Health Is the Whole…Body, Mind, and Soul

by Amy Scholten, MPH

You count grams of fat and fiber, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, drink green tea, and jog four times a week. But you spend most of your time at a high stress job, have few close relationships, and feel that your life lacks meaning. The good things that you do for your body may help increase your resistance to stress and illness, but they only reflect part of a much larger picture.

Health is more than having a body that works properly. It includes physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and even occupational/vocational dimensions. When these dimensions are working in harmony, they contribute to a sense of well-being and satisfaction. Donald Tubesing, MDiv, PhD, and Nancy Loving Tubesing, EdD, are pioneers in the field of wellness. In their book, Seeking Your Healthy Balance, they explain that health involves all of you—your mind and emotions, your connections with other people, your sense of hope, your satisfaction with work, as well as your body.

The Six Dimensional Model of Wellness

So how do you take care of your whole self? The National Wellness Institute in Stevens Point, Wisconsin embraces the Six Dimensional Model of Wellness developed in 1979 by Bill Hettler, MD. The chart below, based on Hettler’s model, can provide you with some guidance.

The Six Dimensional Model of Wellness

Category	Development
Physical (Achieving personal fitness and health goals through nutrition, physical activity, safety, and self-care.)	Engage in aerobic exercise at least three times per week, 30 minutes per session. Eat a healthful diet. Stop smoking. Learn to recognize early signs of illness. Get adequate rest and sleep. Use alcohol in moderation, if at all. Use safety precautions whenever possible. For example: Helmets, seat belts Smoke alarms Safe sex practices Observing the speed limit See your health care provider regularly.
Emotional (Maintaining good mental health, a positive attitude, and high self-esteem; responding with resiliency to emotional states and everyday life.)	Spend time with friends and family, discussing important personal concerns, and providing mutual support. Participate in personal growth activities, self-esteem workshops, or support groups. Read a self-help book that interests you. Practice positive thinking.
Spiritual (Getting in touch with your deeper self and the spiritual dimension of your life, developing faith in something larger than yourself, finding meaning and purpose.)	Explore your spiritual core by asking yourself questions such as: Who am I? What is the purpose of (my) life? Look for inspiration from uplifting books, movies, TV, spiritual gatherings, soothing music, nature, beauty, meditation, or prayer. Spend quiet time alone on a regular basis Practice being fully present in the moment. Practice acceptance of self, others, life, and detachment from outcomes. Look for deeper meanings to patterns and problems in your life. Allow yourself to deeply feel grief and pain. Practice appreciating the depth and expanse of life and the universe. Identify your values and beliefs.
Intellectual (Having curiosity and a strong desire to learn; solving problems; thinking independently, creatively and critically.)	Take a class or workshop on a subject that interests you. Seek new experiences on a regular basis (try new foods, travel to new places, learn about new cultures). Read informative literature and watch educational TV. Get involved in a creative project or use your creativity to solve problems. In your spare time, work on puzzles and intellectually challenging games such as Scrabble and chess.
Occupational/vocational (Engaging in or preparing for work in which you will find personal satisfaction and enrichment.)	Identify your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Develop a personal mission and goals. Find ways to learn new skills. Develop new occupational or vocational interests. Find ways to use your strengths in work or avocations that contribute to your enjoyment and need for meaning.

According to the National Wellness Institute, the Six Dimensional Model of Wellness is beneficial for the following reasons:

Human Beings Are Multidimensional

All aspects of a person (body, emotions, thoughts, relationships, beliefs, values, activities) affect his or her functioning as a whole. Further, these individual aspects affect each other. For example, a person who is not utilizing his interests/skills on the job (occupational dimension) may experience boredom and negativity (emotional dimension), a sense of futility (spiritual dimension), which causes others to avoid him (social dimension), which increases his frustration (emotional dimension), leading him to overeat and become obese (physical dimension).

Most Modern Health Threats Are Not Physical

Although we think about health in physical terms, “most health threats today are not physical,” writes Brian Luke Seaward, PhD, in his book Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water: Reflections on Stress and Human Spirituality. “Instead, they are emotional (feeling overwhelmed, bored, worried or guilty) or spiritual (assessing relationships, values and one’s purpose in life).”

Health Is More Than the Absence of Disease

The multidimensional approach is oriented toward maximizing individual potential and functioning. It defines health as balance and complete well-being—being all that you can be—not merely as the absence of symptoms and disease.

Unfortunately, today’s medical care is largely based on a disease model of health. You may be able, however, to find physicians who specialize in integrative medicine,a practice that places the patient, not a disease, in the center, and which pays attention to factors other than only physical dimensions of your health.

Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World

But life can be so busy and complicated these days. Who has the time to address all these dimensions? Many wellness experts suggest numerous opportunities to find more balance. Strategies may include:

Finding Single Activities That Meet Multiple Wellness Needs

For example, taking a daily walk with your spouse and children can fulfill needs for physical activity, emotional bonding, and relationship enhancement. And, if you use the time to discuss ideas and career aspirations, your family walk could also contribute to intellectual and occupational needs.

Clarifying Your Values and Priorities

Take time to know the deepest purposes for which you live, and use them to set goals and make decisions. For example, you may find that you’d prefer more time with your family rather than a bigger paycheck. Don’t wait for a crisis to illuminate what really matters to you.

Identifying Areas Where You Want More Balance

Using your values and the Six Dimensional Model of Wellness, identify your current wellness deficits and develop a few goals that will help you find more balance.

Being Realistic and Flexible

Perfect balance in all dimensions is not possible in an ever-changing world. There will be times when you’re overextended, lonely, angry, and tired. Over the years, you’ll need to make adjustments until you find a balance that enhances your quality of life.

RESOURCES:

National Wellness Institute
http://www.nationalwellness.org

References:

California State University.

Seaward BL. Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water. Health Communications, Inc., 1997.

Tubesing DA, Loving Tubesing, N. Seeking Your Healthy Balance: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Whole Person Well-Being. Whole Person Associates, 1991.