Integrative Health Blog

Why Holistic Health?

Posted by admin on Mon, Feb 15, 2010

by Cathy Scoblionko MSN, ANP-BC

After working as a nurse on the oncology unit in the hospital (many years ago) and then as a home care nurse, I realized that intervention at that point was too late and it made more sense to prevent problems and disease. The USA has epidemics of chronic diseases such as cardiac disease, diabetes, asthma, and obesity, to name a few. These diseases are often preventable and can be treated better than has been the norm. As a nurse practitioner working in primary care I could educate and care for patients at an earlier point. However, I soon found out that the traditional system in which I was educated did not have answers to many questions and people often did not get well.

A Holistic Health Approach

Using a holistic approach means that I use allopathic (traditional) medicine, Chinese medicine theory, diet and lifestyle management, herbal medicine, and homeopathic medicine among others. All have their place in the quest for health. There are limitless specialists to whom to refer for a multitude of other modalities. Each specialist has chosen his or her passion and developed the skills to be the best he can be in that realm.

The Patient as Partner

The role of the patient is to become a partner in his or her own journey toward health. There are some important questions to ask yourself when deciding to take charge of the health of your mind, body, spirit and emotional selves: What makes sense and resonates with you? Who do you trust?  What do you know about the different traditional, alternative, complementary, and integrative approaches that are available? How do you find out what you need to know? How much time, money, and energy are you willing to invest in your current and future health? How good is your support system? How much encouragement do you have?

To be healthy means more than just that the whole you is free of disease. The whole person: body, mind, spirit, and emotions are optimally healthy. That is holistic health and it only makes sense to practice that way.


Cathy Scoblionko MSN, RN is a Masters prepared Board Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP-BC) at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medicine and dental center serving the Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area. Her areas of specialty are holistic primary care, women's health, and anti-aging.


Topics: holistic health, holistic approach, integrative medicine