or decreased. These exercises also stimulate the pituitary gland beneath the brain, which is the control center for the endocrine or hormonal system. Yoga experts emphasize that breathing is the basis of all human life—not only because it delivers oxygen to the body, but also because it regulates and strengthens the autonomic nervous system and provides it with vital energy.

One of the most interesting effects of yoga on the human mind and body is the change it produces in brain waves.

What is the application of this method?

This method is useful for the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia, nervous restlessness, behavioral disorders and attention deficiency in children and adolescents, anxiety, obsession, depression, back pain, indigestion, chronic allergies, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, migraine headaches, weakness and general fatigue, numbness and coldness in the hands and feet, various types of rheumatism, joint problems, hormonal deficiencies, and several other conditions.

What criticisms are directed toward this method?

It should be noted that regular and long-term practice of yoga can produce physical and psychological changes in the body, and unsupervised personal attempts may cause harm instead of benefit. If one seeks a definite cure for certain pains and neuropsychological disorders and diseases through yoga, one must be prepared to find a refined and qualified master and practice under their guidance for a long period.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a body of knowledge gradually obtained—or, more precisely, discovered—by Indian scholars and spiritual practitioners over thousands of years, primarily through meditation and introspection.

Ayurveda is a form of holistic and integrative medicine. Followers of this medical system agree on one fundamental principle:

The basis of human existence is a kind of cosmic energy that is intelligent, and therefore may also be called cosmic consciousness.

This energy manifests in masculine and feminine forms, somewhat similar to the Chinese concepts of yang and yin.

The purpose of Ayurveda is to harmonize the inner energies of the human body with the changing energies of the environment, and to maintain the natural energetic balance of the whole human being.

Ayurveda believes that the human energetic or quantum body is in fact the body of complete consciousness and intelligence—a consciousness so fine and precise that it perceives everything and responds to all aspects of the environment, even the slightest thoughts and emotions of others.

The human quantum energy body functions like a software program that shapes and controls our physical body.

Maintaining the natural balance of this energy body is the key and foundation of health.

In Ayurveda, evaluating a patient’s background includes not only exploring their life history, conducting a full physical examination, and assessing their mind and emotions, but also the following:

attention to their socioeconomic status, and examining their astrology to determine their human type and potential vulnerabilities.

Laboratory tests of blood, urine, sweat, saliva, sputum, and the patient’s voice.

Before carrying out the main treatment, an Ayurvedic physician usually performs one or several of the following procedures on the patient or asks the patient to perform them: the use of strong laxatives or bloodletting, fasting, complete abstinence from food for a certain period, or abstaining from certain types of foods for a long time or permanently (hot and cold baths, cleansing or disinfecting vegetarian diets for the digestive system and blood, skin-restoring oils, and so on).

Afterward, herbal medicines are given to the patient to restore balance and harmony among all types of tissues, systems, and bodily energies.

This therapeutic method also recognizes the value of non-pharmaceutical treatments—or, in other words, non-material remedies—and on this basis makes use of chanting, yogic breathing, special ritual practices, and other established ancient methods in treatment. In some cases of neuropsychological disorders, it also employs meditative practices.

What is the application of this method?

Ayurvedic medicine is active not only in internal medicine, dermatology, and neuropsychology, but also in all other branches of medicine. For example, it includes branches for obstetrics and gynecology, women’s disorders, pediatrics, psychology, and even surgery.

Another branch of Ayurveda that has recently gained recognition in modern Western medicine is the field of sexual disorders.

Many other complementary medical methods—such as homeopathy, color therapy, herbal therapy, sound therapy, light therapy, gemstone therapy, radiesthesia, oxygen therapy, thought therapy, hydrotherapy, nature therapy, and others—have in some way drawn from Ayurveda, accompanied it, or originated from its fundamental principles.

It should not be forgotten that aromatherapy and nutritional therapy have also been so. Ayurveda is in fact a lifestyle system that places strong emphasis on the potential and unseen energies of the human body.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is based on the principle that there is a kind of neural connection between the internal organs of the body and the external surface of the body. When an organ becomes diseased or a body part becomes painful, certain locations on the surface of the body—or more precisely, under the skin—become more sensitive. These locations are called acupuncture points.

