When most of us think of wellness, we automatically think of physical health. We try to maintain a healthy body and hope that will ward off serious illness in the future. However, while physical health is crucial to good health, wellness has many dimensions beyond the physical. In fact, many experts believe there are 6 dimensions of wellness.

1. Emotional health

Understanding our emotions and finding healthy ways of expressing them is important to emotional health. Learn to accept your limitations and embrace ways to form healthy relationships with others. Maintain a sense of perspective, and learn to control emotions like sadness, anger, or frustration.

2. Spiritual health

Having a purpose in life and feeling that life is meaningful leads to spiritual health. Take some quiet time to discover the morals, ethics, and values that guide your decision making, and try to stick with those during problematic times.

3. Social health

Maintaining healthy relationships with others leads to a healthier you. Try to learn ways to relate well with others, whether they are family members, coworkers, or friends. Practice communication skills and try to be the kind of friend or spouse you would like to have.

4. Environmental health

A healthier planet leads to healthier inhabitants, so not only should you protect yourself from environmental hazards, such as wearing sunscreen or staying indoors on smoggy days, but you should also look for ways to help the earth’s health. Recycle or reuse items that you can, and donate used clothing, cell phones, or old computers to non-profit organizations that can refurbish them, thereby keeping them out of landfills.

5. Intellectual health

You’ve probably heard of the phrase “use it or lose it.” That is particularly true for the brain. As we age, there is a natural progression of a slowing of the brain’s functions, but you can combat this by working your brain every day. Keep your mind active with learning, creativity, and problem solving. Read up on current events each day. Paint, draw, or build something with your hands. Take a continuing education course at a local college, or join a book club. Even working a crossword puzzle each day can help to keep the mind active.

6. Physical health

Maintain a healthy body through proper nutrition, exercise, and the avoidance of harmful habits, such as smoking or alcohol abuse. Make sure you exercise at least 30 minutes each day. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil. Visit your dentist regularly, since dental health can affect the rest of your body. Seek medical attention when necessary.

Since our bodies and minds are interrelated, true wellness depends of integrating all of the above factors for a more holistic approach to good health. Monitoring and trying to improve in these 6 areas can lead to a happier, healthier you, which can ward off illnesses or diseases.

Physical health is probably the easiest to monitor. For a baseline of your body’s physical health, consider getting a mobile health screening, which is convenient, painless, and non-invasive. You will find information quickly about your risk for heart attack or stroke.

For more information on mobile health screening, visit http://www.HealthYes.com/.

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When you start paying attention to your physical health, you start to feel better about yourself. When you start watching what you eat, exercising on a daily basis, you will start feeling better and noticed that you have a certain amount of control over your health and well-being. Once you realize that you are in control, you will have a different outlook on your physical health, as well as the rest of your health.

By taking care of your physical health, your immune system will be in a lot better shape to fight off any diseases or illnesses that come its way. Eating healthy foods and exercising on a regular basis will surely help your immune system keep you running efficiently. Get rid of anxiety and stress and bring in positivity and happiness. Having a good attitude is another key aspect of good health. Once you get yourself in good health, you will really enjoy the control you have over your life. When stress starts to come back in your life, you will remember that you have a certain amount of control and do what is necessary to get rid of the stress.

You must stay motivated to stay healthy. If you personally know what having control of your health and feeling good feels like, then you should be a would’ve figure out your reason why you want to be healthy. When you deliberately do what is necessary to achieve optimal physical health, a certain part of you becomes addicted to feeling good all the time. The energy you possess will be your reason why you want to keep living the same healthy lifestyle.

Do something that motivates you to help you move towards good health. Some people really enjoy walking and jogging. If you have a hard time getting motivated, you need to get an iPod and put some of your favorite songs on it. Music is a great motivator that will help you stay energized. When you stimulate your brain, it gets flooded with neurotransmitters that make you feel good about what you are doing. Once you start this process, it will be very hard for you to stop.

But keeping yourself physically healthy, you will possess a higher energy level. This higher level of energy will help you take the stairs instead of the elevator next time you have the choice. You won’t care about parking your car in the back of the parking lot and walking 100 extra steps to get to the store. You will be able to burn more calories and feel great while you do it. Once you experience the feeling of control that you will possess of your physical well-being, you will not want to turn back. If you do start have issues, you will remember that you do possess a certain amount of control and can exercise that control at any point in time.

Darius has been writing online now for a while and has many different interests. You can check out his websites at Restaurant High Chairs and Restaurant Decor

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We are all aware of the physical benefits of a structured exercise program. Stronger muscles, joints and bones, better body weight control, protection from disease and a slowing of the aging process. But we tend to think of fitness as stopping at the neck and it is easy to forget that our brain is the central processing unit for the systems and processes of the human body and its health is important for our well being.

