By Dr. Donna L. Hamilton, MD, MS
Being healthy is more than not being sick. It’s functioning at your best physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Understanding what it looks like for you and how to do it can become overwhelming. TV, books, social media, and endless self proclaimed “experts” would have you think health looks one way and there’s only one path to it. Truthfully, however, many roads lead to wellness.
Though food and fitness play an important role in the health and wellness equation they’re only part of the story. In order to figure out what wellness looks like for you and the best path to take toward it, we first have to understand what it means. After that you can better determine how to navigate the complex health and wellness terrain.
Health and wellness has become a popular, almost cliché, phrase. It’s over used and misused. “Health” means more than preventing disease and maintaining a good weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol level. “Wellness” means more than eating vegetables, exercising, and meditating.
Health comes from a root word meaning “whole.” When Hippocrates, Imhotep, and others of their time spoke of health they referred to the state of the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. Somewhere along the line our culture began to consider health as the state of not being physically ill.
Holistic health professionals began to use the term wellness to get us back to addressing the state of universal well-being. These days even the word wellness is being co-opted to refer to eating well and exercising, ignoring other key factors affecting health (but that’s another article…) Health and wellness truly mean the same thing.
Understanding what health means and all the factors affecting it helps you better survey the landscape and pick the path that works best for you. It also helps you decide what tools you need (ex. what doctors, coaches, resources, etc.) As with any journey, a good guide helps you navigate the terrain better.
Parts 2 and 3 of this series summarize the five key arenas affecting health. They can help guide you as you determine your health needs and the next most appropriate steps in achieving them. The other articles on ManifestExcellence.com, videos on the Manifest Excellence You Tube Channel, and my live conference also offer valuable information to help you chart your wellness path. Remember, this is general, educational information. Every person has their own specific needs. It’s best to speak with your own doctor or health care provider to create your own health and wellness plan.
Be well,
Dr. Donna
The Ultimate Health and Wellness Guide Dr. Donna Hamilton, MD has a mission to help everyone live the healthy, satisfying lives they’re meant to lead. Dr. Hamilton passionately teaches what being healthy really means and how to do it in a way that fits your unique needs by assessing the entire wellness landscape and appropriately packing your wellness toolkit. A dynamic Holistic Wellness Speaker and Wellness Luminary, she champions a comprehensive approach to health by addressing mental, emotional, social, spiritual & physical well-being.
Dr. Hamilton–a former board certified pediatrician-now specializes in health optimization. She retired her white coat and stethoscope and now speaks nationally about holistically improving health and well-being. To book Dr. Hamilton for speaking engagements visit www.ManifestExcellence.com
A wellness thought leader, she champions a comprehensive approach to health by addressing mental, emotional, social, spiritual & physical well-being with a simple and potent message. Her book Wellness Your Way offers a practical strategy to assist readers in creating a happier, healthier life. For more information or to book Dr. Hamilton for speaking engagements visit www.ManifestExcellence.com or www.DonnaHamiltonMD.com
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