1.0 INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION
Health
is derived from the old English word "whole". The definition of Health
is intended to include those things that "make a person whole" which
means more than just physical well-being.
In 1948, World Health
Organization (WHO) defined health as a state of complete physical,
mental, social or relational well-being and not merely the absence or
disease of infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard
of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without
distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social
condition.
In 1984, WHO added spirituality to its list of factors
necessary for optimum health. If we are to be truly healthy, the
physical, mental and spiritual elements must be functioning as God
designed them to function. The physical may be the most unimportant of
the three because with good mental and spiritual health, we can still be
content even though our bodies may be unhealthy.
From ancient to
modern times, authoritative sources indicates that health is continually
defined in terms of the physical, emotional, mental, relational and
spiritual well-being.
Health is a major topic in the Bible and it is viewed primarily as
the restoration and strengthening of one's personal relationship with
God. It is also viewed as a healthy lifestyle (physically and
emotionally) that focuses on passing healthy relationships with your
family and with other people.
Being highly healthy means being
healthy in every area of your life during every stage of your life. It
means being balanced in these areas: body, mind, spirit and community
usually taken as the four "wheels" of Health. By balancing these aspects
of health, you can become blessed and thus, highly healthy.
2.0 PRINCIPLES ESSENTIAL TO BEING HIGHLY HEALTHY
a. The essential of balance
b. The essential of self-care
c. The essential of forgiveness
d. The essential of reducing SADness (Stress, Anxiety and Depression)
e. The essential of relationships
f. The essential of spiritual well-being
g. The essential of positive self-image
h. The essential of discovering your destiny
i. The essential of personal responsibility and
j. The essential of empowerment
k. The essential of team work.
These are designed and
programmed into the very core of our beings. It is important they are
understood, learnt and applied in our daily living in order to become
highly healthy.
3.0 FOUR WHEELS OF HEALTH
These wheels are
likened to the four wheels of a stable car with strong spokes for each
wheel all wheels in balance. They represent the:
a. physical health - the well-being of one's body
b. emotional health - the well-being of one's mental faculties and one's connection with his or her various emotions.
c.
relational health - the well-being of one's association with family,
colleagues and friends in the context of a community that is healthy and
d. spiritual health - the well-being of one's relationship with God
Further indepth into them shows:
(a) The physical wheel
Maximum
physical health occurs when the body with all its chemicals, parts and
systems is functioning as closely as possible to the way God designed it
to function. For a person to be physically healthy, disease must be
prevented whenever possible and treated as needed. When illness or
disorder is incurable, physical health involves learning to cope with
and adapt to physical disease.
With good emotional, relational and
spiritual health, a person can still be highly healthy, even though his
or her body may not be "whole".
The major determinants of
physical health are the activities you engage in (exercises, walk), rest
hours (sleep, relaxation, vacations, recreation). Intake into the body
(water, good, and toxins) fruits and vegetables, mineral in-take of
caffeine, tobacco, soft drinks, saturated fats, highly processed foods,
fast food and sweets, illicit drugs, alcoholic drink, beverages);
elimination (urine, stool, bowel movements).
(b) Emotional wheel
This
is the state of maximum emotional and mental well-being. It is not the
absence of emotional distress which is unavoidable for any imperfect
human being. Being emotionally healthy requires learning to cope with
and to embrace the full spectrum of human emotions each of us faces
everyday throughout our lives. It requires healthy brain function. If
the brain dyefunction is untreated, it becomes non-functional and throws
his physical, emotional, relational and spiritual wheels out of
balance. This has to do with stimulation (too hot, too cold or just
right). If you experience too much or too little stimulation, if you are
too busy or exceptionally bored, you are suffering from emotional
health. Enough quiet is required in everyone's life. Another aspect
which is quietness (peace, tranquility in one's soul), lack of
self-worth, lack of intimacy with others, loneliness associated with
accumulated grudges towards others or yourself, lack of intimacy with
God are the major causes of emotional pain. Any of these lacks can lead
to simmering, embittering anger towards others or yourself or God.
Life
long learning is important to one's health. As the physical exercise
helps the heart, muscles and bones, stay healthy, your brain benefits
from mental actuality. Continuing to educate yourself and staying
mentally active are ways to protect yourself from dementia and
Alzheimer's disease. Regular reading, having a challenging job and
participation in ongoing education is linked with sharper mind later in
life. Teaching, crossword puzzles, class or church education all help
the maintenance of emotional wheel.