Often our mental and emotional health is taken for granted and it is easy to believe that its well-being is out of our hands. But the fact is that our mental health is closely linked to our physical health and if you have physical ill-health you can have mental ill-health as well. Research is uncovering this link and the importance of physical activity as both a preventative and healing medicine for our mental and emotional heath and well-being.

It has been estimated that one person in every group of five people has a diagnosable mental disorder. This means approximately 20 percent of the population is experiencing symptoms of mental impairment. Mental illness is a bigger disease burden than that caused by all cancers put together and by 2020 is will be the highest cause of death and disability in the world.

The human body was build to be active – very active. Vigorous movement is the body’s way of staying healthy as ‘growth and repair’ hormones are stimulated when our muscles are challenged regularly. Without these hormones chemicals tell the cells and tissues to decay, degenerate and die.

This is what happens when we live an inactive and sedentary lifestyle which 8 out of 10 people do. They do not get enough muscle building and maintaining activity to remain healthy and end up with a premature and preventable physical and mental disease.

When our body carries out the vigorous physical movement that we are designed to do it makes us feel good about ourselves as when we work our muscles natural chemicals are released that regulate and calm emotions, dissipating anxiety and stress. Proper exercise oils the wheels in our brain and boosts its activity affecting everything from the way we think, to how we feel and what we do.

If you are in a cycle of negative thoughts and worries you can use your exercise sessions as a distraction to take your mind off this pattern of behavior. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy

When we get our blood pumping with proper strength training exercise it benefits every cell, tissue and organ. Oxygen and nutrient rich blood stimulates energy in our body and gives the software in our brain a boost as well. This is why you feel a million dollars after an exercise session.

You can be rejuvenated almost instantly no matter if you are tired, fatigued or stressed. It is virtually impossible to continue feeling these things when you are strong and fit. Try it and see for yourself and let exercise help you feel so much better.

Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook “I’ve Found the Fountain of Youth – Let Me Show You Too!” Health Related Exercise

If you are looking to lose weight permanently go to Fitness Weight Loss for a free ebook and check out the new Hot Metabolism Fitness System.

Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger. In her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards being strong, fit and youthful at any age.

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By Donna Gallers -

This is a provocative question to which I don’t have a definitive answer, but I do think it’s worth considering how our minds can affect our well-being and specifically our physical health. Have you ever been really worried about something and suddenly found yourself with a stomach ache? Or, on the flip side, have you ever hurt yourself and found that the pain went away when you did something fun or had a really good laugh?

There are countless examples of people recovering from a range of illnesses and health challenges in ways that defy the accepted biomedical model. Writer and editor Norman Cousins recovered from a life-threatening form of arthritis by refusing to accept an incurable diagnosis and cultivating positive emotions and thoughts during his recovery. He watched funny movies in the hospital and discovered that hearty laughter had a pain-relieving effect that lasted for hours. (His book about his experiences, Anatomy of an Illness, was a national bestseller.)

In the early 1980s, scientist Candace Pert and others discovered that protein molecules in the brain called peptides link with receptors throughout the body to cause fundamental changes in the cells–that, in fact, an integrated communication network exists in the body that connects brain, body, and behavior. Subsequent studies in neuroscience, endocrinology, and immunology have continued to demonstrate that this “intelligence network” is operating at all times and that consciousness is an integral part of this system.

Deepak Chopra, a pioneer of mind-body medicine, takes this further to describe a quantum model of health and healing in which the body and our state of health are manifestations of our consciousness, a reflection of the continuous flux of electrical energy vibrations that becomes information. He suggests that the body is, in fact, not a structure but a process, which therefore can change and be changed at any time. In this model, the biochemistry of the body is a product of our awareness.

Talk about food for thought! For some people, just becoming aware of your negative thoughts can shift how you feel. It’s not about blaming yourself or feeling bad if you struggle with some negativity or worry — most of us do. Many forms of mind-body therapy, qigong, yoga, and meditation can serve as excellent tools to cultivate more positive streams of consciousness. Affirmations also help interrupt negative thought patterns and can contribute to increased well being. You can try saying something as simple as “I have a powerful sense of well-being” throughout the day, and especially any time you are feeling less than fully vibrant and well. See if you notice your mood or physical symptoms improve.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Gallers

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• November 8, 2010 Health

But what about the business of living? Have you ever done a year end review? Perhaps it’s time you did.

