What does Optimum Health mean?
by Betty Louise
Optimum: point at which condition, degree or amount of something is most favorableHealth: physical and mental well being, freedom from disease, pain or defect
Here you find the dictionary perspective on Optimum health. The question is, when is it measured...over a lifetime, year, month or everyday?
Depending on where you live in the world and the practice of medicine that you rely on for your health, many more perspectives are available. In Ayurvedic medicine, optimum health is assessed by the balance of the doshas (basic elements of nature such as water, fire, and earth). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, optimum health is seen through the internal and external harmonies present for an individual. Chiropractic medicine looks at how well the musculoskeletal system interacts with the nervous system. In Naturopathic medicine, the ability for the body's innate capacity to recover from illness or injury determines where your optimum health is evaluated. What I know to be true is that the only perspective that matters is YOUR view and definition of optimum health.
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis over 20 years ago and have attended numerous seminars and workshops to learn pain management skills over that time. One particular class included partners of those with chronic conditions and so my husband came with me. The therapist running the class began by asking "Who is the ill person or IP?" I felt my entire body tighten up as I have never thought of myself as an ill person. I am a healthy person with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Optimum health begins first with how we see ourselves. If I were to spend the rest of my life thinking that I am an ill person (RA is considered a progressive condition based on western medicine standards), how could I ever achieve a sense optimum health? I propose that optimum health is a state of being which varies on a day to day basis, and is unique to each of us. Our thoughts and words guide our bodies into feeling the state of optimum health. When have you felt optimum health in your life?
Below find two approaches to defining optimum health for yourself.
Wheel of Life: The wheel of life is a tool which has been around forever showing the balance in eight different aspects of a person's life. It is scored by determining your satisfaction of each different area of your life shown. The center of the circle represents 0 (not at all satisfied) and the outer edge represents 10 (extremely satisfied). Score each area from zero to ten and draw an arc across that wedge representing your satisfaction level. For example, I am generally satisfied with my personal growth, so I would draw an arc in the personal growth wedge to represent a seven. This is an intuitive process so take the first number that comes to mind. Date your findings and do this exercise again in a month. Now ask yourself: What stories am I telling myself in the areas that are working well...what stories in the areas that are less satisfying?.
This tool can help you determine where you are in good health in your life (maybe you have fabulous relationships...that is an aspect of optimum health), and where you would be served to focus awareness on a certain aspect of your life to increase health (maybe you have a low score on fun and recreation). What does your wheel of life tell you about your optimum health today?
Core values: Looking at your health through the view of what is unique and essential to you in the area of values can be very beneficial. It allows you to find health in your life no matter what is happening with your body. To begin to uncover your core values, take a moment to get quiet with yourself. Imagine a time in your life when it was poignant and sweet...what is the situation, who is there, where are you? Then write down what you can identify in terms of values present during this peak moment. For example if a peak moment was graduating from college and your family and friends surrounding you with support, you might value accomplishment, productivity, relationships/family/close friends. Those are important values for you to honor in your life or you will not be living the optimum life that is possible for you. Core values are what need to met for us so that we can live fulfilled and satisfied lives. Take a moment to see how well you are honoring those values which are critical to you, (should I include in here something about the 1-10 scale???) and you will have another clue into how you can achieve more optimum health for yourself.
How we hold and measure optimum health is a choice. It is uniquely ours. There are many perspectives and pathways in to assessing your health. I invite you at the end of each day to assess the most favorable point of optimum health for that day. As your list of positive health grows...then create a thought pattern of how you hold your health around those moments. See how your definition of optimum health can create the perspective which brings you greater health and well being.
