Holism, Health and Cannabis
Holism is about the big picture; it relates to the theory that nothing happens in vacuum pressure. When seeking answers to a problem, holism puts the focus on the 'whole' as opposed to the parts.
The English Oxford Dictionaries define holism:
The theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they can not exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood regardless of the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts.
And when holism is about health:
The treating of the whole person, considering mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of an illness.
Another way to consider holism is by using the analogy of systems both natural and manmade (i.e. an ecosystem a health system, a family group system, a solar system, etc.).
A system is really a complex 'whole' with an obvious boundary; there is an outside and an inside. The content inside a system (for example: weather, animals, and plants) comprises of interrelated, interdependent parts that directly reflect the overall context, within which they exist, (for example: an ecosystem).
Whenever the whole of anything produces an outcome greater than any of its parts could accomplish, individually, we call that synergy, (for instance: a thunderstorm, the music of an orchestra).
The contrary to holism, reductionism, instead analyzes something by its component parts.
Holistic Health: Treating the complete Person
The original approach of the medical system has taught us to recognize health from a reductionist perspective. We go to the doctor to get some specific part of the body fixed because it has stopped functioning well and may be causing us pain.
Millions of people get excellent results using the medical-model. The only problem is that this model considers, almost exclusively, just the health of the body. And when it comes to mental health, the typical solution would be to prescribe antidepressant medicine.
Why is this a problem? We humans are complex beings. We've minds, emotions and a soul, the personal, intangible relationship to a macro reality beyond ourselves. Also, who we are, is continually influenced within the contexts of family, community, country and world.
A holistic approach to health and fitness addresses the reality of the multiple interrelated and interdependent parts which make us who we have been. The malaise of any one of them can directly (and negatively), affect the health of other areas of our life.
For this reason alone, the initial focus of holistic care is on the individual and not the problem or disease. Stress, anxiety, and depression, for instance, often find yourself translating to a physical symptom. It's all connected.
In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) national survey, in September, 2017, The American Psychiatric Association reported that antidepressant use had gone from 1 in 50 people 30 years back to 1 1 of 9 between the years 2011 and 2014, and today in 2018.
This is clear proof the rise in mood disorders for Americans.
Why the increased use? As mentioned, nothing happens in a vacuum therefore assessing one's lifestyle regarding home, relationships, finances, work, etc. becomes a crucial task to find out their impact. The bottom-line is to find the real cause (s) and set up a restorative plan.
Cannabis and Holistic Health
The medicinal use of cannabis is a world aside from its recreational use. In many cases, the lower the quantity of THC found in any medicinal formulation, the higher the desired effect. The saying is: Start low; go slow. Treatment is never one-size-fits-all because the current interplay of someone's body, mind and soul are of primary consideration.
Historically, the whole of the ancient cannabis plant was used for a beneficial impact on a person's overall, general condition, far beyond mere symptom control. This helps it be a perfect match to the holistic method of health.
Not unlike the complexity of the human being in context of our various lifestyles, cannabis a complex plant of the plant kingdom. It's effectiveness being an overall tonic has to do with the fact of cannabis containing approximately 100 molecular compounds, with THC and CBD most researched and understood.
When the whole of the cannabis plant can be used as medicine it provides a synergistic or 'entourage' effect which accounts for why the therapeutic usage of cannabis brings relief to a wide selection of conditions.
In sleep gummies stands in stark contrast to traditional medicine that typically isolates plant compounds and manufactures them in pharmaceuticals to target one symptom or bodily system.
I believe that increasing numbers of people are discerning the difference between the medical and holistic models of health. Each has its time and place. When discovering the countless benefits of medicinal cannabis, our your overal wellness, lifestyle and broader culture can transform for the better.
Susan is really a 2018 graduate of the Holistic Cannabis Academy with over 45 years of personal involvement in the spectrum of wellness modalities. Her mission today would be to intervene in the noise of modern life and help people identify and remove stressors that trigger their dis-ease while providing strategies towards a living connection with inner calmness, contentment and inspiration.