We are physical, spiritual, emotional, intelligent beings so let’s take a look at  each of those components:

Physical

• How’s you body doing? Do you feel well? Generally, do you have the strength and stamina to get  through a day without needing to stop to rest are are you always battling fatigue.
• Have you gained or lost weight over the past year? Is it a healthy gain or loss and are you in control?
• When did you have a physical exam?
• Do you get enough sleep?
• Do you eat a relatively nutritious diet or do you rely on fast food and junk food most of the time?
• Is there any kind of balance between work – play – rest or is it all work?
• How much exercise do you get during the week? On weekends?
• Have you had your vision checked?
• Have you kept your regular visits to the dentist? (Me neither)

What do you need to change in 2010 to improve your health?

Spiritual

• What do you do to nourish that spiritual part of you? (If you don’t believe you’re a spiritual being, skip this part.)
• Do you meditate?
• Do you read spiritual literature?
• Are you aware of internal guidance?
• Do you pray regularly
• Do you know how to manage your energy?
• Do you know what you believe about God, life, the afterlife, etc  or are you at least working on it?  Are these  your beliefs or what you were told you had to believe?

What do you need to do in 2010 to enhance your spiritual life?

Emotional

• On a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being the happiest, how happy are you?
• If you ranked below five, what would it take to bring you up above five on the happiness scale?
• Do you have any major issues with anger or rage, sadness, depression, loneliness, forgiveness, etc?
• Can  you generally make a decision about the way you want to feel?
• Do you feel loved, lovable and loving?
• How often do you laugh?
• Rate your self-esteem on a scale of 1 – 10.
• Rate your self-confidence on a scale of 1-10.
• Do you have boundaries? Do they work for you are do you need to do some boundary revision?
• Do you have habits you wish to change? e.g. smoking, procrastinating, nail biting, etc. (Notice that it’s YOU who wishes to change not because someone else told you to change)
• Do you wake up most days with a smile or do you wake up dreading the day?

What one thing can you work on in 2010 that would make your life happier?

Intelligence

• What do you do on a regular basis to nourish your mind? e.g., read, crossword puzzles, art, etc.
• Do you want to continue learning as much as you can?
• How’s you memory and concentration?
• Would you like to increase your IQ?

Do you need to do anything in 2010 to improve your intelligence, concentration or memory?

Overall

• Does your life have passion and purpose?
• Are you satisfied with  your life – even though you may like to tweak some things here and there?
• Do you have a way to “give back” or “pay it forward?”

You could add many more questions to this assessment and if you need to do that go ahead. This is meant only to stimulate thinking about what you want to do and be. It helps draw the map for your journey  through life or build some detours to get you back on track. 2010 seems like the perfect time to do that.

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When we hear the word health, we probably think first of our physical health… Our mental health and our financial health come second and third.

But, as with all things, we should look for balance in life; and although our physical health is the most important of the three, it is good to realize that one without the other two does not make for a great life. We have to maintain all three if we are going to have the optimum existence; we must work at all three if we are to find any sort of peace in our daily lives.

Our physical health is the basis to our daily ability of movement and general achievement. If we are not physically healthy, it will effect both our mental and our financial health; if we feel unwell or unable, then we are mentally challenged through each day to overcome the pain we endure and the lack of movement we battle against. Added to this, we are less likely to be on our game when it comes to earning money and we are more likely to spend our time in medical treatment centers which will cost us money.

When it comes to our mental health, we are dealing with emotions, the most notoriously difficult aspect of our existence, the hardest thing to overcome, the most powerful part of any human; if we can learn to control or come to terms with our emotions then we have the ability to achieve anything; our mind is our strongest ally when it works for us and our biggest enemy when it conspires against us, it is the one thing we have with us all the time, chattering away, telling us that we can (or cannot) do something; our mind has the ability to cause illness or avoid illness, it has the strength to give us the adrenaline to enact feats of heroism or collapse into moments of weakness and desperation. Positive mental health is imperative if we are to be happy.

Financial health is the least important of the three, yet it has the power to breed confidence. If we are financially stable we have the ability to enjoy many forms of freedom, to experience numerous ways of life, to devour unending types of pleasure. However, the imbalance of financial ‘success’ can also cause enormous amounts of stress, the responsibilities mount up with the assets, the inequalities with our mental and physical health can grow more acute with the financial burdens. The other end of the scale is no more attractive – financial poverty often leads to mental and physical poverty too. Balance is essential if we are to find what we truly desire.