(c) Relational Wheel
This
is the state of maximum well-being in all our social relationships -
those with family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, co-workers, broader
community. Relational stress and discord are inevitable as we interact
with fellow human beings. We have to do all we can to prevent and
"treat" disordered relationships. Relational wheel involves trusting
people and relations, parents, children, spouse, extended family,
friends and support groups.
The relationship you have with your
parents plays a critical role in determining your ability to have good
relationships with others. If your parents balanced love with
discipline, freedom with limits, and nurture with training, and if your
relationship with them when you became adult was healthy, enjoyable and
affectionate, then you have a good relational health. The same with
children and spouses. Our relations - sisters, brothers aunts, uncles,
cousins and nephews have profound impact on our mental, physical and
spiritual health.
Friends also play important role in predicting
premature death and disease. People who have nobody caring for them, who
do not feel close to anyone, have no one in whom to confide are likely
to suffer premature death or disease more. Having friends who love, care
for us with unconditional support give us powerful positive health
benefits.
(d) Spiritual wheel
This is defined as the state
of maximum well-being in our personal relationship with our creator. To
be spiritually healthy, any separation or disharmony on our relationship
with God must be prevented or treated. This is the most crucial one of
all the other aspects of health.
Healthy people make their
spiritual well-being a consistent priority by actively seeking to
understand Gods plans and design for them in terms of their physical,
emotional, relational and spiritual condition, seeking and accepting
their creator's personal instructions and direction in their lives. If
the spiritual wheel is given less attention than the other three, we
cannot be highly healthy while, we are not promised a perfectly healthy
physical life, the Bible promises those who have a vital personal
relationship with God an abundant life one that will be full and
meaningful - infused with purpose, contentment and joy.
To have spiritual health, trust in God, pray and meditate and fellowship in a faith community and faith sharing.
4.0 HOW TO BECOME A HIGHLY HEALTHY PERSON
The
Essential of Balance: Set a wise balance in your life - the "health
car" with its four "wheels of health" cannot run smoothly without all
wheels running well i.e. being in balance. Neglecting one or more of
your wheels of health will result in imbalanced health problems. You
cannot become a highly healthy person without first diagnosing your
unique areas of disease and maintenance.
b. The Essential of
Self-care: Be proactive in preventing disease.. The secret to becoming
and staying highly healthy is to prevent "disease" in body, mind, spirit
and in relationships as much as is possible.
i. Exercise makes
you feel healthier than eating does. Regular exercise help to control
weight, improve overall health, reduce risk of such medical problems as
diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.
ïi. Exercise for at least 30 minutes five days per week.
iii Exercise regularly and consistently to control your weight
iv. avoid highly processed foods.
v.
eat nutritious diet and do not over eat. Eat foods with high fibre
content, whole grains, nuts, sugar yogurt and low in calories, salt,
saturated fats and refined sugars. Health enhancing fish is important
too.
vi. drink lots of water and do not smoke.
vii. consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
viii. do not consume alcohol or tobacco products.
ix. Practice and enjoy regular sex with your legal spouse in mutually monogamous relationship.
c. The Essential of Forgiveness: Practice acceptance and letting go.
F = Forgiving is highly healthy
O = Organize your thoughts by writing
R = Review your experience
G = Give the Boot to anger and Regret
I = Invest in removing resentment
V = Victory comes in forgiving others
I = Increase your gratitude for the past pain
N = Navigate to inner place
G = Give comfort to others.
d. The Essential of Reducing SADness-stress, Anxiety and depression). Lighten your load.
1.
STRESS is any change that required you to adapt or change the way you
are doing something. Stress is virtually unavoidable in contemporary
life. Stress can come from big things - retirement, job change,
pregnancy, new baby, loss of loved one, new school, new job or from
little things - change in weather, flat tyre or traffic jam, sudden
deadline, misplaced house keys or an electrical outage. These events are
technically called stressors. Some stress is good. We are made to
withstand some amount of stress which can help us grow physically,
emotionally, relationally and spiritually. Too much stress at one single
time or for too long a time usually called chronic stress can lead to
weakness in all 4 of our health wheels. We are created to respond to
stress in a variety of physical, emotional, and spiritual ways. When
confronted with more stress than we are designed for - a large stress
all at once or smaller amount of relentless.
