Health and Wellness

Michael Plazio
HPED 143-008 Internet Reading: Holistic Health
1.) Describe Holistic Health by stating: a) the approach to life associated with it, and b) what it emphasizes.
a) Holistic Health focuses on a person as a whole and how they interact with the environment around them. b) It emphasizes the connection between a person’s mind, body, and spirit. 2.) What is the goal of the holistic approach to daily living?
The goal is to achieve a state of maximum well-being, meaning the body is functioning as best as possible.
3.) a) Scientific medicine believed ______ to be the cause of disease. b) Through what process, then, was health “gained”?
a) Germs b) Health was “gained” by killing the germs using modern drugs.
4.) What law of nature is Holistic Health based upon? Explain this law, when viewed from within the context of an individual’s life. (be sure to identify the four interdependent parts in your response)
Holistic Health is based upon the law that that a whole is made up of different parts working together. The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of an individual’s life make up a person’s whole.
5.) Describe the wellness continuum. What headings are at the far left, middle, and far right areas of the continuum, and how should each be interpreted? What are the descriptions/labels for the left and right halves of the continuum?
The wellness continuum can be looked at as a line which represents the possible degrees of health along the line. The far left represents premature death, living an unhealthy life. The middle represents no disease, meaning you are somewhat healthy. The far right represents the highest level of health, meaning you are very healthy. The left half of the continuum is all levels of illness, while the right half is levels of no illness with some room for improvement.
6.) Identify the four key factors that influence an individual’s health status. What percentages are provided for the amount of influence each has? An individual’s health is influenced by a person’s quality of medical care (10%), their heredity (18%), environment (19%), and everyday lifestyle choices (53%).
7.) Most illnesses and premature deaths can be attributed to ____________.
Lifestyle choices
8.) When persons practice Holistic Health (live holistic lifestyles), what often becomes the motivators to continue living by this approach?
The motivations for living a holistic lifestyle are having more energy and an enthusiasm for life.
9.) Explain how holistic medicine interprets symptoms that are noticed in sick persons.
Holistic medicine interprets symptoms in a sick person as a problem with the person as a whole, one part of the person can affect the rest of the person. Holistic medicine supports a person’s natural system and takes in the consideration the whole person and the whole situation.
10.) Response
The most beneficial idea I learned from this article is that the human body works as a whole. If one part of the body is not working properly the rest may be affected as a result. These parts I have learned are a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states. This idea is an important segment of human health and the factors that can affect it. Holistic Health can help explain the experiences that are most common in my life. I know whenever I am anxious or nervous I tend to lose my appetite, become easily irritated, and have a lack of confidence in myself. I realize now a change in just one part of my body, in this case my emotions, can affect me as a whole. (128)