Let’s look at the vitalistic approach to health and how it differs from both the holistic and mainstream Western medical approach.  To start, one must have the basic understanding of medicine and holism.  The medical approach or philosophy to health tends to understand humans more as a machine with different parts and pieces which often will be managed independently from one another.  As humans, we are accustomed to dealing with technological machines, and therefore this same thought process is brought to the table when dealing with the human body.  As Dr. Ben Lerner so elegantly states, “unfortunately, our understanding is based on our ignorance, which created an obstacle for success, along with many pitfalls.”  In other words, it is not a surprise that western medicine is the third leading cause of death - killing hundreds of thousands of people each year. 

So how does vitalism differ from holism?  Holism approaches the individual

as a whole part and no longer a large number of different parts and pieces that should be treated separately.  The holistic philosophy recognizes that by treating one part of the body this will affect the whole body.  Often disease or dysfunction is approached with herbal remedies, homeopathy, and other things which are not classified as pharmaceuticals. Once again this approach is an attempt to change physiology by using substances and compounds from the outside to manipulate the body within.

This leaves us with the vitalistic approach to health.  Vitalism can be defined as the doctrine that life cannot be explained solely by materialism.  Often, the nonmaterial element is referred to as the “vital spark” or energy.  Another look at vitalism shows us that the laws of physics and chemistry alone cannot explain life functions and processes.  A vitalistic approach to health and wellness is chiropractic.  Chiropractors distinguish and understand that vital energy, or an innate God-give intelligence, could be interfered with by chemical, mental or physical stresses.  Chiropractic adjustments, techniques, nutrition and lifestyle issues can aid in eliminating the contributing factors to poor health and advocates changes in one’s lifestyle.  The changes that are usually encouraged are ones that allow the healing process to take place while respecting the body’s normal processes.