Acupuncture stimulates these points with special needles in such a way that the activity of those points is regulated, thereby healing the diseased organ, relieving the patient’s pain, causing anesthesia, or producing other beneficial effects.

What is the historical development of this method?

Acupuncture works on the principle that in all diseases, whether physical or mental–emotional, certain sensitive points appear on the surface of the body and disappear once the disease improves or is cured. These sensitized points in illness are called acupuncture points.

How does this method work?

Pressure on certain specific points of the body is linked to particular pain patterns, and short, strong stimulation of these points with needles produces long-lasting pain relief.

In response to acupuncture, the human brain produces a group of natural pain-relieving substances called endorphins.

Another part of traditional Chinese medicine that is integrated with acupuncture is pulse diagnosis. Feeling the patient’s pulse is actually the foundation of diagnosis in all branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is so extensive, subtle, and precise that it can even correctly identify the patient’s past illnesses.

In the pulse of the wrist or the carotid artery of the patient, as many as fourteen different detectable qualities may be present.

Some may possess them, but many acupuncture practitioners believe that five or six different types of pulses are the total number that can be detected in a short examination session.

Method of application:

Acupuncture points are usually stimulated with special needles. Most experienced Chinese practitioners say that the best therapeutic results are produced by needle stimulation. Ancient Chinese texts describe about fifty different ways of inserting the needle, but once the needle has been inserted into the correct point, only six principles play a role in the effectiveness of acupuncture stimulation:

Sharpness of the needle tip

The angle of needle penetration

The depth to which the needle is inserted

The amount of movement (vibration) of the needle at the point

The length of time the needle remains in the point

The number of treatment sessions

When the practitioner has precisely located the point, he inserts the needle and leaves it there for a few seconds to several minutes.

Diseases treatable by acupuncture:

This method is used for eliminating kidney stones, advanced arthritis, headaches, acute respiratory diseases, acute rheumatism, menstrual problems in women, digestive organ disorders, various nervous system disorders, and different types of pain.

If the underlying conditions that produce the symptoms of a disease are incurable, then acupuncture treatment will be ineffective.

Hydrotherapy

Using water to maintain and strengthen health and to treat pains and diseases is called hydrotherapy.

How is it performed?

Hydrotherapy consists of actions in which water is used to improve physical or psychological condition, strengthen health or beauty, or treat pains and diseases. This use occurs in two ways—internal and external.

Internal method:

It is simple: drinking pure water daily or charged water (imprinted water, special mineral water, or seawater) in the amount and duration prescribed by the hydrotherapist.

External method:

It includes different types of bathing and water applications to the body.

What is the application of this method?

High-pressure water spray:

This is a type of treatment performed with powerful water pounding. This method is invigorating and refreshing, but it is hard to tolerate; therefore, it does not have very wide application, and elderly individuals cannot tolerate it.

Salt Rubbing

This method is a form of hydrotherapy mixed with mineral substances. Practitioners say that it gives them a heightened sense of improvement and well-being.

Double-Bath Method

In this method, two pairs of small tubs are placed side by side—one filled with cold water and the other with hot water.

The patient sits in the hot-water tub in such a way that their legs, up to slightly above the knees, are immersed in the cold-water tub.

One of the results of this method is improved blood circulation in the legs and relief of leg discomfort. Another result is improvement in conditions related to pelvic problems or issues in the lower vertebrae of the spine.

Epsom Salt Bath

This is a type of bath intended for very heavy sweating. Three to four kilograms of salt are poured into the bathtub and it is filled with hot water.

The patient immerses themselves in it up to the chin. In this state, the patient sweats profusely. After a set period, they are taken out, placed under a hot shower, then massaged, and wrapped in thick towels so they sweat even more. After a final hot shower, the patient is sent to bed to rest.

