Pausing For Health: A Prescription For A Better Life

Health Education

Professor Bill J. Moore

May 13, 2018

 Pausing for Health: A Prescription for A Better Life

Have you ever been so busy that you could of swore you just woke up even though it was

time to go to bed? There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must pause to take a

self-evaluation. This is how we grow and learn to be better. There has been limited time for my

own self-evaluation until a recent car accident made me pause from life’s busy schedule. This

bump from the back not only stopped my car, it stopped me and made me look deeper into my

health. Self inventory and creating a prescription for our health is a way to create holistic

wellness and longevity.

Self-Assessment

Self-assessment requires a honest and difficult look at yourself. Self-assessment tools

are useful to help you maintain an impartial evaluation. After taking the health assessment, I

wasn’t surprised at my very low physical health score. I am currently obese and do not have a

regular exercise routine. There is constant radiating pain on my left side with a higher level of

pain towards the back. My emotional and spiritual scores were high but that would have been

different a month ago. I would spend a lot of time focusing on negative self talk and neglecting

my spirituality and emotional needs. Eating feels good to me and fills a void. I have recently

been evaluating who I am and how I fit in this world after I was unable to work. I have started

looking at myself for happiness and not looking at others to fulfill my needs. This is a recent

revelation and work is still needed within those dimensions of health.

Self Improvement

Improvement of my self assessment score should be primarily focused on my physical

health which is where I need the most improvement. My physical health is also related to my
emotional and spiritual well-being since I eat for a feeling not nutrition. I would like to write

down what and why I eat. How am I feeling during eating and what are my triggers? Having a

diary can lead to evaluation and healing. I would increase my physical exercise by 30 minutes a

day. I would obtain a dietician consult to improve my eating habits and promote healthy habits

leading to weight loss and maintenance. I would love to explore Overeater Anonymous which

focuses on the deeper reasons that we overeat through a 12 step program. Finding

extracurricular activities outside of household responsibilities that I enjoy will help with

emotional and spiritual stability.

The Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy life choices lead to better outcomes for the individual and the world by

incorporating all six dimensions of health. Healthy choices can lead to decrease financial

burden. Unhealthy choices increase indirect financial expenditures with half of the cost covered

by medicare and medical (Donatelle, 2015 ). Making health choice can decreases the risk of

diseases. This can be influenced through individual behavior, genetics, social determinants,

economics, health policies, disparities and the environment (Donatelle, 2015 ).

The Physical Health Goal

Obesity can be an impediment to a healthy lifestyle and can increase joint pain. My

physical healthcare goal would be to lose 50 lbs within the next five months.​ Increased physical

activity decreases obesity therefore exercising with brisk walking 30 minutes a day would be

included to achieve my goal. Bone density can be negatively impacted and therefore increase

back problems,osteoarthritis, and joint disorders (Rose, Lange, Neis, 2004). Benefits of walking

can improve overall wellness and have a positive influence on the physical dimensions of health.
The Nutritional Goal

Maintaining physical health requires a healthy dietary regime. My goal would be to

create and maintain a healthy eating plan as directed by my dietitian for the next five months. I

will participate in my plan of care with my dietitian and discuss healthy choices and alternatives

to my current meal plan. I would like to eliminate refined sugars in my diet. This is essential to

improvement in my health. In a research study done among low income African Americans

women, there was a significant positive correlation in participating in a four month nutritional

program and decreased weight loss ( Klassen, Garrett-Mayer, Houts, Shanker, & Torio , 2008).

The women participated in a four month nutritional program that increased the dietary intake of

fruit and vegetables. Food affects the physical, mental, and social aspects of the dimensions of

health.

The Emotional and Spiritual Health Goals

Emotions and Spirituality are two interactive dimensions of health. I believe they work

together to create positivity. Emotional health can lead to an overall healthy and fulfilled life.

My health goal would be to express my emotions through healthy outlets and not by overeating.

Spirituality is essential to maintaining my inner strength and perseverance to achieve my goals of

healthy expression since, “ spirituality is associated with positive health outcomes for

women”(Musgrave, Easley , & Gregory, 2002). Spirituality gives an individual a deeper

meaning to life (Donatelle, 2015).

Conclusion

Taking a pause for introspection while creating a prescription for health is an intimate

and individual experience. Exposing need for improvement without a prescription for action and
goals is futile. Focusing on my three goals will lead to a better quality of life for me and

everyone around me. Our health is what gives us quality of life and makes living great since

“without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of

death”(Buddha, n.d.).
 References

Buddha (n.d). Retrieved 13 May 2018 from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/buddha

Donatelle, R. (2015). ​Health: The Basics Package & Mastering Health. ​Boston, MA:

Pearson Education

Klassen, A. C., Garrett-Mayer, E., Houts, P. S., Shankar, S., & Torio, C. M. (2008). The

relationship of body size to participation and success in a fruits and vegetables intervention

among low-income women.​ Journal of Community Health, 33​(2), 78-89. doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10900-007-9072-6

Musgrave, C. F., Easley A. C., and Gregory J. A. "Spirituality and

Health for Women of Color."​​ American Journal of Public Health​, vol. 92, no. 4, 2002, pp.

557-60​​. ProQuest​, https://login.ezp.pasadena.edu/login? url=https:// search.

proquest.com /docview/215100988?accountid=28371.

Rose M (Schliska) Lange, & Nies, M. A. (2004). Benefits of walking for obese women in

the prevention of bone and joint disorders.​ Orthopaedic Nursing, 23​(3), 211-5. Retrieved from

https://login.ezp.pasadena.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/195963272?accou

ntid=28371