To achieve the balance required, to come to a place of physical, mental and financial health is not easy. We are (as in so many things) ‘miseducated’ about what we truly need and what we can truly do without; we are not encouraged to find a balance in life, we are generally pushed towards one type of health or the other by those around us or that voice within us, given a specific life goal we have to achieve at the expense of finding a healthy balance in all three.

Physical health is very possible by doing a few simple things; drink water, lots of it – not sodas, fruit drinks, power drinks or alcoholic drinks; exercise regularly – and by that I mean do something for your body everyday, stretch, yoga, weights, walk, run, swim, whatever, but something that raises your temperature, that gets the blood flowing and the fat burning, you will be glad you did; eat small amounts but often, begin to change your 3 meal a day habit – snack on healthy foods, eat fruits, vegetables and proteins and vary your diet so it becomes a lifestyle not a fad. If you do these three things, then you can also splurge on the treats like alcohol once in a while, resting after exercise and candy every few days (not hours); once you begin to exercise properly and ingest food regularly your body’s metabolism will work constantly and will devour whatever you put into it so that even the ‘bad things’ disappear more quickly, and either way, you will notice an improvement in your energy levels and a rise in your self esteem. But, as I said, it has to become a way of life, not a momentary fad, and as it becomes a way of life it will become easier and easier to continue being healthy.

Mental health is achievable by being objective with your life. Humans are a very subjective species (meaning that we see a situation from our point of view without looking at it from the outside); and this subjectivity renders us helpless when it comes to overcoming our emotions; we must learn to see the bigger picture, and if we are able to do that we are able to see that we cannot control another human’s actions, we cannot force the world to bend to our will, we will always be confronted with obstacles and we will always have to avoid drama; that is just the way it is. So, knowing that, it suddenly becomes easier to accept change, to accept that each day we will have to keep our cool and work out a solution rather than trying to force life to be what we wish it was. It is imperative that we accept life for what it is, and then we can foresee most of the problems, issues and dramas that seem to blind side us so regularly. If we go forward hoping for the best but prepared for the worst then we go forth with a positive attitude and we are not horrified or defeated the moment something ‘unexpected’ comes our way because we were prepared to deal with whatever life throws at us. Simplifying a life is the best way to be at peace mentally; learning to eliminate unnecessary objects, people or occasions is the easiest way to find a life with balance which in turn will create mental stability and mental health.

Being financially independent is important; and we can all do it if we put our mind to it; no matter what socio-economic class you might come from it is possible to live in a home that is clean, efficient and attractive without having to go into debt, without having to stretch yourself to the limits. But it does come with the need for balance, and the self control to realize what you can and cannot afford at this time. For example there is no point having a television if you cannot pay your rent or afford a car; there is no point burdening yourself with the expense of cable if it means you cannot pay for gas or insurance on your car. And if you cannot afford a TV, then go to the library and read – you will learn more and you will grow more. Spend less and you don’t have to work so hard, learn to enjoy the simple pleasures again, realize that all of the best things in life are free and the all of a sudden you will come up with interesting ways to pass your time, more satisfying ways to spend your life, think outside the financial box, try to do things differently from the way you were taught, look at how the world really works and then question any choices you make to make sure they are right for you (not just what everyone else does), save a little and enjoy alot, be wise with your purchases, don’t buy something for the momentary buzz or screw someone over for the profit you think you gain, begin to re-work the way you employ yourself and try to work at a career you love, not just a job that makes you money – once you find financial balance you will feel a weight lifted off your mind. Financial freedom is possible with a little self discipline. On the other end of the scale, the need to be excessively wealthy will only impact your mental and physical health in the end, for your financial health will only be maintained if you spend an improper amount of time maintaining it at the expense of your physical activities and your mental capabilities. Being financially healthy requires balance, self discipline and the ability to see what you can and cannot afford to burden yourself with.

Your health is essential if you are to live with freedom; your physical health allows you the freedom to go wherever you may so desire; your mental health gives you the freedom to be alone or to surround yourself with positive energy; your financial health buys you the freedom of experience. Maintain each of these; decide to change the inbuilt ‘miseducation’ of the past and work out a new and easier way to exist.

Anything is possible if you choose health.

Guy Blews

Guy Blews is the author of ‘Marriage & How To Avoid It’ and is the instigator of Realistic Relationships. He has a blog at http://www.RealisticRelationships.com and his latest book, ‘Realistic Relationships’ is designed to help you find optimum balance and health in every aspect of life.

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Most of us have aches and pains, physical and emotional and would like to feel better. Here are some thoughts about achieving that goal.

