Dorlands Medical dictionary defines health as "a state of optimal physical, social and mental well being, not merely the absence of illness and disease." Consider the person with cardiovascular disease whose first "symptom" is a massive heart attack. Obviously, he was not in a state of optimal physical well being, yet he probably would have said he was healthy if asked.
This illustrates the crisis-care view of health that we're raised with. It's short sighted and, actually, hazardous to our health. Waiting for the symptoms to appear before we start taking care of our bodies is often waiting until it's too late.
Research clearly shows us that prevention and a healthy lifestyle are the keys to health. A healthy lifestyle is defined as having adequate exercise and rest, a nutritionally balanced diet, emotional and mental health, and a physically sound and functioning body structure. When one or more of these factors is compromised, the other factors will suffer as well.
Take a moment to rate yourself on each of these five factors of health, on a scale of 1 to 10. The higher your average, the greater your health potential. In the up-coming weeks, I'll review each of the five factors in greater detail.
Yours in health,
Dr. Rick
Dr. Rick Schlussel is a Chiropractor and Applied Kinesiologist providing preventive health care, treatment for pain and injuries, holistic health assessments and a variety of natural therapies. He can be reached at Presence Wellness Center and Spa at 530-889-0388 or by email at drrick@mydrrick.com