Healing
To Heal or Not To Heal: Using a holistic integrative health program, Dr. Wayne Jonas, author of How Healing Works, defines four dimensions of healing: 1) body/external, 2) behavior/lifestyle, 3) social/emotional and 4) spiritual/mental. This holistic approach includes every aspect of our lives & uses them to leverage the body’s innate ability to heal and to optimize one’s health & happiness. Other health professionals may use different holistic terminologies; however, the most important takeaway is to recognize that our health & happiness is an output of our environment & everything that we do. Every aspect of our lives - Mind, Body, Spirit, Social, Finances & Work - contributes to how we are feeling, today & how we will feel, tomorrow.
Promote Healing, Not Illness: There are no magic wands to prevent illness & disease, but there are ways to reduce your risks of diseases, family medical diagnoses or injuries. A daily preventative mindset requires the following: 1) exercise/physical activity & natural sourced nutrition; 2) stress management/relaxation & sleep; 3) positive support system & mental health; 4) connection to something greater than ourselves/purpose. Daily reflection helps to identify & improve the elements that are not contributing to living our best lives. Are your daily activities promoting healing or promoting illness?
You, As the Whole Person: Our whole being is an output of all our internal & external stimuli. The way we process our thoughts, move our bodies, nourish our cells and interact with our environment & social network can nudge us in a positive or negative direction. Make informed decisions about your health & happiness and continue to learn new ways to improve the areas that you want to improve. Health & happiness is the most precious property that we own. Let’s work together to take time to improve the homes in which we live.
Integrative Health: Integrative health combines conventional medical care (diagnose & treatment) with non-mainstream approaches to improve oneself. Examples of non-mainstream treatment approaches include: 1) Exercise (e.g., yoga to relieve back pain), 2) Nutrition (e.g., foods to lower blood pressure or cholesterol), 3) Social networks (e.g., clubs/community groups to relieve depressive symptoms/negative thinking), 4) Spiritual/mental practices (e.g., prayer, meditation, life’s purpose). Integrative health practitioners may use medications to control symptoms in addition to working with a person to identify & address the root causes of underlying conditions & various symptoms.
Healing Disruptors: Our healing capacity drives our recovery & enhances our health & happiness. However, there are many ways to disrupt our body’s innate ability to heal. If left unaddressed, the distuptors will chisel away at our overall health & well-being. Some common disruptors are: 1) Sub-optimal nutrition & eating habits, 2) Chronic inflammation, 3) Recurring infections, 4) Chronic disease, 5) Chronic mental stress, 6) Various medication side effects, 7) Sub-optimal blood circulation, 8) Unaddressed age related conditions, 9) Excess weight/obesity, 10) Toxins (e.g., smoking, vaping, alcohol, substance use). Our healing capacity increases with the reduction/elimination of every healing disruptor. Apply an integrative health approach to your life and seek professional healthcare providers who can help you address disruptors in your life.
Individual Impact to Heal: In life, you decide how much you want to learn & grow. Therefore, it is up to you to determine how much you want to learn about living a healthy & happy life. Start with a current medical condition, a family medical history trait or something that you want to achieve. Read, learn & seek support from others (professionals & loved ones). Dive deep into the topic & become your own expert. Like a school or work project, give yourself an assignment to create, follow and deliver on your health & happiness plan. You are in the best position to live your best life & you have your whole lifetime to do it.