The synergy of nutrition and traditional medicine for holistic health and wellbeing

By Dr. Liji Thomas, MDReviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc.Nov 13 2024

Exploring the synergy between traditional medicines and nutrition for a holistic approach to health and disease prevention. 

Study: Holistic Approach of Nutrients and Traditional Natural Medicines for Human Health: A Review. Image Credit: Shutterstock AI/Shutterstock.com

A recent review published in Future Integrative Medicine explores how nutrition and traditional medicine can support holistic health.

Holistic approach to health

Traditional medicine can be coupled with healthy nutrition achieve holistic health. Holistic health targets wellness, rather than the absence of disease, by considering intrinsic and extrinsic factors, along with the use of surgical or pharmacological modalities, to prevent and treat specific diseases and nutritional deficits while providing the resources needed for physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Health is not merely an absence of disease or sickness, but is a complete state of mental, physical, and social wellness.”

Holistic medicine includes traditional medicine like Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and acupuncture, as well as non-medical disciplines like meditation and mindfulness. Integrating multiple modes of treatment, including traditional practitioners, mental health experts, nutritionists, and those who practice complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is also key to holistic medicine.

Holistic medicine emphasizes the importance of taking proactive steps to improve one’s lifestyle, reduce stress, and eat healthy. It also considers the significant role of genetics and past medical history. Simultaneously, alleviation of pain or discomfort is achieved using techniques like acupuncture, herbal medicine, or mindfulness.

Culture and history in traditional medicine

Each traditional medicine has its fundamental assumptions, such as the three-dosha theory of Ayurveda and Siddha systems, as well as the importance of life energy (Qi) and balanced ying and yang in TCM. Native American and African cultures also used medicinal plants, sweat lodges, spiritual connections, divination rituals, and rituals to awaken plants for specific uses.

Traditional medicine celebrates the continuity of knowledge and individual participation in and bonding to the community culture. Resilience and adaptability are also incorporated into traditional medicine, as these approaches have allowed humans to survive changing climatic and environmental conditions.

Traditional remedies… are often the first line of defense against common health issues and can address the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of health.”

Integrated approaches to healthcare help preserve traditional wisdom, which was historically been transmitted orally to apprentices. Preserving traditional medical treatment also advances modern research into extended applications of plant-based medicine and conservation attempts focusing on rare or endangered medicinal plants.

Nutrition and physiological balance

A balanced and diversified diet provides individuals with the macronutrients and micronutrients required for optimal health. Sufficient nutrient consumption promotes good metabolism, thereby maintaining the proper internal environment for ideal physiological function.

Nutrition directly affects the immunologic and endocrine systems, which are essential to the body’s responses to internal or external threats. It can also influence gene expression by inducing epigenetic effects, which leads to heritable changes in disease susceptibility and metabolism.

Dietary guidelines for health

Healthy dietary guidelines often promote a primarily plant-based diet that supplies adequate fiber for digestive health and high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals while also reducing the risk of overeating. A healthy diet should also supply sufficient levels of essential amino acids in the form of lean protein to maintain healthy muscle mass while avoiding excessive saturated fat intake.

Healthy nutrition implies reduced sugar, salt, and saturated fat intake while supplying poly- and mono-unsaturated fats in adequate levels to maintain cardiovascular and mental health.

Rather than supplements, whole foods should supply all essential nutrients, along with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecules, as part of a diverse and balanced diet. Traditional food practices like fermentation and sprouting can increase nutrient bioavailability. Integrating nutrients with traditional medicine can prevent nutrient depletion and reduce the potential adverse effects of these medicines.

Adequate hydration, mindful eating, and individualizing the diet to match local and individual cultures and priorities are also essential.

Synergy and integration

It is important to embrace synergy between Western and traditional medicine systems with patient care at the center. This could improve therapeutic efficacy, minimize adverse effects, and increase patient satisfaction with acute and chronic care.

The concept of synergy and integration emerges as a cornerstone of this approach, fostering collaboration among diverse healthcare modalities to enhance patient care.”

Combining nutrition with holistic health approaches recognizes interconnections between mental, physical, and spiritual health, as well as environmental consciousness, to promote evidence-based collaborative approaches to wellness. Despite the potential of this integrated approach to transform healthcare, several factors limit its implementation, including the standardization of CAM, quality assurance by uniform credentialing systems, and wider insurance coverage.