Abounding Health:
Health
and Wellness Defined
Each
and every living thing has a current level of health and
wellness. This current level may or may not be where you
desire to be. So, the first step in any health and wellness
assessment is to define what you believe health and
wellness is and to determine where that falls in
relationship to your desires.
In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health
as "a
state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity".[1]
This
definition takes into consideration more than just the
overall state of our bodies, and is, I believe more in
keeping with the focus we should have in looking at our
"health status." We are more than our physical bodies, and
what goes on in our mind, emotions and in life around does
indeed have a huge impact on the body.
This brings us to the definition of wellness. The one I
like best at this stage of my life and work comes from
Cabrini College:
- Wellness is a choice: a decision you make to move toward optimal health.
- Wellness is a way of life: a balanced lifestyle you design to achieve your highest potential for well-being.
- Wellness is a process: an understanding that there is no end point, but health and happiness are possible in each and every moment.
- Wellness is the integration of body, mind, and soul: an awareness that the choices we make in one area affect all others. [2]
Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.
- Process means that improvement is always possible
- Aware means that we are continuously seeking more information about how we can improve.
- Choices means that we consider a variety of options and select those in our best interest.
- Success is determined by each individual to be their collection of life accomplishments. [3]
Because I am a firm believer in knowing and understanding your options, I believe that you have the right to make your own choice about what options work best for you. I also believe that education is one of the most important ways I can assist you to chart a path from where you are in your current state of health to where you want to be.
It is important that you choose the health and wellness goals in you plan and that you choose the methods that you believe will help you achieve that goal. Any choices someone else makes for you are less likely to be successful because they are made for you and may not be practical or appealing to you.
My best client is an educated client, but there is no way for me to know what you know and have tried unless you communicate that information. Ask questions! Let's explore where you are and where you want to be and the roads that lead there. Your health and wellness are important to me, and I would love to partner with you to reach your goals.
Contact Information:
Kathy Barr, CCD, CCCE, CCM, BE, PE, CVE, Traditional Naturopath
817-819-8457
