Simply stated, the holistic approach to medicine revolves around a single axiom: “Organisms function as complete units which cannot be reduced to the sum of their parts.” Further, to the holistic practitioner, a disease process follows a four-step path:
1. Energetic imbalance
At this step in the disease process, illness is an energetic imbalance that can only be detected by intuition.
2. Functional disturbance
Subtle changes in the actions of the pet will confirm to the owner that something is wrong. Still, all traditional diagnostic tests will yield normal findings.
3 Inflammation
This is the point in the disease process when traditional diagnostic tests will begin to yield abnormal results. The changes in behavior will also become more pronounced.
4. Pathology
At this final stage of the disease process, the body is beginning to change its morphology in response to the disease. An abscess may be walled off, a bladder infection is causing the bladder wall to thicken, etc.
Traditional Western medicine has tried and true modalities to treat the third and fourth stages of a disease process. To treat the first and/or second stages, you must turn to complementary treatment modalities. Examples of treatment choices for the Energetic Imbalance stage of disease might include flower essence therapy, homeopathy, applied kinesiology, Reiki, nutrition, acupuncture, or Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Functional Disturbance stage might be treated with herbs, homeopathy, chiropractic, nutrition, acupuncture, or Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The purpose of the Flower Essences is to support the patient’s fight against illness by addressing the fear, depression, anxiety, trauma and other emotional factors that are thought to impede physical healing. They can also be used preventively, at times of anxiety and stress. They are particularly helpful for individuals who seem to feel generally tired and unwell without a specific medical reason.
Dr Edward Bach was a medical doctor and homeopathic physician who spent his life searching for the purest methods of healing. He believed, as many doctors do today, that an individual’s attitude plays a vital role in maintaining health and recovering from illness. Before he died in 1936 he had developed a complete system of 38 flower essences, each prepared by capturing the vital energy (the essence) from flowers of wild plants, trees or bushes. These are used in combination to treat the individual, rather than his or her disease or its symptoms. Today private individuals, medical and complementary health practitioners, psychotherapists, counselors, dentists, veterinarians, and healers use these safe, gentle flower essences worldwide.
Flower Essences may be taken in conjunction with other medical treatments; they will not conflict with acupuncture or medications, including homeopathic remedies. They are safe, have no unwanted side effects and are not addictive. They are gentle in action and can safely be taken by individuals of all ages.