Why the Holistic push? Just like 'green' and 'organic', this word has been taken for a ride, primarily becuase the term 'holistic', like its compatriots, challenges the powers that be and therein, our very culture.
Sociologists have long known from work by the likes of Locher, that changing behaviour- like food and exercise/activity habits- is no easy task. Moreover, we (if we could take the cultural, media and industry supplied blinders off), know this too and somewhere realize these key facts:
Beahviour is linked to our identity, our culture, our social network and our emotions.
GI Joe taught me that knowing is half the battle and Star Wars taught me that there is no try, only do. The evidence has and will continue to mount that if we want to change ourselves for the best we can only do it holistically. We need to take an integrated approach to our endeavours, see the synergies that abound and be moving our minds and our bodies in the same direction with each step we take.
Dr. Heather Keller said that success, as outlined at least in Health Canada's Vitality approach to health, is life long moderation, not exactly a sexy sell.
I say, life long moderation, health, vigorous life, sex and happiness is a sexier sell than a multiple heart attack victim in middle age lying in intensive care, too overweight and depressed to even think about sex on a beach and hanging on to a prescription list longer than his bed clothes.
Just like Indiana Jones taught us: choose, but choose wisely.