Stress, our blood
pressure and pulse increase. In the short run, this is healthy but in
the long run, if the natural fight (stress) response becomes our way of
life and can hurt in many ways:
ii. it can damage blood vessels and heart
iii. it can cause the body to release hormons that cause the liver to release sugar, store fat.
iv. it can cause adrenal glands to "poop out".
v. it can cause our muscles to tense up
vi.
it can increase the release of stomach acid and affect the motility of
the intestine and colon leading to a variety of gastrointestinal upsets
and disturbances.
vii. it can suppress the immune system - possibly making us more susceptible to infections and to certain chronic illnesses.
viii. Too much stress can and will keep you from becoming a highly healthy person.
2.
ANXIETY in its most basic form is healthy - designed by our Creator to
arouse us to and get us ready for action. Anxiety can prepare you
physically and emotionally for a threatening situation. Anxiety is
designed both to help us cope and to assist us in performing at a high
level. But an anxiety disorder occurs when normal anxiety does the
opposite - instead of helping you cope, it prevents you from coping and
dramatically disrupts your daily life.
General anxiety disorder
comes on without any trigger. People with general anxiety disorder worry
about health, money, job, family or work. They are unable to relax and
often have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Their worries are
almost accompanied by physical symptoms such as trembling, twitching,
muscle tension, headaches, irritability, sweating or hot flashes;
nauseated, go to bathroom frequently, have palpitations or atypical
chest pains, feel tired, cannot concentrate and suffer depression. This
is more common in women than in men.
3. DEPRESSION weakens the
emotional wheel and prevents people from becoming highly healthy. It
often accompanies anxiety disorder. Depression is commonly accompanied
by feeling of sadness, apathy and hopelessness as well as changes in
appetite or sleep. Depression can also make it difficult for some people
to concentrate. Some types of depression can be treated using modern
anti-depression medications, dietary supplements, nutritional therapies,
exercise, light therapy, pastoral counseling or psychotherapy. Some
researchers conclude that depression is caused by an imbalance in the
hormones of the brain.
4. The Essential of Relationship: Avoid
loneliness. Loneliness leads to evil plans. If your brain stays idle, it
becomes sick and deteriorates into the devil's workshop and you become
automatically the devils work tool. Always engage yourself in meaningful
ventures.
i. live with and depend on the extended family who offer cradle to grave security and support.
ii. avoid loneliness, relationships with neighbours, family and friends are vital.
iii.
respect the elders so that when they become elderly, they enjoy the
admiration, honour, esteem and affection of their families and of
society.
iv. Build family intimacy.
5. The Essential of spiritual well-being: Cultivate a time for spirituality.
The
Bible promises that if we choose to trust God and live according to the
purpose he designed for each of us or we can rely instead on our own
finite plans and efforts. It promises also that if we choose God to fill
and empower our very Souls, then we will develop spiritual fruit that
endures, regardless of our circumstances or the state of our physical,
emotional, or relational health. All the good things of life - right
marriage, right job, right kids, right amount of money, right car or
house or clothes can only be added to the most important element of
wellness, namely, seeking, knowing, and pleasing God. If we believe in
and trust God, if we make an intimate relationship with him a priority,
if he controls and empowers our lives and we seek our purpose in his
grand design, then we will experience wholeness at the deepest level of
our being.
Spiritual healthiness ensures longer life, lower Blood
pressure, improved surgical outcomes, shorter hospital stays, improved
mental health, overall well-being:
i. Place your relationship with God at the centre of your life
ii. Read, memorize and meditate on Bible passages daily.
iii. Spend time on meditation and prayer daily.
6. The essential of a positive self-image: See yourself as your Creator sees you.
Our
human nature is to compare ourselves to others. This results in
feelings of inferiority. This is called compare and despair problem.
If your self-esteem is low, you need to do these:
i. Avoid negative self-talk
ii. Think positively
iii. Aim above the normal standard
iv. Do the things that bring joy and satisfaction
v. Serve others.
Other essentials necessary for healthy living are:
7. The Essential of Discovering Your Destiny (Nurture your hopes and dreams)
8. The Essential of Personal Responsibility (Be your own health care controller)
9. The Essential of Empowerment (Imitation is limitation as you can get to the level you wish in
your life setting your own goal for yourself).
10. The Essential of Team Work (Team up with winning health care providers)
5.0 CONCLUSION
You
can decide today to live a highly healthy life having seen the methods,
benefits and consequences of being healthy and not. Your destiny is in
your own hands and the choice is yours. Spend time each week with highly
healthy people and you will change for the better is yours. Spend time
each week with highly healthy people and you will change for the better.