Eat well, sleep well, exercise. Easy enough to say and utterly necessary for anyone who wants to feel better. Not always easy to do. Exercise is hard for me. I read a book a long time ago which makes it easier than most. It is called

Total Fitness in 30 Minutes a week.

You are right, it says 30 minutes a WEEK. It was written by Laurence E. Morehouse who designed the exercise programs for the astronauts. If you follow this book’s directions, you can be quite fit with a very modest effort.

As far as sleeping well, it is easy to find solutions on the web if you are having trouble. It is worth looking into in any case. Eating well is so much in the news; I’ll leave it to you to find the best diet for you.

A lot of our pain comes from held tension. Most people hold it in their abdomens and shoulders. Drop your shoulders! The trick is to pay attention to the tension in your shoulders and let them drop. Usually your abdomen will drop too. Check your shoulders often during the day and let them drop. You’ll feel better.

Simplify your life. Start with the closet and the garage; throw away trash, give away good stuff or sell it on eBay or Craigslist, or have a big yard sale. Once you get physical stuff out of your hair, redo your schedule. Don’t overbook. Leave lots of empty space in your week so you can relax.

Forgive: A lot of our distress comes from old grudges we refuse to let go of. Year of psychotherapy may reveal that your parents made mistakes in raising you. They surely did. Forgive them. Unconditionally. You’ll feel better. Robert Frost wrote a poem about forgiveness:

“Oh God, forgive me the little jokes I’ve played on you, and I will forgive the big one you played on me.”

If you think you have been mistreated in any way by any agent in this or another world, forgive right now.

The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky. List 3 things every day that are positive. Studies with severely depressed people have shown that they have had significant relief from their depression using just this technique. Write down three positives now. 50% of our ability to become happier depends on built-in factors we cannot change. 10 % of our ability to be happy comes from our circumstances; rich or poor, etc. We can change some of this a bit. So 40% of our happiness factor is entirely within our ability to change.

We all need to feel worthwhile. Get a dog. You will quickly feel worthwhile. The dog loves you primarily because you feed him, but it still feels good.

A minister read in a scientific journal that it takes 21 days of repeating the same action in order to form a habit. He felt that the world would be a better place if everyone developed the habit of not complaining. He devised a bracelet and instructed his followers to shift the bracelet from one wrist to the other whenever they complained. Primarily, this brings to your attention how often you complain, and you will soon complain less. That is good for you and for everyone around you.

Think positive. Whatever happens, find something positive about it. This will relax you and relieve the inevitable tension that comes with dissatisfaction.

People interact in basically three ways: Aggressively, assertively, and passively. The aggressive person takes care of himself with no regard for the welfare of others. The passive person allows other to take advantage. The assertive person takes care of himself while also watching out for the other guy. If you can find an assertiveness training workshop or class to attend, you will improve your relationships with others. You can also look it up on the web and learn how to be assertive.

Lastly, however bad things get, you can always tell yourself that you know that you can make it through the next 5 minutes.

There are many other techniques you can learn from books and websites. Warm wishes to you as you begin to feel better.

Jack Wilson is a writer and artist in Tempe, Arizona: http://krikofanto.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Wilson

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Many people are not aware that with proper breathing health will follow. This is due to the fact that breathing supplies oxygen to the blood. Therefore, it is necessary to breathe properly in order to provide the blood with the right amount of oxygen it needs. Many people practice shallow breathing which is unhealthy. This is because shallow breaths can cause toxic effects to the cells of the body. The best thing to do is to learn how to breathe in a way that will be of the most benefit to your health.

The best approach to this topic is to assess your own style of breathing and determine if you need to make a change. Ask yourself if you breathe too fast or if you often become out of breath. Take note that breaths per minute for men average to be from 12-14 per minute, while women’s breaths average between 14 and 15 per minute. Also consider if your breathing has a tendency to become labored, or if you breathe in a shallow manner. If you realize that any of the above are true of you, then you would likely benefit from yogic breathing. Remember, with proper breathing health will follow.

The following steps will help you engage in yogic breathing:

1. Sit in a chair in a quiet location so that you will not be distracted.

2. Close your eyes and visualize something calming such as a lone figure skater gliding across a deserted frozen pond.

3. Allow your breathe to go in and out through your nose in a long and smooth movement, much like the figure skater gliding across the frozen pond. If you can’t inhale and exhale through your nose comfortably. Then try inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth instead.

4. Repeat the above actions for 20 repetitions, and then allow yourself to return to the way that you normally breathe.

5. Keep your eyes closed as your breathing returns to normal, and take note of how you feel after this exercise.

It is important that you check with your physician if you have any type of breathing or health issues before trying this type of technique. Also, never do more than 20 reps at a time, and don’t strain while breathing. The whole point of yogic breathing is to be in a relaxed state. When you become more practiced at yogic breathing, you can extend it into your daily activities. With this type of breathing health will surely follow.

Michael has been publishing articles for over 8 years. Come visit his latest website at http://www.toddlercarseatsreview.com/ which helps parents find the safest and most affordable   toddler car seats.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Huddleston

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Traditional Chinese Medicine includes acupuncture, bodywork and herbal remedies.  The Sheen Nona Ben Cao, one of the oldest Asian Medicine texts, describes the hierarchy of healing which mirrors the hierarchy of human needs as proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow.  In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, individuals seek to fulfill the highest potential of self-actualization, followed by improved self-esteem, love/belonging, safety, and the lowest, most basic being physiological or biological needs.

The highest purpose of healing for a Asian Medicine practitioner is spiritual; that is helping the person fulfill his/her destiny (Ming) through self-actualization and, thereby, living out his/her years in comfort, joy and productivity.

The second level of Asian Medicine healing is to empower the innate nature of the person (Xing) or innate wisdom power in their body, mind and spirit.

The third and lowest level of healing of Asian Medicine is the symptomatic and physiological relief of the person’s physical or mental disease.

Thus, it is wise to seek care from a healthcare practitioner who uses the ancient hierarchy in their healthcare practice—Asian Medicine.  The practitioner’s highest goal needs to be a restoration and strengthening of one’s innate wisdom in a spiritually based practice, moving a person towards the highest level of self-actualization in mind, body and spirit.

It is important to ask an Asian Medicine practitioner, prior to treatment, “What do you see as the purpose of acupuncture?”  His/her answer will tell you if he/she is merely focusing on eliminating symptoms—a ‘quick fix’ that the majority of Western born and raised people expect—or will this Asian Medicine practitioner help you reach your highest healthy actualization?

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, “101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life.” Dr. Dorothy has the unique gift of connecting people with a broad range of profound principles that resonate in the deepest part of their being.  She brings awareness to concepts not typically obvious to one’s daily thoughts and feelings. http://www.drdorothy.net

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• March 27, 2011 Food as medicine

Healthcare Reform in the United States has been getting a lot of press lately, and one thing seems certain; we continue to place a monetary value on life. Something that should be a right is being used for extreme profit and individuals all across the world pay the price. No matter where you are in the world, you cannot count on a government or privatized healthcare system. It’s time to depend on yourself for the best care in the world.

There are 4 areas of health that should be focused on and they exist in the following hierarchy: Spiritual Health, Intellectual Health, Emotional Health & Physical Health.

Think of each level as including the levels below it. When we address our spiritual health, we are in effect including the other areas. What most of us do is address only our physical health, and we only do that when we want physical pain to go away or to be more visually pleasing. This article will take you through all 4 levels, beginning with the lowest level and moving towards the highest.

Physical Health
The physical health level is really where we see the results of our view of the world. It is where symptoms of problems show themselves when we do not pay attention to the other signs we receive from the other levels. As an example, a person that went through a bitter divorce 25 years ago, but still holds on to the anger associated with that relationship may later develop cancer, ulcers, or asthma. These are all conditions associated with holding on to anger, or feelings of being trapped by anger. We will treat the physical symptom of the much deeper issue, but we very rarely look for the source of the problem, which lies in our thinking. Caroline Myss publishes wonderful material about this phenomenon, if you are interested in understanding this point further.

The other side to physical health is understanding that while you are not your body, you as soul experience the physical realm through your body. Your body is a container. Actually, it’s more like a vehicle. So as a visualization, your body is the car that gets you from here to there and back again, and you (soul) are the driver. Your senses are like the indicators on a car dashboard. They collect and communicate data about the environment around you, about the status of the vehicle, and they can alert you to potential physical issues.

When your car breaks down, you are stuck without transportation. The same is true of your body. When it is severely damaged, it will limit your mobility. When the damage is taken to the extreme, it can no longer hold the driver. Also, you can have small issues that mount up to cause a major breakdown. Most of us actually take better care of our cars and homes than we do ourselves. We’ll spend the extra dollars on our cars for top-notch oil, regular car maintenance appointments, and carefully watch the miles we put on it. However, we will not pay extra money for more healthy and natural foods, regular doctor and dentist appointments, and ensure that we are receiving enough water and rest.

Emotional Health
The emotional health level deals with our ups and our downs, and the lack of balance we feel emotionally. We have poor emotional health when we allow our emotions to run back and forth between extremes, or when we give our ability to control our emotions over to someone else. The extremes we run may be between depression and high points of temporary happiness. It may be between anger and indifference. It may be between cockiness and insecurity. Poor emotional health also results when we allow others to “push our buttons.” In reality, we are simply reacting to them in the way that we always react to a similar situation. We have an emotional trigger that someone has figured out how to set off. Our conditioned response kicks in, and we feel as if we are out of control of the results.

Good emotional health lies within a middle approach to our emotions and within taking responsibility for how we respond emotionally. For example, between cockiness and insecurity lies a healthy confidence and courage. Between anger and indifference lies blamelessness and forgiveness. Between depression and temporary happiness lies healthy self-esteem and bliss. The key to stopping the emotional extremes is to center oneself in the middle of situations. In learning how not to take things so personally or to ignore them completely is the key to seriously looking at and taking responsibility for your emotions. Your emotional response is always your decision, regardless of whether or not you consciously make that decision. And when our emotional health is poor, we can feel the effects physically.

The other side to good emotional health is taking responsibility for your emotional responses. Eleanor Roosevelt once stated, “No one can hurt your feelings without your permission.” In other words, people do and say what they will, and you choose how you will respond to it. We are so used to playing the victim role in our lives to escape responsibility that we habitually respond the same way in like situations over and over again. To us it feels as if someone else always controls how we feel. In actuality, you decide how you will feel each and every time. When you choose to take on that responsibility, you take away the emotional remote control you previously gave away to anyone that wanted to push your buttons.

Intellectual Health
Our intellectual health deals with how we think about ourselves, other people, and the world around us. This is the level of our thoughts, beliefs, and judgments. Poor intellectual health consists of self-limiting beliefs and the trafficking of judgments. Self-limiting beliefs are those beliefs we invest our energy into that prevents us from being all that we can be. Examples may be, “I’m not deserving of a lot of money,” “I’ll never find love,” “They will never promote me,” “Beautiful women aren’t attracted to me,” “There are no good single men out there,” and “I don’t deserve the very best.”

What happens is that we create and believe these self-limiting beliefs, and then our actions flow from them. So, when we believe that we don’t deserve a lot of money, we don’t seek, and are not open to, opportunities to create wealth. When we believe that we will never find love, we simply stop trying, and we may even reject what appears to be love because we can’t believe it is possible for us. When we believe that beautiful women or handsome and good single men are not available or interested in us, we don’t see them when they are right in front of us, and we don’t believe they can be really attracted to us, even when they show us all the signs. When you don’t believe that you deserve the best, ask yourself what you are willing to accept.

Judgments create mental barriers between the truth and us. When you believe that someone is ugly based on whatever criteria you use, you fail to see the beauty they also possess. When you judge someone as bad, you may have caught them in a rare moment, but will never know what value they can add to your life because of how you decided to now see them. Your judgment prevents you from seeing anything other than your judgment. In essence, you’ve made a decision about how you will see that person going forward. The phrase, “the first impression is a lasting one,” testifies to the affect our judgments have on people. With little to no information about a person or situation, we quickly judge it and see it in that light for a very long time or even until our death. Even when all subsequent behavior and situations run counter to your judgment, you hold onto it as if it were the most valuable thing on earth.

Good intellectual health is clear of mental blocks and free of judgments. Instead of having self-limiting beliefs, you see that all is possible. Rather than judgments, you observe the truth about this moment. When you free yourself of self-limiting beliefs, you stop asking why something isn’t possible for you and begin asking how you can bring what you desire to fruition. You no longer search for reasons why you can’t have something, and instead search for how to make it possible.

Many millionaires failed at several different businesses before they found success. They knew they could do it. They just needed to find the right combination of planning, materials, and process to make it possible. Success was never in question. Finding a way to that success was what they focused on. Regardless of what it is you would like in your life, you must first believe that it is possible. By doing so, you release the creative genius that is trapped in your subconscious mind, and you allow your soul to provide some direction through intuition towards what you seek.

Next, you must believe that you deserve it. In truth, there is no such thing as deserving or not deserving something. That is something that we made up in society as a way of controlling the behaviors of others. If you do this, then you are deserving, but if you don’t, or you do that, you are not deserving. Spiritual truth is significantly higher than societal truth, and the spiritual truth is that abundance is available for everyone. You need only realize that it is yours for the taking. To believe that you are not deserving is to create another self-limiting belief. It is only true if you believe it to be.

Lastly, remain observant to the opportunities that will come pouring into your life. They may have always been there, but you may not have been able to see them. Or, because of your change in thought, you are now attracting opportunity to you. Either way, look for the opportunities that can lead you where you want to go, and then pursue them with the confidence that you can do it.

