‘Health’ is not merely the absence of disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that health is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Wikipedia defines Health as “the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person’s mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”).”
Optimal health is our goal. This level of wellness means different things to different people as everyone has different goals. I believe that optimal health is a condition in which the body is so finely tuned that it is operating at optimal efficiency and able to perform at the limits of its capacity.
Optimal health also means the ultimate illness or disease prevention. The healthier we are the more resilient we become. We are better able to handle what life throws at us. Improving health is essentially preparing to ‘expect the unexpected’.
There are 3 tenants that must each be addressed in order to achieve optimal health. This is what we have entitled the ‘Healthy Trinity‘.
A triangle is the strongest geometric configuration. The healthy trinity is, obviously, composed of 3 components; each at one of the corners of the triangle. Addressing each of the 3 forms an incredibly strong and stable structure.
The Healthy Trinity is:
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- The 3 R’s: Rest, Recovery from exercise, and Reduction in stress
As we work through medical issues with patients, it becomes apparent that there is generally one (but occasionally two or even all three) area of particular concern. All 3 need to be addressed but the weakest area should be addressed first.
If any of the three are weak then they can disrupt the efficiency of the whole system (our bodies) and result in severe dysfunction. Any one of them can cause disease. In other words, your body can be falling apart if you eat ‘perfectly’ and exercise extensively but are severely over-stressed (not enough sleep, over-training, etc).
