Clinical holistic medicine: prevention through healthy lifestyle and quality of life.
Biomedical prevention of diseases seems very difficult, but we believe that holistic medicine offers a simple and seemingly efficient solution that is useful for both physicians and dentists in their clinics, with a focus on improvement of quality of life as an important supplement to improving their patients' lifestyles. Quality of life is improved when the patient's personal philosophy of life is adjusted in accordance with life and its fundamental purpose. The relevant concept of personal growth can be introduced to the motivated patient in the clinic, during the conversation with the dentist. To prevent health problems in the future, personal development must focus on improving the quality of life of the patient by: 1) increasing self insight to obtain knowledge and understanding of the purpose of life; 2) recovery of character to be the good person the patient really is; and 3) full expression of talent in private and professional life in order to be optimally valuable to the patient and others. It is also important to work on the ethics of the patient to prevent the patient from destroying personal relationships and harm others, because such deeds will almost always also damage the patient. Parallel to clinical work, we believe that dentists can make an impact on their patients and inspire an improvement in their quality of life. The dentist, who sees the patient at shorter intervals, can coach his patient and often efficiently help him/her to improve intimacy and personal relationships, consciousness of responsibility, and quality of life which might be highly beneficial for the patient's health.
Ventegodt
Søren
S
The Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark. ventegodt@livskvalitet.org
Morad
Mohammed
M
Merrick
Joav
J
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002605:Character; D004989:Ethics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006694:Holistic Health; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010684:Philosophy; D011313:Preventive Dentistry; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D011788:Quality of Life; D012941:Social Responsibility