Ever since the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece, medical professionals have known that the way that we live our lives has a massive impact on health outcomes. People who ate a “royal diet” of meat and sweets often wound up with terrible afflictions, like gout and bowel cancer. 

But over time, the philosophy of medicine began to change. Scientists and researchers found that they could isolate compounds from nature, put them into the body, and watch the miraculous results unfold in front of their eyes. Vaccinations and antibiotics are just two examples among many. 

The medical establishment then began to focus less on overall health and wellness and more on specific molecules that would target specific diseases. But while this paradigm worked for a while, it began to fall apart at the end of the twentieth century. The old way of doing things didn’t seem to be working. 

Now, though, the medical establishment is wising up to the importance of taking a holistic approach and changing the way that it does things. It now takes into account far more factors than it ever did in the past when considering the overall health of an individual. Things like social isolation, diet, and access to housing are becoming increasingly recognized as essential components of healthy living. 

Healthcare is learning the lessons of the past and changing for the better. Professionals will make more use of technology and holistic medicine in the future than they ever did in the past. Look at the following infographic to find out more.

Infographic by USC