From Symptoms to Solutions: Embracing Holistic Health for Lasting Change

By: Heather Blackwell, Certified Holistic Nutritionist

When you think of holistic wellness, how do you consider your personal wellness? What comes to mind? For most people, when asked this question, they may say something like, “Being personally well means not being sick.” And then, they may think of a time that they felt sick – a scratchy throat, a runny nose, a headache, achy joints, fatigue, and/or digestive discomfort such as gas or bloating. Or they might tell you of a personal experience they had while visiting the doctor’s office such as “I had a triple bypass” or “My doctor put me on blood thinners because my arteries were clogged” or “I had my gall bladder removed.” The recollection of symptoms and related anecdotes are normal responses to questions about personal health, because what else do most people have to rely on except personal experience?

The fact is that most individuals don’t preemptively consider how to create holistic health for themselves and this lack of forethought is normal because they are not taught to consider their body in a systemic way. At most, as a society, we are taught to “eat healthy”, to exercise, and to minimize consumption of toxins such as sugar, cigarettes, and alcohol.

Most individuals tend to view their health in fragmented terms, as ailments occur, focusing on specific symptoms rather than considering the intricate network of organ systems that work together to maintain overall wellness. For example, if you were asked to, “List the organ systems in your body and state how they work together to create your holistic health,” then how would you respond? Unless you are a proficient holistic health practitioner, most likely your response would be…I don’t know.

Society is not trained to understand the root cause of illness. Society is trained to respond to symptoms by visiting a medical doctor who then tells a patient what they may do to help themselves alleviate painful symptoms or it is trained to listen to commercials which provide education on popular products that are available to treat symptoms. For example, when someone experiences the symptom of a headache, a doctor may prescribe an over-the-counter pain relief medication, which avoids examination of the root cause of illness. This piecemeal approach to treating symptoms leads to a superficial understanding of health, where symptoms are addressed in isolation rather than as part of a broader system of interrelated functions.

For example, consider the case study of a 40-year-old, female patient who visits a doctor for constipation and abdominal bloating. After conducting a colonoscopy, the doctor reports to the patient that polyps were discovered. The doctor recommends polyp removal via surgical ablation. The doctor doesn’t tell the patient why the colon polyps occurred. The doctor doesn’t reveal to the patient how during the colonoscopy that parasites are observed within the colon environment. The doctor doesn’t tell the patient how parasites are observed inside the polyp formation. The doctor doesn’t explain how the patient’s body created the polyp to prevent the parasite from compromising the intestinal wall, thereby protecting the body from deeper parasitic invasion. The doctor doesn’t explain that the patient should conduct a routine parasite cleanse to kill parasites as a way to prevent further parasitic invasions and polyp formations.

For this case study, what are the symptoms? The symptoms are constipation and abdominal bloating.

What is the medical solution? The medical solution is polyp removal via surgical ablation.

Is the medical solution effective? No, because the root cause is not polyp formation. The root cause is parasitic invasion. Without eliminating the parasitic invasion, the polyps will continue to grow as parasites attempt to penetrate the intestinal wall. Besides the constipation and bloating, polyps are another symptom of parasitic invasion. Furthermore, if the parasitic invasion is not eliminated, then parasites will eventually spread to other organ systems thus causing systemic disrepair and ultimate demise.

Using this case study, what is the consequence of only treating symptoms? Treating symptoms means temporarily alleviating discomfort while ignoring the root cause of illness so that the body continues to decay until that decay spreads to other organ systems.

What is the holistic health solution?

A possible holistic health solution for this case study is continued medical monitoring combined with a nutrition-based regimen that includes routine parasite cleansing, holistic organ system detoxification, analysis of internal and external environmental factors contributing to root cause illness that leads to appropriate lifestyles changes, and nutritional balancing.

The point of understanding holistic health in terms of organ systems and how your organ systems work in concert to keep your body alive, functional, and healthy is to view your body as a cohesive whole, where every organ system plays a vital role in your overall wellbeing. Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, your health is significantly influenced by the interactions between your various organ systems. Understanding this interconnectedness will empower you to make informed decisions about your healthcare and lifestyle choices, to promote a holistic approach to wellness that will prevent illness.

As an introduction to holistic health education, it is important to be aware of the human body’s eleven organ systems, which comprise your holistic health potential. If you don’t understand how your organ systems work together, then it will be difficult for you to understand systemic illness and systemic health. There is stress put on the word “your” because it is important for you to take ownership of your organs, your organ systems, your choices, your illness, your holistic health solutions, and your health status.

Your eleven organ systems are:

1. Your Integumentary System (i.e., skin, hair, nails, and associated glands) which protects the body and helps regulate temperature.

2. Your Skeletal System, which comprises bones, cartilage, and ligaments; and provides structure, support, and protection for organs.

3. Your Muscular System, which consists of muscles that facilitate movement and maintain posture.

4. Your Nervous System, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves; and is responsible for monitoring and responding to internal and external stimuli, such as when you touch a hot stove or how your brain communicates with organ systems to regulate health.

5. Your Endocrine System, which is composed of glands like the thyroid and adrenal glands; and regulates body functions through hormones.

6. Your Cardiovascular System, which is comprised of the heart and blood vessels; and circulates blood to transport nutrients, gases, and waste.

7. Your Lymphatic System, which includes lymph nodes, vessels, and the spleen; and helps protect the body against infections and maintains fluid balance.

8. Your Respiratory System, which comprises organs like the lungs and trachea; and enables oxygen intake while expelling carbon dioxide.

9. Your Digestive System, which consists of organs such as the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder; and breaks down food for nutrient absorption and waste elimination.

10. Your Urinary System, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra; and eliminates waste and regulates water and electrolyte balance.

11. Your Reproductive System, which is comprised of organs for producing offspring; and includes ovaries and testes.

Each organ system plays a vital role in supporting your overall health and maintaining balance within your body. By making intentional lifestyle choices, you can strengthen these systems and promote true holistic well-being. If you are interested in achieving holistic health-related empowerment and freedom via self-healing, stay tuned for future Dr. Clark Store articles to:

· gain detailed insight into your organ system functions

· discover common illnesses of organ systems

· learn how common illnesses occur

· harness nutrition-based solutions that will prevent and remedy illness and enable your holistic health

· discover how Dr. Clark Store nutraceuticals can help you achieve wellness goals.

About the Author

Heather Blackwell is a Certified CBT Mental Health Coach and Certified Holistic Nutritionist dedicated to bringing holistic health insights to the self-help community. She studied two master’s degrees in the areas of Forensic Psychology and MFT and has 20+ years’ holistic health experience for men and women of all ages. Her discussion topics include, but are not inclusive to: relationship management, maladaptive behavior deconstruction, self-identity development, nutrition, gentle exercise, holistic mind-body health, hormone balance, thyroid health, weight management, heavy metal and parasite detox, holistic detox.