(photo by Jenny Hill on Unsplash)
We are all unique individuals with different health needs. Are you aware of what you need to be at optimal health? If I had to pick one word to describe optimal health, it would be ‘balance’. You may have a different word.
And I might break down my well-being into four categories (you may have others): physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. The more balanced we are, the healthier we will be. The creation of life balance brings us closer to our own optimal health. I’m not there yet, but I do know where my weaknesses and strengths lie.
As an introvert, I restore my energy by scheduling quiet alone time into my days. You may be an extrovert, who gains energy by participating in large group events.
In recent years, I tend to digest my food slower than others. So I may eat less at each meal, and eat foods that are easier to digest. You may have strong digestion, and can handle more variety of foods.
Life balance is a process, not a goal. One day we may feel that we’ve got it figured out, and then something unexpected occurs, bringing back imbalance. Perfection is not the goal either. The belief that we can be in perfect health, without medical or emotional issues, at all times, throughout life will lead to disappointment. True balance involves trying and failing, learning from error, and finding new ways of enhancing well-being.
The American Board of Holistic Medicine defines optimal health as:
“The conscious pursuit of the highest level of functioning and balance of the physical, environmental, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of human experience, resulting in a dynamic state of being fully alive. This creates a condition of well-being regardless of the presence or absence of disease.”
The textbook Integrative Medicine by David Rackel, MD (chapter by Lee Lipsenthal, MD) offers the following ‘Prescriptions’. Take what you want. Throw out the rest. Add your own. It’s your plan, you decide.
Your Prescription for Physical Well-Being:
- Aerobic exercise almost daily for at least 40 minutes ***
- Weight lifting three times per week ***
- A low-fat, high-fiber diet
- Evaluate your diet, and add supplements where needed.
- 7 hours of sleep per night
*** Please get doctor approval before starting an exercise plan
Your Prescription for Mental Well-Being:
- Read at least 1 hour/week.
- Join a book club.
- Take an art or music class.
- Know that you can’t know everything.
Your Prescription for Emotional Well-Being:
- Accept that life is change. It is inevitable.
- Be willing to give up some control. Be realistic what you can change.
- Forgive yourself for the errors that you made. Learn from them.
- Learn to manage stress.
- Learn to love yourself.
Create your own health plan. What do you need for your optimal health? Start small. Explore and experiment. Build up your plan gradually over time.