VITALISM
working ‘ downstream ’. Relief may be felt with downstream treatments , but it is only fixing the outcome , not the problem / s the person has . All people are different in their health status and , therefore , must be treated individually . 1
Prevention and health promotion in all areas Prevention in healthcare is not a new concept . It can be traced back to Hippocrates . 14 The World Health Organization has reported that approximately 80 % of heart disease , stroke , and type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented globally by addressing smoking , physical inactivity and unhealthy diets . 14 From this , it could be said that it is better to aim for prevention than for cure . The health status of some people may be chronic and have long-term effects , leading to a belief that prevention is no longer an option . This is not necessarily true . Preventive and protective measures can be put in place at any time to prevent worsening of health and assist in restoring health . Prevention can additionally work on the reduction of triggers .
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion ( 1986 ) notes that health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and to be able to improve their health . 15 I have always firmly believed in the promotion of health , in all its domains : mental , emotional , physical , social , and environmentally . Vitamedicine even extends to looking into hobbies , work habits , and work and home environments .
The healing power of nature ( vis medicatrix naturae ) and that of the body The body is “ built ” on Nature ’ s order , and it has a natural ability to heal itself . 1 There is an innate ability to heal . It can take time . This brings to mind the old saying , “ time heals all wounds ”. Paracelsus stated that “ the art of healing comes from nature , not from the physician ”. 16 The healing process is organised and ordered . The healing power of nature is the inherent self-organising and healing process of living systems which establishes , maintains and restores health . 1 There is an intelligence in healing that I believe we will never fully understand . Vitamedicine encourages people to go outside into nature . The literature supports the health-promoting benefits of nature , green spaces , and forest bathing . 16 Forest bathing and being in nature has been seen to help restore physical and psychological health through a “ five senses experience ” ( vision , smell , hearing , touch , and taste ). 17 It has positive effects on human physical and mental health , especially in enhancing immunity , treating chronic diseases , regulating mood , and reducing anxiety and depression . 17 It can be noted that humans have existed for less than 0.01 % of the species ’ history in a modern built environment , and the other 99.99 % of the time have lived in a state of nature . 16
The health professional is a teacher ( docere ) The health professional is a teacher , with a role to educate , support , and emphasise self-responsibility and self-care . One of the aims of vitamedicine is to provide information on various health conditions , diets , nutrients , herbal medicines , and lifestyle medicines to educate and better inform the patient / reader and improve overall health literacy . The association between poor literacy skills and health status is well recognised , 18 and low health literacy has been linked to poor health outcomes . 19 , 20 Positive social interaction , social connections , and harmonious relationships with others positively affect mental and physical wellbeing . 21 , 22 Being a health professional can be likened to being a mentor to patients , other health professionals , and students of natural medicine . Mentoring plays an increasingly important role in helping develop colleagues and students into competent , 23 , 24 happy , 23 23 , 24
successful , satisfied , 24 and confident health professionals . 23 Through mentoring and teaching , individual personal development can be nurtured and supported . 25
Regular hydration Water is essential for metabolism , 26 as a carrier for nutrients and waste products , 27 substrate transport across membranes , 26 cellular homeostasis , 26 temperature regulation , 26 , 27 and circulatory function , 26 and acts as a solvent , a reaction medium and reactant , a lubricant , and a shock absorber . 27 Dehydration , or hypohydration , can affect consciousness and induce speech incoherence , 27 impair mental and physical performance , 28 vascular function and blood pressure regulation , 28 and orthostatic tolerance ; 28 reduce endothelial function ; increase sympathetic nervous system activity ; 28 can lead to fatigue , 29 a sense of exhaustion , 29 extremity weakness , hypotonia of ocular globes , orthostatic hypotension , and tachycardia . 27 Green tea has numerous therapeutic properties , including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions . 30 Observational studies have shown that the consumption of green tea significantly reduced levels of cholesterol and triglycerides . 30 In 1933 , there was a strong recommendation to drink more water . 29 In vitamedicine , regular hydration throughout the whole day is paramount for optimising health . NHMRC guidelines for the adequate intake of water is 2.1 L / day for females and 2.6 L / day for males . 31
Nourish with wholefoods Optimum nutrition is the foundation for optimum health . 32 Suboptimal nutrition is a leading cause of poor health . 33 There
202 | vol27 | no4 | JATMS