Health and fitness on wellness

Black Collegian, Oct 1994 by Evans, Therman

Wellness. What does it mean? My definition is spiritual, physical, mental, socioeconomic, and cultural well-being. This definition says that there is more to your health than just the absence of physical malady. Think about it. Have you ever felt bad as a result of a non-physical event? Have psychoemotional worries (failing test scores and grades; strained male-female relationships) ever caused you physical pain or sickness? The answer to these questions, I'm sure, is "yes." There is more to your health and well-being than your body.

When people say "I feel sick," what they usually mean is that something is not quite right with their physical bodies. They usually talk about the negative side of the spectrum--sickness. Rarely do they discuss wellness.

Wellness is positive and empowering. When you examine wellness, you consider your strengths and review what's going right with you. Just the process of reviewing your wellness promotes health and well-being. Let's look further at the difference between wellness and sickness perspectives.

From a wellness perspective we do an asset inventory. From a sickness perspective we do a needs analysis. These approaches differ psychoemotionally and biologically. If you are quiet and still for a while, focusing on and believing in your assets and strengths, your health and well-being are enhanced. Your wellness improves. Why? Because belief becomes biology. The body translates our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and beliefs into a tangible, physico-chemical reality. Negative, degrading, and debilitating thoughts and beliefs produce a set of body hormones and chemicals that feed and foster a negative state of mind. Eventually, if no positive change occurs, physical damage occurs.

On the other hand, positive, uplifting, and inspiring thoughts and beliefs produce a complement of body hormones and chemicals that feed and foster a positive state--that has physical implications different from those of the negative state.

The wellness perspective means doing things to promote your health. These things include appropriate exercise, nutrition, and rest. The sickness perspective means not thinking or being concerned about your health until disease occurs. Then, the focus is on treating just the disease. The wellness perspective means individuals and communities adopt a delayed gratification orientation and assume responsibility for self-disciplined lifestyle behaviors. This adoption means doing the things now (taking care of they body, studying, learning, researching, developing and building positive relationships with each other) that bring positive, favorable, health-promoting results over the long term. It also means avoiding those things (substance abuse, fighting to resolve conflict, laziness) that may bring pleasure in the short term but have implications for pain over the long haul. The sickness perspective means individuals and communities seek the immediate gratification orientation of "eat, drink, hang out and party all night" without discipline. And, if they feel bad or get sick as a result, they can always depend on doctors and hospitals.

Wellness means strength and self-reliance. Sickness means weakness and dependence. People who adopt a wellness philosophy take charge of themselves and, with self discipline, work at enhancing their lives and maintaining their health.

Before anything else, wellness is a philosophy. It is an attitude. It is an approach to life, health, performance, and well-being. Adopting the philosophy first will make it easier to put into practice the principles that follow. If you believe in the philosophy of wellness, you will be more diligent about exercising regularly for 30 to 45 minutes three to four times a week; eating nutritiously (emphasizing fruits and vegetables); and getting adequate rest--six to eight hours of sleep each night.

Don't let being a college student prevent you from taking care of your body. Don't let being young, energetic, and beautiful fool you into thinking you will always be this way without serious self-disciplined behavior. Adopt wellness as a philosophy. Then do something about it. Take action. Follow the principles of wellness. When you do, you'll be closer to realizing your God-given potential. This potential is embodied in the maximal functioning of your spiritual, physical, mental, socioeconomic, and cultural self.

Dr. Therman Evans is an international physician consultant on wellness and a radio talk show host in Philadelphia.