“A healthy person has a thousand wishes. A sick person has only one,” says an old proverb.
Have you noticed that when you don’t eat “what you should,” or when you overdo something — food, alcohol, supplements or even a habit — your whole body responds?
That is exactly where the holistic approach begins.
The word holistic comes from the Greek holos, meaning whole.
Let’s take garlic as a simple example.
Garlic is a powerful whole food, rich in active compounds such as allicin, with antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
So when garlic enters the body, your cardiovascular system is happy to receive it because it supports healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Your metabolism also benefits from it, while your immune system happily receives support from its sulphur compounds and antioxidants.
Your digestive system and even your bones are part of the same conversation.
This is what I mean by holistic.
The whole body recognises garlic as a friend and takes from it whatever support each system needs.
This has been my approach for years.
I abandoned it for a while, but after some painful experiences, I returned to it with great affection.
When I worked as a health coach, my direction was always towards improving the client’s health.
I did not have the training, legal authority or intention to prescribe medication.
Instead, we worked step by step.
“Do you like parsley?”
If the answer was yes, my next question was:
“Has your doctor told you not to eat parsley?”
If the answer was no, then I would suggest different ways to introduce parsley into their meals, after explaining why it might be useful.
Parsley is rich in vitamins A, C and K, minerals and antioxidants.
So again, the cardiovascular system welcomes it.
The bones are happy to receive vitamin K and calcium.
The skin and eyes receive nutrients such as vitamin A, beta-carotene and lutein.
The digestive system gets fibre and aromatic plant compounds.
And the immune system certainly has nothing against some extra vitamin C.
Yes, yes — sometimes beauty and healthy-looking skin really do begin with those completely ordinary green leaves.
Of course, natural does not mean suitable for absolutely everyone.
Parsley is high in vitamin K, which matters for people taking medicines such as warfarin, and some people with particular kidney-stone risks may also need dietary advice.
These are only examples of the kind of approach I used with clients, always in accordance with the advice already given by their GP.
Why did I find this effective?
Because, in my language, the body “recognises its friends.”
Whole foods arrive with their own natural matrix.
The body does not need to sit there scratching its head wondering where every strange chemical ingredient is supposed to go.
It almost feels like an ID check at the entrance:
Known: whole foods.
Unknown: artificial additives, flavour enhancers, preservatives, colourings, heavily processed ingredients and suspicious fats.
My first rule has always been:
Do no harm.
Then we move towards building health.
And I prefer to do that by adding whole foods and healthier habits.
Nothing needs to be forbidden.
But how much junk food still fits into your day once you have already included a fresh salad, whole foods and, let’s say, twenty minutes of walking?
Every small change can lead to a bigger one through the accumulation of tiny habits.
After a while, you suddenly realise that you feel better — often without the effort you imagined at the beginning.
This is how small habits slowly become a different way of living.
I remember so many moments that seemed small to me at the time, but were very important to my clients.
One told me:
“Since you keep telling me to do this and that, I can finally walk down the street without swaying. My walk is straight and steady now, and all my friends have noticed.”
Another said:
“I can’t believe I actually have the energy and desire to go to the gym! And even when I don’t go, I don’t stay inside anymore because my bones don’t hurt like they used to.”
And another:
“It’s easier than I expected. And finally, I sleep well.”
These are only a few examples.
Nothing spectacular.
But they changed lives.
I cannot finish these thoughts without mentioning one remarkable client.
He set a very high standard for me regarding what may still be possible at the age of eighty-one.
For example, he could perform a dumbbell shoulder press with 35 kg in each hand, comfortably completing around twelve repetitions for two sets.
Pull-ups.
Planks.
And other challenges that he accepted with genuine enjoyment.
He had a straight posture, a firm walk, a gentle way of speaking.
I felt honoured that he chose me as his coach.
He changed forever the way I see health, strength, ageing, and the joy of being alive.
References / Further Reading
Behrouz, V., et al. (2026). Effects of Garlic Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults: A Comprehensive Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrition Reviews, 84(1), 1–35.
Aguilera, J. M. (2019). The food matrix: implications in processing, nutrition and health. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59(22), 3612–3629.
Bahramsoltani, R., Ahmadian, R., Daglia, M., & Rahimi, R. (2024). Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss (Parsley): An Updated Review of the Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 72(2), 956–972.