When you look at nature in its undisturbed form, you recognize that everything is interconnected. For example, if there is a drought, it is going to impact not only the plants that need water to grow, but also the animals that eat those plants, and so on. Conversely, if the weather conditions are favorable, the flora and fauna will flourish. Unfortunately, many human beings don’t realize this principle of interconnectedness applies to our bodies as well. In a real sense, your body is an ecosystem in its own right. Holistic medicine is a discipline that adopts this perspective. A holistic physician will not focus solely on treating the symptoms. He or she will treat the entire person.
If you consult with a doctor who practices holistic medicine, such as a naturopathic doctor, a functional medicine doctor, or an acupuncturist, he/she will consider the numerous different factors that have an impact on your health. The various systems of the body that may affect your condition will be considered. In addition, your dietary habits, your level of physical activity, environmental factors/toxins, lifestyle choices, sleep, genetic variations, and emotional and spiritual factors will be taken into account. In conventional medicine, the physician finds out what type of disease the patient has, and matches one drug to the one disease. Holistic medicine adopts a complete perspective. We are becoming increasingly aware that chronic disease is multifactorial, and thus simply taking a pill – whether natural or pharmaceutical – is not the best answer. If for example, one has an autoimmune disease, a common conventional treatment is taking a drug that suppresses the function of the immune system. But if the cause is – as if often the case – related to a bacterial imbalance in the intestines, resulting in systemic inflammation, leading to an autoimmune disease, then merely taking an anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive drug will not be as effective, and resolution of the causative factor will not occur – and in fact may be exacerbated by the immunosuppressives or anti-inflammatories. If, however, the causes of the health imbalance are uncovered, they can be addressed, and this has a spiraling effect. Not only is there relief of the symptoms, but future problems which might have occurred from the original imbalance are avoided, as are potential side effects from the pharmaceutical drugs.
Holistic medicine is a cooperative effort between the doctor and the patient. It requires the patient to take personal responsibility and make lifestyle changes to regain physical and emotional equilibrium. Many people look for instant gratification, but in reality, there is often no magic pill that can heal you. Rather, addressing various factors over time will result in significant improvements.
I would also like to add that, when choosing a holistic doctor to treat your condition, it is important to make sure they know not only about natural medicines, but also that they have trained as primary care doctors, so that they correctly assess the medical situation, and thus know when it is vital to use a pharmaceutical drug, to refer out for surgery or other procedures, or when a natural alternative is suitable. Otherwise, a dangerous situation can arise, wherein you may be ignoring a potentially serious issue. As a licensed naturopathic doctor, I have attained naturopathic medical school, where we are extensively trained in modern medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical treatments, as well as the natural treatment methods mentioned elsewhere on this website. My goal is always to use the least invasive, yet most effective – treatment for a given condition. For some that may mean an herbal medicine and dietary change, such as to lower blood pressure. For others that may mean immediate surgery, such as to prevent dire consequences from a ruptured appendix.
We would be glad to get to know you, find out about your health concerns, and help you embark on a clear-cut path to holistic wellness. If you would like to take the first step, we make it easy for you. I offer free 10-minute phone consultations, and this is a good way for us to get to know one another. Give us a call at 424-278-4325 and we will set up an appointment that fits into your schedule.
Yours in Good Health,
Dr. Fischer