HEALTHY CHANGES:
4 Steps Towards Overall Health


Understanding Your "Total Health"

Total Health
Assess Your Total Health
Prioritize

Step 2:
Make the Commitment

Step 3:
Assessment & Goals

Step 4:
ACTION TOOL RESOURCE CENTER


 

Step 1: UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOTAL HEALTH

Total Health & Wholeness | Assessing Your Total Health | Prioritizing Need

A. Total Health and Wholeness
(Mental/Emotional, Social, Spiritual, Physical)

The World Health Organization (WHO) states "health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Others have taken a similar perspective: "health is a quality of life involving social, emotional, mental, spiritual and biological fitness on the part of the individual, which results from adaptations to the environment." These definitions refer to health as a state of well-being. From this understanding the now common term "wellness" originated.

In other words, "becoming healthy" requires more than just caring for your physical body. Your relationship to your family, community, society and culture also has an impact on your health.

Mental / Emotional Health

Mental health, as defined by the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, "refers to the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity."

Social Health

Social health refers to people who are socially well having the ability to interact with others. They develop and cultivate close friendships and can interact with people of different backgrounds, lifestyles, and abilities. They recognize the necessity for personal time, and budget this into their schedule accordingly.

Spiritual Health

For the Christian, it is impossible to be truly healthy if our spiritual lives are not full and complete. We are not only flesh and blood, but spirit and soul, needing the grace of God just as much as the fish need water in which to live.

Physical Health

Physical health can be described as a combination of the absence of illness, the ability to cope with everyday activities, physical fitness, and high quality of life; freedom from pain in the physical body, having attained a state of well-being.

 

FULL Understanding

Understanding your Total Health also includes taking a good hard look at your current state of health and wellness, setting goals for improvement, and then prioritizing those goals.

Read More:
www.american.edu/cas/health/iihp/archives/pubsiihpchinawolf2.html

 

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INSPIRATION CORNER

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