[null, null, null, {"document_url": "https://theholisticbranch.com/about-this-blog/", "unformatted_src": "https://theholisticbranch.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/17097600_10211021427285285_1211556786397902307_o.jpg", "src": "https://theholisticbranch.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/17097600_10211021427285285_1211556786397902307_o.jpg", "alt_text": "Click here to support this blog", "rendered_width": 620, "rendered_height": 774}, null]
Natural medicine and holistic medicine are used as somewhat synonymous terms. Holistic medicine is characterised by the treatment of the ‘whole’; taking in the whole persons ‘symptom picture’, not just the physical, but the mental, emotional and environmental factors presenting. Each persons symptom picture is different, therefore resulting in personalised treatment and care. This is considered a much more ‘natural’ approach to medicine; naturally, it makes sense.

Naturopaths, homeopaths and other holistic practitioners use this blueprint to determine the ’cause’ of the symptoms and the patients presenting ‘dis-ease’. It may only be short-term treatment to bring health into balance or a long-term lifestyle plan may be needed, thus maintaining optimal health and/or to potentially stunt progression of a dis-ease.

I have many times had the great privilege of being witness to peoples enriching and enlightening journeys, as they discover they are in control of their own health, healing and wellbeing.

It has occurred to me for a long while now that overtime and for a myriad of reasons, our connection to understanding our bodies signals has become a lost art, a lost language.

I don’t believe that the concept of holistic healing or lifestyle should be a great mystery or misunderstanding, that only a few with specific training and degrees should be able to comprehend.

It is my wish that the articles in this blog can help some of us retrieve knowledge of that inherent language, to help find and understand our individual holistic blueprint. To then use that knowledge to branch together correct treatments and lifestyle adaptations, resulting in the desired healing and optimal health for ourselves.

*NB: If you have any diagnosed pre-existing condition or are taking any medication, please seek face to face guidance and counselling from a fully qualified professional practitioner, before you make any dramatic changes to your lifestyle, including dietary. By all means use this blog as inspiration to make positive changes, but please seek the right advice, care and support you need before hand. by Elisha Zonfrilli




4 thoughts on “THB Manifesto: or, what is holistic medicine?”

 The Holistic Branch is run by Samantha Mant, a Naturopath & Intuitive Healer, with 17 years experience. She is also a Writer, Witch, and facilitator of a Facebook community (The Holistic Branch Cauldron) open to all who walk a magickal healing path. Samantha is on a soul-powered mission to help cultivate a world in which every person trusts their intuition to heal themselves and honour their body.

 If you enjoy the content on this blog and would like to support my work, click the above image to 'shout me coffee'! With much gratitude xx


Aromatherapy astrology Coaching Colds & Flu Cycle health DIY FAQ's Herbalism Me Moon & Menses Nutrition & recipes Products psychology Seasonal Eating Seasonal Medicine Services Spiritual healing Uncategorized


Day 5 of the #sensualselfiechallenge is themed ‘flowers & fierceness’. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to @evyan.whitney for this challenge. It’s been a privilege to be a part of & to witness the other participants beauty, creativity & stories. 🥀 I took this challenge mostly as it sounded really fun, but also because my selfie game needs a major lift haha. I rarely take photos of myself because I find them difficult to get ‘right’. I wanted to get outside of my comfort zone of what ‘right’ is.. I took my photos as soon as I had woken, without makeup & with only a little photo editing to enhance lighting. I felt some edges at times, when I couldn’t get an image to be the way I envisioned, or if I started to get up in my inner critic. I went ahead & posted them regardless & experienced more fun being a part of this wonderful group of people then I expected! Thanks for the ride, everyone! ✨✨ I intend to post more photos of myself in the future, now that I’ve discovered it need not be a time consuming process 😂Thank you, my friends, for your likes & touching comments .. you’re all my heart parts ❤️❤️❤️
Day 4’s theme of the #sensualselfiechallenge is crowns, goddess vibes, adornment & reclaiming physical expression. Inspired by @blacklorelei7 This crown number is a Halloween prop my sister & I made 2 years ago 😂🙌🏻 I got annoyed with trying to take a mirror selfie, I find them difficult. So I’m not big on this photo, but who has time to make things perfect .. Feeling comfortable in your skin & taking up space can be fluctuating when you’re differently-abled, have a chronic illness or chronic pain. I’ve mentioned before how I see the journey of life & everything in it, as a Spiral Path; therefore also how I see my healing path / relationship with my body. Being diagnosed when I was 5 brought with it a lot of fingers pointing out what was ‘wrong’ with me in the medical & schooling systems, as well as the issues we all know with ableist society, at an impressionable age. Often this left me feeling like there really was something wrong with me, that I was a bad person with no worth, that my own body was actually punishing me & that I would never be seen for who I really was. Luckily for my young self, I was also very connected to my higher consciousness, which would sweep in claiming that those thoughts were all bullshit, that I needed to take up more space, to make people see & hear me, & to REBEL against a damaging & abusive system, for myself & others alike. Which I did. At first, as a way to protect myself. But at the age of 15 when I could finally leave the medical system & left school, I then started to soften those deflecting walls around me. I could allow my true personality & heart to show up. I had a lot of strength in who I was, & a lot of love & acceptance for my body.. This grows with every passing year.. but still, at 35 years old, there are times when pain makes me want to escape my skin. I have learned to accept this, it’s a feeling that wants to be felt. It means my body needs more care, more love, & my healing modalities to be utilised. Each time this feeling is triggered & I walk through the darkness & stillness, I go deeper into trusting my own innate wisdom & strength. I remember to dance to my own drum as I travel my Spiral Path..
Day 3 of the #sensualselfiechallenge is all about “‘unflattering’ angles’ & is inspired by @4locrow ‘s wonderful words ‘I am beautiful from every angle, but I do not need to be beautiful to be of value.’ ~Lauren. 👏🏻::::::; I feel like maybe I’ve cheated on this one, as I have posted photos of the scars from my hip replacements before. But I’m feeling extremely tired today: I ate gluten yesterday and that is an RA trigger for me.. sometimes you have to just test out if that’s still the case 😂 and eat the yummy food ;) So, instead of a better planned photo, you get one showcasing a very faint scar (those suckers are actually at least 30cm long), a bit of skinny arm and leg, in poor lighting, taken by my sister lol.. ✨✨✨✨ I’m really enjoying this challenge and seeing the participants amazing photos and their incredible stories / bravery. I’m so sorry to hear and see that there has been negativity and censoring.. this just goes to show how much we need to keep taking up space with our physical selves and reclaiming how human bodies are perceived. It’s all part of a revolution, baby! Sending love out to all the babes participating 💖💖💖👑👑👑
@evyan.whitney ‘s #sensualselfiechallenge day 2 inspired by @ethereal.1 “I vow to honor, & hold space for my body’s individual beauty in infinite ways, till death do us part.” ~Emilia. ❤️
Voguing over dinner with the fam @bedky @frogman_190 @charliebrava @swan_kiedis @jlitb 💖🔮💖
Having been very sparse with my social media posting lately, I decided a fun way to get back into the swing would be by following @evyan.whitney ‘s #sensualselfiechallenge .. playing catch up on day 1, inspired by @galadarling "I am a dazzling beam of light. I celebrate myself and bask in my divinity."~Gala. 🔥Thanks to my babes @lotus_gabriel and @bedky for inspiration.. 💖💖💖