When researching alternative medicines or health practices, many people will come across the realm of “Holistic Medicine”. This type of medicinal practice is based on the idea that when practiced, this type of medicine considers the entirety of the person; the body, the mind, and the spirit. By practicing and applying holistic medicine to one’s life, the idea is that one might be able to achieve optimal health in all areas, becoming balanced with a state a peace—something that could be used nowadays.

Here are some amazing holistic practices to research and potentially integrate into wellness routines everywhere. Note that everyone is an individual, and since we are unique, some might feel more naturally inclined towards one or two of the practices than the others.

1. EFT – The Emotional Freedom Technique

This technique is for those feeling emotional distress as well as any physical pain. Like acupuncture, it uses the body’s meridian points in order to relieve pain or pent up energy to then create balance. While acupuncture uses needles at these meridian points, EFT uses the tapping of fingertips against these points.

2. Qigong

This ancient wellness practice comes from China and involves meditation, movement, and breath exercises. It is considered both an exercise as well as a healing technique. When put to practice it is supposed to improve one’s mental and physical health as a whole.

3. Reiki

Reiki is an energy healing technique which started in Japan in the 1800s. The practitioner uses energy from the palms of their hands and works with the energy fields around the patient to release pent up energy and create a flow, which then allows for better mental, physical, and emotional health.

4. Meditation

Meditation is a popular practice of training the mind to focus and redirect thoughts. Oftentimes this includes quieting the mind, especially under great amounts of stress. By making meditation part of a daily practice, it’s a chance to rewire the brain and train how

it reacts to certain stimuli. By being able to control the mind, we can more ably control our mental and emotional health.

5. Acupuncture

Like mentioned above, acupuncture is similar to EFT in the sense that it uses certain points along the body in order to relieve pain or stagnant energy. However, instead of tapping, the practitioner uses specific needles and inserts them into the points. It tries to balance the energy and make it harmonious throughout the body.

As these practices and methods are not currently recognized by western medicine as treatments to various ailments, there are many case studies that show these treatments can and do help. However, it’s best to always check with your medical health provider first before adding anything new to your treatment plan. Once the green light is given, explore the different modalities and pick the one(s) that feel the most natural to you. Some modalities can be more effective than others for different individuals.