Holistic Medicine and the Importance of Balance

Is your life in balance? Balance or homeostasis is an important indicator of health, whether from the perspective of modern medicine or ancient traditions.

From a western perspective, balance might come in the form of hormones, blood pH, neurotransmitters, and even vitamins and minerals. Traditional medicinal systems such as TCM or Ayurvedic practices promote a balance of medicinal foods, lifestyle and sleep, emotions, and systems within the body.

But what does balance of these different factors mean in a practical sense? And what are some specific actions that can be taken to improve balance in your life today? Here are some thoughts:

In traditional Chinese medicine, the importance of balance is illustrated through the concept of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang may be represented in modern times as a balance between work and rest, and even tastes of foods within a dish (avoiding excesses of salty, sweet, fatty, or cold) is believed to best optimize health and prevent harmful effects on the body. Some steps to include better balance in modern times may include:

-Balancing work and responsibilities with enough sleep, rest, and enjoyable activities. Taking breaks during a work day to stretch, take walks, and stay hydrated.

-Having healthy boundaries and an outlet of expression for difficult emotions such as grief, anger, sadness, or worry. This includes spending time in supportive relationships, taking time for reflection, or practicing assertiveness to speak up for one's needs.

-Avoid foods that contain excesses of cold, sweet, greasy, or salty and especially a combination of these categories. Instead, eat foods that are fresh, unprocessed, and have a balance of different herbs, spices, and flavors.

On the other hand, In Naturopathic or functional medicine, an optimal pH, hormonal and nutritional balance are of utmost importance. Of course, addressing life stressors and emotional imbalances are of equal importance as well.

Some tips:

-Ensure that your meals are balanced with organic lean sources of protein, phytonutrients fruits and vegetables, whole grain or complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fibers.

-Using DUTCH hormone testing to assess levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and adrenal hormones and addressing imbalances with a natural practitioner.