My favorite question to ask patients is “What is your definition of health?” I love this question because it really gets people to start thinking about something that maybe they have not thought of before. Without fail, the two most common answers I get are this:
- If I feel good, that means I am healthy.
- If I am not sick then that means I am healthy.
While these answers are common, neither one is actually correct, let’s talk about why.
1) Difference Between Feeling Good & Being Healthy
Is it possible to feel good and be unhealthy at the same time? Really think about this before you move on…The answer is Yes, you can feel absolutely fine, but still be unhealthy.
Did you know that in over 40% of heart disease cases the first sign or symptom the person experiences is dropping dead of a heart attack? AS shocking as this is, think about it, the person had no idea there was a disease process occurring in their body until it was too late.
How about the woman that goes in for a routine mammogram and cancer is discovered? She felt fine and still feels fine but is not healthy.
Can you see how judging your health by how you feel is not safe? On the flip side of this coin, can you feel terrible but still be healthy at the same time?
Have you ever had food poisoning? You may feel terrible but are you sick? You may feel sick, but your body is functioning exactly like it should be because in it’s innate wisdom it realized there was something in the digestive system that should not be there because it can harm you so it orchestrates a combination of diarrhea and vomiting to get it out as quick as possible therefore protecting you from serious illness.
So, can you see that how your body is functioning is way more important than how your body feels?
2) Difference Between Being Healthy vs Being Not Sick
In response to someone who says “If I am not sick then I must be healthy.” Let me ask you this, would you rather be rich or just not poor? Would you rather be really funny or just not boring? You get my point, be healthy vs being just not sick are two totally different experiences.
So what is health then? Dorlands Medical Dictionary defines health as “a condition of optimum physical, social, mental and spiritual well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmities.”
To ensure you are functioning at optimum levels you need all these areas of your life to be in alignment. When it comes to your physical health, that’s where I as your chiropractor come into the equation. To keep your body working at 100% you need to have a spine that is clear of subluxations. When was the last time you had a spinal check-up?
Your Turn
I’d love to hear your answer to the question “What is your definition of health?”, please leave comments below!
