“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease”
Thomas A. Edison.
Health is a state of perfect metabolism function, a state of wholeness and wellbeing. Be healthy is living in harmony with the universe and all the parts that integrate it. Health is the perfect combination of physical organization, intellectual energy and ethical control in harmonious unity. In this ideal state of order of mind and spirit, the bones, muscular systems and internal organs will function in perfect balance.
There are many factors that have altered the ecosystem causing disruption in health. The human intrusion such as crop and resource consumption, indiscriminate use of land, and demographic rise impede the ecosystems capacity to provide freshwater, food, purification of water, air, renewal of fertile soil, and disease regulation. Accidental dispersal of radioactive materials from radiation sources has affected environmental health. The changing of natural, physical, and biological drivers such as climate are a few of the factors that contribute to the loss of nature’s chemicals and genes that at one time provided humankind with enormous health benefits.
“Health” is defined as: the condition of optimum physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. Understand that health is all the organs and tissues of the body working like they are suppose too, and that the nervous system controls every cell, organ, and tissue of his or her body. Understand that it is possible to be healthy just by making some changes in your lifestyle.
In Ancient Greek Civilization 400’s BC, Hippocrates, who was the greatest physician of his time, found that every disease had only natural causes and he disapproved the idea based in superstitions that it was a punishment for sin. He was the first doctor who considered medicine to be a science and he wrote an oath that every new doctor-to-be still says to this day and he is often called: Father of Medicine.
Hippocrates believed in the natural healing process of rest, a good diet, fresh air and cleanliness and that the body must be seen as a whole, not just a series of parts. He observed that there were individual differences in the severity of disease symptoms and that some individuals were able to handle their disease and illness better than others. He was also the first physician that declared that thoughts, ideas, and feelings come from the brain and not the heart as others of his time believed. He accurately described disease symptoms of epilepsy in children, and pneumonia.
These possibilities are well known today - where the power of the mind, over the body, has been recognized and accepted. So feeling good is far more important for actual health. And feeling good means, feeling good about yourself, about your body, about the way you are, and accepting yourself for the person you are.
Many people suffer from low self-esteem, which prevents them from feeling good about themselves. For this reason a good attitude, positive thoughts in addition to exercise, a balanced diet and relaxation can help to improve your health.
Recent U.S. and Canadian studies find that people who walk or bike to accomplish daily chores, or perform other daily moderate-intensity physical activities; have a lower risk of heart disease and obesity than those who lead a sedentary life.
Rising evidence suggests that activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to a co-worker’s office instead of calling or e-mailing, and getting off the bus one stop earlier make a difference in health risk factors. Dr. Anthony Graham of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation says, “We have to start focusing on healthy lifestyle habits to replace our ‘drive-through’ mentally.”
To be healthy just take easy short bouts of activity several times a day.
- Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.
- Work in the garden or mow the grass. Do not use a riding mower. Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.
- Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both! Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.
- Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.
- When walking, choose a hilly route. When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa, or spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.
- Stand up while talking on the telephone.
- Walk the dog.
- Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance wearing your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.
- Stretch to reach items in high places and bend to look at items at floor level.
- Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it!
