The term ‘holistic’ is best summed up as looking at the individual human or animal as a whole and not just treating the symptom of a disease. It includes examining the physical, emotional and energetic body. Using the word ‘holistic’ can be viewed as an umbrella term because it covers a wide range of practices, techniques and therapies.
Holistic Medicine for Your Pet
Many people practice holistic/natural therapies for themselves and are now implementing them for their furry friends. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) was formed in 1982 by veterinarians who were interested in a holistic approach to veterinary medicine, elevating the veterinary profession through innovation, education, and advocacy of holistic medicine. One of the main objectives of the AHVMA is to do all things necessary to further the highest standards in care and treatment of animals and provide continuing education for Veterinarians. You can find Holistic Veterinarians on their website: AHVMA.org. The Association holds an annual conference for Veterinarians once a year in the United States. This conference is the premier source of post-graduate holistic veterinary continuing education.
Holistic medicine, by its very nature, is observing in a “(w)holistic” manner. It means taking in the whole picture of the patient – the diet, the environment, the relationship the pet has with its owner – and developing a healing protocol tailored to the patient’s needs. Every animal is made up of inter-dependent parts that work together. When one part is not functioning properly, the body is not able to function optimally. A holistic veterinarian is interested in nutrition, environment, emotions of the owners, stress levels, and other factors.
Types of Holistic Treatments for Pets
Treatments in the holistic field strive to be minimally invasive and instead aid the body with the tools needed to heal itself. This means using pharmaceuticals and surgery only when necessary for the pet’s health and quality of life. The goal is finding the true root source of the pathology in order for true healing to occur. The wholeness inherent in the scope of holistic veterinary medicine nurtures all aspects of an animal’s well-being, resulting in lasting physical, mental and emotional health.
There is a plethora of ways to practice holistic veterinary medicine. It may be safe to say that no two holistic veterinarians practice the exact same way or use the same techniques. Services include nutrition, supplements, herbals, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with acupuncture, light-therapy, flower essences, chiropractic modalities, massage, Vibrational therapies (Bio-resonance, Reconnective Healing, EESytem.com), Prolotherapy, Ozone, PEMF (pulsed electro-magnetic frequencies) and many more.
Unfortunately, it can still be a common practice to just treat symptoms even when practicing holistic. Let’s say for example, you get a headache and instead of reaching for the Advil, you take a natural supplement. Yes, taking the natural therapy is a much better option because you won’t be putting stress on the detox organs (liver, kidneys, lungs, skin) like you would with the drug. However, this is not solving the cause of the headache in the first place. Perhaps it is dehydration, or a magnesium deficiency, or an accumulated EMF (Electro Magnetic Fields) exposure, or work stress, or a vertebra out of alignment or a mix of any of the above. For true health and healing, it is important to uncover any and all causes.
Dr. Kordon says, “For every Effect there is a Cause”. At Animal Health Oasis, we have a machine and systematic questions that help us find the cause. Most of our clients are amazed at how thorough we are.
Dr. Anja Kordon is a German Veterinarian originally trained in Munich Germany, who got her US certification as a DVM once she had moved to Florida in 2000 as well as her dual citizenship. Her lifelong interest in finding the cause for any effect led her to seek fundamental means of diagnosis and treatments for pets that go beyond her conventional training. She merges modern and traditional knowledge and is passionate about educating the pet’s guardians about her six-pillar system as the foundation for a healthy pet.
You can contact her business via website: AnimalHealthOasis.com or call 239-297-6519.