Health and wellness are related concepts that refer to overall well-being but they can have distinct implications. Typically, discussions about health focus on the absence of disease or illness and the physical state of an individual's body.
In America, healthcare (what I call "sickcare)" services are organized around the "disease model," whose goal is to diagnose and treat disease. This model forms the basis of medical training for healthcare providers. It mainly views patients as "cases" and disregards the individual’s personal, cultural, and humanistic aspects.
On the other hand, wellness is a holistic concept that values the whole person. It addresses one's ability to maintain physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual balance in one's environment, regardless of the circumstances. It’s hard to “be well” when pieces of you are broken.
Wellness encompasses mindfulness of lifestyle choices, behaviors, attitudes, and how they influence overall quality of life. It involves proactive measures such as maintaining proper nutrition, regular exercise, getting enough rest, managing stress, practicing self-care, seeking support when necessary, fostering fulfilling relationships, finding purpose, and maintaining a positive outlook.
To "be well," it's important to shift away from the "disease model" mindset and embrace a focus on true health and well-being. This shift starts with developing a consciousness of wellness that bridges the gap between knowledge, attitude, and healthy behaviors and making informed decisions that promote a good quality of life.
Bridging the gap involves altering your thoughts and attitude toward wellness. Changes in your thoughts and attitude result in behavioral changes. When you learn better, you do better. You begin to understand the distinction between life-enhancing behaviors and self-damaging or self-defeating behaviors.
Bridging the gap gradually brings about changes within you, thereby improving your physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Like the caterpillar that morphs into a butterfly, you begin to put wings on your dreams to “be well.”
Rising healthcare costs, along with diminishing trust in the medical establishment, have led to a noticeable rise in alternative medical practices. Alternative practices allow practitioners to focus on the unique and cultural experiences of the patient.
I’m a strong advocate of holistic medicine, but the truth is that we are responsible for our wellness, both individually and collectively. I am not ignoring the unfairness in how healthcare is distributed in this country; it has its flaws. Nor am I overlooking the physical and environmental factors that harm our health. I appreciate the late Dr. King's perspective on America's healthcare system: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane."
But the reality is that ultimately, our state of well-being is up to us. We have to develop a consciousness of wellness. We must be mindful that wellness is an ongoing journey of learning, evolving, and implementing positive changes that demand self-awareness, self-discipline, and a commitment to self-care, one small change at a time.
So, does your doctor discuss wellness topics with you? Do you ever discuss proactive measures? Are you another “case” or are you a unique individual to your doctor? Are you caught up in the sickcare system's revolving doors and unsure how to get out? Developing a consciousness of wellness is a great place to start and I’m ready to help with wellness tips, one-on-one coaching, and face-to-face and virtual wellness workshops.
Contact me at smallchange@myrtlerussell.com or 731-267-2524.
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