Holistic medicine is becoming more widespread and commonplace in the modern world.
It goes beyond many preconceptions of new age healing and is becoming accepted. It identifies a core problem and focuses on the whole body, mind and spirit for a solution. These alternatives to the traditional forms of healing are becoming so popular that they’re now losing the tag of being alternative.
The positive impression of these techniques and treatments is also supported by modern popular culture, as Time reports of a rise in shows across TV channels and streaming services worldwide that focus on human wellness. This extra exposure demonstrates a fresh focus on holistic practices, and it’s also something that is becoming more prevalent in professional sport. Novak Djokovic, the men’s world number one tennis player, is a true advocate of holistic healing, which helped him recover from a food allergy. He says that his healing and training regimes focus on “flexibility, recovery, energy supply and endurance”.
When the biggest names in any sports discipline support any treatment, it helps elevate the practice to a new level; the bigger the name, the greater the exposure. But Djokovic is not the only sports star who has reaped the benefit from holistic healing techniques. So, we have taken a look at some of the other names in world sport who are also champions of the therapy below.
Ricky Williams
Williams is a former NFL player who featured in the rough, tough-tackling sport for over 11 years. As a running back for New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens, he’s had his fair share of knocks, bumps and bruises. But the former Heisman Trophy winner gave up the lights and the adoration for a more serene, harmonious lifestyle.
“I’ve realized, both on a psychological and physical level, that the things we do in football don’t bring more harmony to your life. They just bring more disharmony,” he said. He is an advocate of Ayurveda, which concentrates on the body’s constitution and life forces, and is certainly feeling the benefit, as he now doesn’t see the sport as his defining place as now he says, “home is in my head.”
Serena Williams
Serena is the youngest of the two tennis-playing Williams sisters, arguably the most well-known names in women’s sport. She has won more Grand Slam titles than any current player in the sport, and despite now heading into her 40s, she is still taking to the court. Although she’s an outsider for the upcoming Australian Open in the latest tennis odds with Coral, she can never be ruled out after winning 7 of her 23 Grand Slams in Australia. Her long career has no doubt been helped by her support of holistic healing, and she intends to continue the practice after she stops playing tennis, as she admits, “I love the holistic side of medicine.”
Floyd Mayweather
Mayweather has gone unbeaten throughout his career and is the best boxer ever to grace the ring in many people’s eyes. He also uses alternative therapies to aid his training regime. His record of 50 straight victories points to his preparation being better than that of his opponents, and he has often used a SubZero recovery tank in the run-up to his bouts. The treatment exposes the body to temperatures as low as -200C to aid recovery and decrease soreness after a training session. ‘Money’, as he’s nicknamed, also uses yoga as part of his training camp to help aid mobility and core strength; he said: “I think I can push myself and perform a lot better with yoga.”
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