Wellness – The Total Concept
Wellness is a term that is becoming very common in our modern era. But what exactly constitutes 'wellness'? Does wellness mean that we are fine specimens of physical health or does it go beyond the physical? Perhaps it is necessary to consider all facets of our body in order to determine whether we are truly 'well'.
Most people consider themselves to be well if they suffer no symptoms of serious illness or disease. They may be plagued by problems such as insomnia or headaches but nothing life threatening. Therefore they are relatively well. Or are they?
We are inundated with advice about how to remain healthy. However, this can lead to an overload of information, leaving people confused and often contributing to a general dissatisfaction with how people see themselves. It becomes easy to find fault with ones self when we get sick. We may blame ourselves for our illnesses because we may have been eating or drinking too much, not exercising, or allowing ourselves to become stressed. After all, if we believe all that is portrayed in the media, we should all be able to achieve perfect health.
When we consider the achievements made in modern medicine in recent decades, health issues which used to be fatal are often now treatable. Considering these accomplishments, it seems incredible that something as simple as the common cold remains an everyday problem.
Looking into alternative treatments, the maze is even more difficult to negotiate. There is such an array of alternative therapies available, it is difficult to know which one is best for our individual needs.
The viewpoint of conventional medicine and alternative medicine are completely different. Conventional medicine measures wellness by the absence of symptoms. If you show no physical signs of illness, then you are considered to be well. When illness is present, normally through external factors such as bacteria, the usual treatment is drugs or surgery.
Alternative medicine, or holistic medicine, on the other hand, concentrates on the entire body. The person, as considered in holistic medicine, consists of body, mind, emotions, and spirit. The concept of wellness in holistic medicine is the condition that arises when all of these aspects of self are working efficiently and in harmony.
Holistic therapies are as preventative as they are curative. They not only boost our system when needed but can also be used to maintain good health. In conventional medicine, it seems that maintaining our health is seen as having only one set of rules for everyone. However, in holistic medicine, each person is seen as an individual whose needs for health maintenance are something that the person chooses for him or her self. It is simply a case of finding a balanced lifestyle to fit within our own limitations.
It is common to both strands of medicine, however, that there are three main aspects to the pursuit and maintenance of good health. These are:
1. Diet,
2. Exercise, and
3. Relaxation
Diet
Diet is obviously a very important constituent of wellness. The results of too much alcohol consumption and a failure to follow a nutritious diet are well documented. The incidence of morbid obesity continues to grow and this leads to a variety of other problems related to the general concept of wellness. There may be a number of reasons that people fail to eat a balanced diet. These reasons may be physical, psychological, or even economic.
Emotional problems may lead to comfort eating or to overeating or undereating. There are also illnesses such as anorexia and bulimia that affect the way a person eats and the resultant lack of wellness that the person experiences.
Exercise
Exercise is another important component of wellness. It our bodies are not kept in good working order through physical exercise, they deteriorate. A fit body not only leaves you feeling physically well but also improves the psychological and emotional health. Studies in the late 1970s found that exercise can be as successful as therapy in the treatment of depression.
Holistic therapy considers that there can be a blockage or imbalance in the energy flow and that exercise rebalances that energy, leaving the person feeling calm and revitalized. The exercises that originate in the East, such as tai chi and yoga are specifically designed to work on this energy. This is also the purpose of shiatsu, acupuncture, reflexology and acupressure.
Relaxation and stress management
Inability to cope with the problems that face us results in stress. These events can be happy or sad and, according to many in the medical profession, this stress may be responsible for around seventy percent of illnesses. This is due to the fact that tension leads to our immune system becoming weak and leaving us vulnerable to some illnesses.
The main way to reduce stress is through relaxation. Everyone relaxes in a different manner, whether it be through listening to music, painting, or going for a walk.
Physical relaxation is just as important as mental relaxation and this can be achieved through yoga or even through self hypnosis.
Psychotherapy or counseling can help us to identify ways in which to cope more effectively with stressful situations and to give more meaning to our life. It may also help to identify and address any unresolved conflicts affecting our lives.
So, the concept of wellness is a combination of a variety of therapies, all being important in their own way. Basically, they each take a different line of attack while aiming to work on all levels. Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy concentrate on the emotions, the mind and the spirit. Homeopathy concentrates on the physical and the spiritual aspects as well as massage, nutrition and herbal medicine. Conventional medicine concentrates mainly on physical symptoms of disease and advice on diet and other things that affect the physical body.
Obviously, there are several aspects to the concept of wellness. What works for one person may not always work for another. It is therefore a case of finding what works for you and looking after all facets of your self.
Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director of http://www.magnetic-health-online.com and http://www.betterhealthshoppe.com which are both information portals with many interesting medical articles. She is also an associate of http://www.timzbiz.com which features many articles on internet marketing and resources.
400,000 New Yorkers Inhale one of the most Lethal Pollutants -Asbestos.
What they did not tell you about 9/11!
A Latest study by the U.S. government provides the recent evidence of a systematic cover-up of the health toll from pollution following the 9/11 catastrophe, which doctors dread will cause more deaths than the attacks themselves.
Belfast Telegraph says, The Bush administration witheld evidence of increasing danger and officially announced that the air surrounding the felled buildings was "safe to breathe".
But results of the government study, conducted by a consortium of researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Columbia University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, show exposure-related increases in new-onset cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and bronchial hyperreactivity more than two years after the disaster.
Ambient air samples showed that asbestos levels in the WTC area were significantly elevated consequent to the September 11 attacks, but fell to within federal standards after the first few days.
"More research is required to decide whether long-term exposure to asbestos fibers may lead to an increased risk of lung mesothelioma, a rare cancer that has been linked to asbestos exposure," said Landrigan. "Previous studies have shown the tiny chrysotile fibers found in the WTC dust to be the predominant fiber in lung mesothelioma tissue."
It is vital to note that symptoms of mesothelioma may not surface until 30-50 years after exposure to asbestos.
Commonly symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are:
shortness of breath,
pain in the chest
Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:
weight loss,
abdominal pain,
swelling,
bowel obstruction,
blood clotting,
anemia,
fever.
If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
It is extremely important to see a doctor concerning any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.
Author: J FARRINGTON
Educate yourself on mesothelioma, asbestos and class action lawsuits. Check out latest breaking news on mesothelioma at http://www.mesolink.org
Other Articles by J Farrington http://www.whatyouneedtoknowpage.com
Abuse Substance Treatment Program Review
In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.
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