Other methods such as water spraying, needle sprays, air-bubble baths, underwater massage, and many more techniques of using water for refreshment, relaxation, general strengthening of the body and immune system, relief of bone and joint pain, improved circulation, treatment of skin diseases, reduction of chronic fatigue, combating depression, and so on, are used today in hydrotherapy clinics.

Drinking Water

Drinking a specific amount of water also has therapeutic and preventive benefits. Physicians, biologists, and nutrition experts tell us that every person needs at least eight glasses of water a day for the body to function properly.

Some individuals practice fasting from food and rely only on drinking water throughout the 24-hour day in order to cleanse the body of toxins.

Kirlian photography has shown that when a healer from an energy-healing tradition mentally “charges” the water intended for the patient, the water reveals an extraordinary field of energy not found in ordinary water. It is therefore believed that the natural energy of the hydrotherapist enhances the energetic and healing power of the water they give to the patient.

Researchers say hydrotherapy is beneficial because hydrotherapists tend to be pleasant individuals who give sufficient attention and empathy to the physical and psychological condition of patients.

Moreover, the therapy is carried out in an appealing environment that produces nervous relaxation, reduces tension, and gives the patient a feeling of physical and mental improvement.

All these factors help the patient experience muscle relaxation, calmness, and a sense of lightness.

Energy Therapy

Energy therapy refers to using the energy of one person to create a healing balance in another.

It is a therapeutic method that works through the transfer of energy and the creation of harmony between the patient’s mind, body, and spirit. In some sources, it is also referred to as “energy healing.”

History of the Development of This Method

Some physical illnesses have an inseparable relationship with a person’s thoughts, activities, and mental state. Today, a vast and well-documented body of evidence exists regarding illnesses that usually arise due to neuropsychological disorders, fear, anxiety, depression, or severe mental distress. These are known as psychosomatic diseases. Many researchers state that numerous types of cancer have mental origins.

Energy therapy employs a sense of empathy as the main source of its healing power. If the healer or the patient believes that the healing comes from an extraordinary or divine force, this method can be considered spiritual or faith-based healing. However, practitioners of this method do not insist that patients must believe in such spiritual or heavenly forces.

Many practitioners of this method in Western countries are devout Christians and attribute their healing energy to the intervention of Jesus Christ, yet they do not require their patients to share this belief. Nonetheless, thousands of sick, disabled, and hopeless individuals who feel abandoned by modern Western medicine travel every year to so-called sacred places or the shrines of saints, believing in spiritual or faith-based healing.

How Energy Therapy Works

The first group of energy therapy practitioners are called “spiritual healers.” Their therapeutic work is based on the principle that whatever a person deeply believes can indeed occur.

The healer attempts to stimulate and guide the patient’s inner consciousness so that the patient becomes more aligned and connected with higher spiritual levels.

The healer helps the patient enter that transcendent dimension of perception. Once the patient becomes attuned to the divine energy, they are ready to receive truly remarkable and even extraordinarily miraculous healing.

Every healer has their own rituals, methods, and beliefs, but their common foundation is reliance on inner perception and intuitive consciousness.

Some healers place one or both hands on the patient’s head; others place their hands on the affected area. Some use their fingertips, while others use the palms of their hands.

Another group of healers does not even need to touch the patient’s body.

Non-contact healing—and even long-distance healing—is astonishing yet well documented, and its mechanism likely depends on complete mental concentration and thought transmission.

Before laying hands on the patient, the healer always attempts to bring their own body and mind into a state of maximum calmness and silence (a form of mental meditation), so that the healing energy can pass through them to the patient.

After relaxing their muscles and quieting the mind, achieving inner stillness, the healer visualizes the body part that needs healing and thereby directs the healing energy toward that organ.

Applications of Energy Therapy

This method is effective in treating incurable diseases, relieving pain, and facilitating healing.

There is still resistance to this method from institutions such as churches, specialists of modern medicine, and skeptics.

Additionally, misuse and false claims by fraudulent healers have created suspicion and mistrust regarding this method.

International Holistic Yoga Therapy Institute (IHYTI)

WWW.ihyti.com

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