The health care system in its present form, though constantly improving, still has several lacunae that need addressing. The cost of medical care is high, drugs have harmful side effects, and several diagnostic and other procedures are invasive or entail surgery.

Furthermore, conventional medicine focuses on the symptoms rather than the cause of the disease. This has led people to seek the benefits of alternative medicine. Currently, 38 percent of Americans are using some form of alternative therapy either on its own or in conjunction with conventional medicine.

Holistic medicine is an alternative. It is a discipline that views the person as a whole.  Holistic medicine embodies all existing methods of treatment and diagnosis which includes surgery and drugs as a last option if no alternative is available. The stress of holistic medicine is on educating and making a person responsible for personal efforts towards realization of proper balance and well-being. Holistic medicine includes natural healing, complementary medicine and alternative medicine.

Some of the disadvantages of holistic medicine are:

• Society's ignorance of holistic medicine and everything it encompasses and stands for.
• Laws in the field of medicine are geared towards conventional medicine.
• Educational programs have not fully developed to give due accreditation to holistic medicine.
• Ostensibly based on old and exotic methods.
• Holistic medicine is reputedly devoid of scientific basis and lack clinical trials.
• The treatment takes time to work and is often based on auto-suggestion.
• Can sometimes react adversely with conventional medicine.
• Some ingredients could prove harmful.

Some advantages are:

• Completely natural with no synthetic drugs.
• Totally non-invasive
• Relatively lower cost
• Often the only effective cure to certain incurable diseases where conventional medicine can only play a palliative role.

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