What is Family Wellness?

It is interesting to me how many definitions of health and wellness are out there.  The definition of health from Dorland's Medical dictionary is "optimal physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmities".  But, ask most people what health and/or wellness means and they'll simply reply:  "Feeling good."

I can point out how often the opposite of "feeling good" actually means that your body is expressing health.  I can also point out how "feeling good" could mean you'll be diagnosed with cancer or heart disease tomorrow.  But, the dismal statistics on how unhealthy the people of our great nation are speaks volumes about simply relying on how you feel to tell you whether you are well or not.

So what does it mean to have optimal physical, mental and social well-being?  Well, first things first-do you have a good wellness chiropractor?  I'm not talking about a chiropractor that just "cracks" you once in awhile, never asks about the spinal health of your family and isn't generally concerned with your ongoing spine and nerve system health.  Folks,there are lots of us out there who are really great people, nice people, but if they aren't telling you about the awful effects of subluxation, they aren't telling you the truth about your health.

Physical well being...are you exercising on a mostly daily basis?  How is your diet?  Are you happy with your weight?  Do you think that ice cream is good for you because there is calcium in the cream?  Are you feeding your children hot dogs with some regularity?  Can you honestly say that you get 5-8 servings of fruits and veggies per day?

Mental well being...are you happy?  Satisfied with your life?  Feel significant in the grand scheme?  Spiritually well?  Sleeping 8 hours per night?  Able to relax and enjoy just being?

Social well being...do you like your spouse?  Do your children behave?  Interact well with others?

This is a short list of the questions that the answers to tell you quite a bit about your overall health-whether you have an ache or pain is just a small, though not insignificant, part of your total health.

Moms and Dads, remember that saying "actions speak louder than words"?  Your children learn how to maintain their health from you.  If you are not working on your health, your children won't either...no matter how much you say "do as I say, not as I do."