Many people have heard the term "holistic" medicine, or "holistic" health but are not sure if it relates to a particular modality of healing or a certain style of medical practice.
An easy way to think of holistic health is to think of the phrase "whole in mind and body", in that holistic health takes into consideration the whole mind and body interdependence to achieve well being.
It looking at ways to improve your lifestyle to support your health, a wide variety of modalities may come into play.
Practitioners of holistic health understand the connection of the mind (and emotions) to the body and that emotional and mental states can upset the body's natural balance, bringing about a lack of ease, known as dis-ease.
It is not necessarily connected to religion per se, however a spiritual component is definitely part of the whole picture when achieving a sense of well being.
Some of the tools in the holistic toolbox are:

• Using natural products, natural foods and avoiding anything processed
• Using natural fibers such s cotton, silk, linen and wool
• Using essential oils and natural herbs
• Taking natural vitamin supplements to make sure the body has all of its fuel
• Exploring the use of energy medicine such as magnetic therapies, acupuncture and osteopathic adjustments
• Meditation and yoga to clear your mind and enhance your body

The saying goes "garbage in, garbage out" and holistic practitioners are fully educated on the effect food and medications have on the intricate chemical functions of the body.
For instance, a substance like white refined sugar has a massive cascading effect of negative reactions and long term damage far more serious than just tooth decay.
Chemicals put in processed foods to increase their shelf life are preservatives, but put into living cells disrupts their life giving programming.
The cells of the body are a miracle of perfect programming, each with their designated function and each knowing how to properly interact with the other cells.
Introducing foreign or toxic substances is kind of like your computer getting a virus and can wreck havoc that is difficult and expensive to fix.
Many natural substances support the body's inherent ability to heal itself, such as essential oils, natural herbs and vitamins.
These contain components that have been shown to be necessary to the body and mind's smooth functioning and we have come to know them by their labels: Vitamin A, D, E, omega fish oil, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.
However, the label doesn't tell the whole story as manufacturers often sell laboratory produced substances with lots of filler (an apt name as it it fills their bank accounts by reducing costs and increasing profits).
Holistic practitioners are careful to research how the substances they use in and on their bodies are prepared for the best result.
In all healing practices of the world the first rule is "Do No Harm".
The holistic approach tries all natural methods that support the body with the least chance of harm, such as making sure the skeleton is properly aligned (chiropractic and osteopathic adjustment); making sure the energy meridians are flowing smoothly (acupuncture and yoga); and finally, using stress relieving (and cortisol reducing) practices such as meditation and prayer to keep the entire system relaxed, happy and peaceful.
Stress itself is one of the greatest precursors of ill health there is.
All in all, the love and care of this precious human body and mind is no one's job but our own.
Eating life sustaining natural food, avoiding harmful toxins, and using supportive modalities will keep the body functioning at its best.
It's the only one we've got, and the investment in its proper care and maintenance can extend its lifespan as well as its quality of life.