Glossary for Holistic Health
Acupuncture
A traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to balance energy flow and promote healing.
Aromatherapy
The use of essential oils extracted from plants for therapeutic purposes to enhance physical and emotional well-being.
Ayurveda
An ancient Indian system of medicine that uses diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing to maintain health and balance.
Biofeedback
A technique that teaches people to control physiological processes such as heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure through the use of electronic monitoring devices.
Chakras
Energy centers in the body, according to Indian spiritual traditions, each associated with different physical, emotional, and spiritual functions. Many spiritualist think this idea is outdated and that they are a limitation
Chiropractic
A form of alternative medicine focused on diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine, with manual adjustment and manipulation.
Crystal Healing
A pseudoscientific alternative medicine technique that uses crystals and gemstones to promote physical and emotional healing.
Detoxification
The process of removing toxins from the body, often through dietary changes, fasting, or other cleansing methods.
Energy Healing
A practice that involves channeling healing energy into a person’s body to restore balance and health, often through modalities like Reiki or Qigong.
Functional Medicine
A form of alternative medicine that focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of disease through a personalized approach to treatment and prevention.
Herbal Medicine
The use of plants or plant extracts for medicinal purposes to treat various ailments and support overall health.
Holistic Health
An approach to wellness that considers the whole person—body, mind, spirit, and emotions—in the quest for optimal health and wellness.
Holistic Nutrition
An approach to diet and nutrition that considers the individual’s overall health, lifestyle, and well-being, emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods and balanced nutrition.
Homeopathy
A system of alternative medicine based on the principle of “like cures like,” using highly diluted substances to trigger the body’s natural healing response.
Integrative Medicine
A healing-oriented approach that combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies to treat the whole person.
Massage Therapy
The manipulation of soft tissues in the body, typically muscles, to relieve tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation.
Meditation
A practice of focused attention, often involving breathing techniques or guided imagery, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.
Mind-Body Connection
The relationship between a person’s thoughts, emotions, and physical health, emphasizing the influence of mental and emotional states on physical well-being.
Mindfulness
A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Naturopathy
A system of medicine that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself, incorporating a range of therapies such as nutrition, herbal medicine, and acupuncture.
Nutrition
The intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs, essential for maintaining health and preventing disease.
Osteopathy
A type of alternative medicine that emphasizes the physical manipulation of the body’s muscle tissue and bones to improve health and well-being.
Plant-Based Diet
A diet consisting mostly or entirely of foods derived from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits, with few or no animal products.
Probiotics
Live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial for digestive health, often taken as dietary supplements or found in fermented foods.
Qigong
A holistic system of coordinated body posture, movement, breathing, and meditation used for health, spirituality, and martial arts training, part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Reflexology
A therapeutic method of relieving pain by stimulating predefined pressure points on the feet and hands, believed to correspond to different body organs and systems.
Reiki
A form of energy healing where practitioners use their hands to channel energy into the patient, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body.
Sound Therapy
A healing practice that uses sound, music, and special instruments played in therapeutic ways to improve health and well-being.
Spiritual Healing
A practice that involves the transfer of healing energy from a healer to a patient to restore spiritual balance and health.
Stress Management
Techniques and therapies used to control a person’s level of stress, often incorporating relaxation techniques, exercise, and mindfulness practices.
Tai Chi
A Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits, involving slow, controlled movements and deep breathing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
A holistic medical system that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage (Tui Na), exercise (Qigong), and dietary therapy.
Traditional Medicine
A term that refers to the long-standing traditions and practices of various cultures to treat illness and promote health, often encompassing herbal remedies and rituals.
Visualization
A mental technique that involves imagining a specific outcome or situation in order to achieve it, often used for relaxation and stress reduction.
Wellness
An active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life, encompassing physical, mental, and social well-being.
Whole Foods
Natural foods that are not heavily processed, refined, or altered from their original form, typically rich in nutrients and free from additives.
Yoga
A physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in ancient India, involving breath control, meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures for health and relaxation.
Yoga Nidra
A form of guided meditation also known as “yogic sleep,” which aims to induce deep relaxation and a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping.