Are You Well Rounded In Your Health?

I think when people hear the word “health,” they automatically think of exercise and healthy food. Both of these things are definitely important aspects of health, but it should be noted that they are not the only aspects. In fact, if these are the only two parts of health you consider when you are aiming to improve the way you look and feel, you will fall short. It is times that I stray to far into focusing on one area of life that I tend to feel the most unbalanced  This morning I was doing a mental assessment of my level of health, and in doing so I was trying to figure out what needed some attention. These are the categories I assessed myself on. You may want to do your own health assessment as you read through them.

1. Physical. The physical part of our health is extremely important. I think that it is the easiest to give a “check” too, so to speak, because we can say…”yep, i exercised today.” (Insert: stretched, got a good nights rest, did yoga, ran a marathon, went walking, lifted weights, etc.) I also think this aspect of health is so important because of how we feel physically is a manifestation of all other aspects of our health combined. This one may require some effort, but it is well worth the effort put in. Working on your physical health with benefit you a great deal.
2. Nutritional. This is also extremely important. Well, let’s face it they are all important. The food you put in your body fuels you. It is literally what allows you to exist. Have you ever thought of it like that. My favorite analogy is the gas analogy. Would you ever put crappy gas in your car that wouldn’t allow it to run? No, it would ruin it. In fact, if you do put the wrong kind of gas in your car it will not run at all. Why wouldn’t you consider your body the same way. If you put poor fuel in it, you will get poor performance.
3. Mental. Your mental health is just as important as anything you will do physically. The our mind works can have an effect on everything we do, for better or worse. Improving mental health may come from meditation, pondering on the positive things in your life, and in some cases professional help is necessary. There are often road blocks in our mental health that may be stunting progress in other aspects of health in our lives.
4. Spiritual. This one is extremely important to me. I happen to be a very religious person and my involvement in my church feeds my spiritual health a great deal. However, you don’t have to be religious to work on your spiritual health. We are all bodies with spirits that make us who we are. It is important to nourish that spirit through education and learning. Meditation and quite time is very important. It is very easy to let the noise and business of our everyday lives crowd us out of taking time to think, pray, and ponder. Try to make some quite time for yourself daily, and you will greatly benefit from it.
5. Social. The relationships in our lives are so important. Life would be somewhat meaningless to me if I didn’t have the people around me that I care for so much. We need one another, and taking time to nourish our relationships is definitely a part of positive health. Part of social health is service. There is nothing that will make you feel better about life than doing something for someone else. I’d challenge you to try to find an act of service that you can do daily. Sometimes the best way to improve “you” is to stop thinking of  “you” altogether for a while.

So, yes…will I always continue to promote health through healthy eating and exercise, but don’t forget that a healthy person is a person who is  well rounded in their health!