When we talk about health, a lot of Filipinos only think of the physical aspect of it. But health is more than just the physique and extends to one's wellness across all aspects—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. A person may look healthy on the outside, but if he/she doesn't take much care of the inner well-being, would you still call that person healthy?
While there's nothing wrong about working towards an ideal physique, health is more than just the appearance. For one to be called healthy, both body and mind must be in good condition. This is what makes holistic health important. In this article, we'll talk about holistic health's meaning, how it supports the body as a system, and how you can incorporate the approach into your life.
What is Holistic Health?
Holistic health is a form of healing based on the idea that optimal health encompasses all levels of well-being: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. There is a belief that your energy system extends beyond the physical body and into everyone and everything that interacts with you.
Since people influence one another, positively or negatively, imbalances in the body may happen and cause one to feel unwell in some areas.
A holistic health approach to life finds the root of the problem and focuses on the balance in the body instead of the disease or condition's symptoms. Holistic health looks into an individual's relationship with the body, diet, exercise, stress, work performance, sexual health, purpose, and more.
A holistic health approach has five aspects of wellness:
- Physical
- Mental
- Emotional
- Social
- Spiritual
Let's take a deep dive into what these are and how addressing these areas can help you live in the healthiest and happiest way possible.
5 Aspects of Holistic Health
Physical
Many people base their assumptions on whether someone is healthy or not from the person's outward appearance. That's because it's easier to tell if a person is taking good care of his/her body through physical signs compared to non-physical symptoms.
Improving your physical health means adopting healthy lifestyle practices. You can start with getting a full night's rest to allow your body to recharge, consuming a well-balanced diet, and sweating out at least 30 minutes per day. You can also find multivitamins in the Philippines that can help support these practices for optimal health.
Mental
Mental health pertains to how your brain functions. Your cognitive abilities allow you to accomplish tasks, so your efficacy depends on how healthy your mental health is. About 6 million Filipinos are estimated to have depression or anxiety.
While there is still a stigma surrounding mental health in the country, many Filipinos are becoming more vocal and raising awareness about mental health in recent years.
Bad habits like excessive drinking and drug use highly affect and decrease one's cognitive abilities, altering how they function day-to-day. You can keep your brain active by avoiding these bad habits, consuming foods that contain antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids to support cognitive function, doing brain exercises, and eating gut-healing foods.
Emotional
This dimension of well-being refers to your mood and emotions. How you navigate and manage how you feel takes a lot of hard work. When you're able to identify how you feel, assess what it means, and share it with others, it can help your life flow more smoothly.
How you feel emotionally manifests in your actions, behavior, and physical health. One of the ways you can become more aware and better understand your emotions is through journaling. Writing what you feel can help you process and overcome your emotional hurdles. You can also talk to the people you trust or seek a therapist to help you get through rough tides.
Social
Social health refers to how you connect, establish, and retain positive relationships with others. You need reliable support systems to help you overcome life's challenges. Moreover, the people you surround yourself with can influence your mood, habits, and outlook in life. The more time you spend with the people you trust and love, the happier you will be.
If you're finding it hard to build relationships, you can try connecting with new people through social networks, community activities, or volunteer work.
Spiritual
Spiritual health may differ for everyone since it's a personal dimension of wellness. Spirituality pertains to your sense of purpose or meaning, not necessarily religion. It's what motivates you to continue with your journey, shapes you, and shares your values with others.
This can be practiced through prayer, meditation, and other mindful activities like yoga that nurture your connection with nature or a higher being.
Health is a Full Spectrum
Achieving good health is not just about eating greens or working out. You can have the best physique for your age, but if you work in a hostile workplace, have financial issues, or are in a toxic relationship, you will not feel your best self.
Good health is feeling it grow in every aspect of your being. Approaching health this way is especially helpful during these times of crisis. When you're able to take control of your mind and body, it prevents you from panicking or thinking negatively and helps you take on the challenges at hand more sensibly.
If you're looking for multivitamins to supplement your healthy lifestyle, check out our selection for the right multivitamins to address your nutritional needs!
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