Freedom from judgment is the other side of good intellectual health. When you observe the truth of the moment, you aren’t making a declaration as to what someone or something is. Rather, you are stating what that person or situation is expressing now. So, when you see a guy slam a door in anger, you don’t label him an angry person. Instead, you understand that right now, he is angry.

The judgment that he is an angry person will have you see him that way regardless of how pleasant he is. However, the observation that he is angry right now allows for him to not be angry in the next moment. Rather than putting a label on him to wear for all eternity, you are allowing yourself to see what else is to this individual. You can observe what he is expressing in every moment you are in his presence, which will give you much stronger indications as to the type of person he is. Just as no one knows everything there is to know about you, you cannot know everything there is to know about him. So by observing instead of judging, you are allowing for that which you do not know about him to become known.

Spiritual health is the understanding of who you really are. Good spiritual health allows you to see that you are a part of spiritual energy and that same energy of creation is a part of you. In essence you are it and it is you. Everything is of spiritual energy. Therefore, everything is connected through spiritual energy. When you understand this truth, you begin to see that you can understand other people by seeking internally to understand yourself. Rather than searching for God out there in the heavens somewhere, you know that you only need to look internally to see that the energy of God has been inside of you all along. You carry within you the answer to every question ever asked or that has yet to be asked. You are infinity extended in all directions. Everyone and everything is simply an individual expression of that oneness.

To see this oneness in all things will change how you interact with the world. You will see yourself inside of each and every person you encounter. You will see the world in multiple dimensions, and not just the one dimension (surface) that we rely on today. You will understand that energy is all there is, and that everything is energy. Rather than seeing the permanence of everything, you will see that everything is transitioning into something else. Everything is a process. Change is the only constant. When you meditate or pray for something to manifest in your life, that prayer is extended inwardly, and you know that it must be created, because you and the creative energy are one.

Poor spiritual health is seeing everything as separate and seeing who we are as the body we inhabit. Just in seeing that everything is separate, competition and indifference to the suffering of others is automatically born. You will not see yourself in other people because to you, who they are is separate and distinct from you. The mantra here is, “every man for himself.” When someone is having a difficulty, you think, “better him than me.” When you have a struggle, you ask, “why me.” When you pray, it is more of a hope that this being you call God will choose to not victimize you anymore and bring you what you request. Friends are people that don’t cause you pain and that bring you pleasure. Enemies are people you see as standing in the way of your happiness or ushering pain into your life. You see yourself as either victimizer or victim depending on the circumstances.

Good spiritual health dictates that you need no one’s approval, because everything is an expression of the same source. Poor spiritual health produces good and bad, benevolent and evil, and right and wrong. Good spiritual health teaches that you are born to express the spiritual energy that lies at your center. Poor spiritual health teaches that you were born evil from day one, and that you must be delivered from that evil through organized religious rituals by those that are “appointed” to speak with God on your behalf. Good spiritual health will show you that every moment of your life is a spiritual expression. Poor spiritual health ensures that certain moments, locations, and clothing are sacred, while others are of the devil.

Good spiritual health says that everything is one. Poor spiritual health shows us a battle between God and Satan (or whatever the comparable gladiators are in your way of thinking), which will determine our fates. Good spiritual health says that heaven exists in every moment of life, and that we can experience it if we allow ourselves to. Poor spiritual health says that the God that loves you will send you to hell if you don’t do what He says through your “free will” and will send you to heaven if you do. Good spiritual health promotes unconditional love at all times. Poor spiritual health promotes conditional love based on the good or evil that you do in life.

Of the four areas of health, spiritual health is the most powerful. It is up to you to see that by taking a spiritual approach to the various areas of your life, you can have health in all areas of your life. To see yourself as separate and distinct, to give your power to communicate with divinity away to someone else, and to live as both victim and victimizer is the life you live today, which is not working towards your bliss and internal peace. Good spiritual health is to live within heaven on earth, while poor spiritual health is to live a hellish existence on earth. Both are here and now, and both are within your choice to experience and express.

James LeGrand is an Author, Life Strategist, and the publisher of http://www.SpiritualIndividual.com, a free weekly newsletter that presents solutions to life’s issues through the lens of self-help, wisdom, philosophy and spirituality. He is the author of an Amazon.com best seller in Religion and Spirituality titled Evolve!, and an Expert Author with EzineArticles.com & SelfGrowth.com. James LeGrand is also  former Radio Personality, and a Sifu in Shaolin Kungfu, which has been known for centuries as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_LeGrand

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