Unit 9 Project

Unit 9 Project

Introduction

In America today, there is a growing frustration with health care.  Health care reform, as it is, may fail to evolve medicine into an integrative process. In the very near future, every American must have health insurance or pay a penalty.  This means that many Americans are faced with the decision to choose whether or not they will participate in their own health.  The current American healthcare system is flawed for lack of a better term.  Americans continue to view Western medicine as the singular authority for their health and well being.  Many Americans view illness as something that happens to them, something that is out of their control.  They view themselves as the victims of their own fate when in actuality this is farthest from the truth.  Every American is capable of changing their view on health.  That is why it is important for a health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically.  The practitioner is the key to the healing process.  If we are to take on the healing roles and responsibilities for the patients we touch, it is vital that we go beyond “book learning” and explore all of the facets of our lives; the psychological, spiritual and physical.  We must not only believe in what we are teaching our patients, but we must live by it each and every day.  It should become a way of life for us, as the practitioner. 

The areas that I need to develop as a professional in integral health and wellness include mindfulness, and nutrition.  I have mentioned these two aspects of integral health in previous blogs, and discussion boards.  They are my areas of weakness.  However, in the following paragraphs, I will discuss my own assessment, goal development, practices for personal health, and commitment. 

Assessment

Dacher explains in his book there are six principles to integral assessment.  The first one is to alleviate needless suffering and promote human flourishing.  The second principle is making a distinction between short term relief of needless suffering and permanent relief.  The third is integral health recognizes the distinction between immediate pleasure and long term.  The fourth principle states that psycho spiritual development is essential for integral health.  The fifth principle states that integral health relies on deep listening and guidance.  Lastly, the integral assessment addresses the lines of development that are relevant to the circumstance (Dacher, 2006). In my psychospiritual flourishing, I need work in certain areas.  Dacher explains that conative refers to the source and character of our motivations.  Most of my motivation is by survival needs.  Truthfully, I rise in the morning because of survival needs.  I must feed myself, my children, and animals.  This is instinctual.  I feel I am weak in the area of spiritual, wholeness, and oneness.  I am not certain of the motivation of my current actions, but I can state that they lack a loving kindness and compassion quality. This is an area that I must work on.  My cognitive level may be slightly stronger.  I tend to reason seeking a larger truth.  I am not as reactive as I once was.  My knowledge is predominantly acquired through logic and reason.  Emotional development is the last aspect of psychospiritual flourishing.  I feel that I have gained some strength in this area with age.  My emotional life is no longer dominated by my uncontrolled desires, anger, fear, and insecurities.  I regress every now and then.  However, I seem to be able to obtain a more neutral state in my emotional life as I age. 

I assess my physical health to be relatively good.  On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the best, and zero being the worse, I rate my nutrition as a six.  I do refrain from certain foods I know are not good for me.  I do not drink soda, or if I do, I consume it very rarely.  I do not eat a lot of red meats.  I have incorporated nuts, beans, and vegetables into my daily diet.  I do not eat out a great deal, but cook for myself and my children.  I also drink a lot of water.  I have a water cooler at home, and drink from that.  I love the taste of the water, and find it easy to stick to drinking since I enjoy the taste. I rate my level of fitness of six to seven.  I have been physically active ever since I was a child.  I have always incorporated physical activity into my days.  I enjoy physical activity, and have entered many challenging races, such as half marathons, marathons and triathlons.  However, I tend to “stick” with what I enjoy.  I tend to stay away from activities I do not enjoy, such as weight training.  This is an activity everybody should engage in with age.  However, I simply do not enjoy the activity.  Another aspect I incorporate into my physical health is ingesting fish oil, vitamin C, and a multivitamin.  I feel this is a preventative health measure and believe it has kept me from getting a cold or flu. 

My interpersonal flourishing is an area that requires some work.  I feel I am beginning to have a personal relationship with myself.  Ever since I divorced, I am beginning to enjoy my own company. I am beginning to realize there was no reason to ever not like myself.  Therefore, the relationship with me has been improving since I have been single.  My relationship with my sons is also improving in some ways.  I feel I am a source of comfort and rest for them.  This is something I wanted them to have since divorcing.  There was a great deal of arguing in the home, which is not a healthy environment.  Since my divorce, that is no longer an issue, and I am proud of being able to provide that.  I would like to focus more on my work/career and valuing it more as a meaningful part of my life, rather than simply survival.  This is important to me because I find that my sons will be out of the home someday, and I would like to find meaning in something other than their well being.  I am a giving person, and find much fulfillment in helping others.  If I am to do that in my work, that would be of tremendous value to me. 

Goal Development

1.      My goal for the spiritual aspect of my life would include to end the needless suffering in my mind, and to promote health and spiritual flourishing. 

2.      My goal for the physical aspect of my life would include having greater mindfulness as to what I am putting into my body.  The ultimate goal would be to attain a greater level of physical health by incorporating healthy food choices into my daily life.

3.      My goal for the psychological aspect of my life would include having meaning and fulfillment in my service or career. 

Practices for Personal Health

I will begin with my first goal the spiritual aspect of my life.  I continue to suffer needlessly by the negative thoughts in my mind.  I firmly believe that this needless suffering is preventing me the opportunity to gain health, happiness and wholeness.  The first strategy I would incorporate is daily practice of psycho spiritual health.  I can do this by first practicing loving kindness and then subtle mind.  As I practice loving kindness, I will begin to notice that it will take the focus off of my incessant chatter about “me” in my mind.  I will soon begin to focus on others, and how I can help them.  Secondly, practicing a subtle mind, I will be a witness to my thoughts.  If I practice this on a daily basis, I can witness these thoughts, acknowledge them, and practice into a calm abiding mind.  I believe if I could begin these two practices a few minutes every day, it will soon become a habit for me, and will lead me to better holistic health. I would like to practice these two methods first thing upon rising in the morning.

The strategies I will implement for the physical aspect of my life are perhaps more challenging.  Our physical bodies are our temples.  We must care for them on the outside if they are going to flourish.  The first strategy I would like to incorporate is to change my mind set about food.  If I remember or contemplate on my physical body as a temple or something sacred, then I believe I would be able to place more healthy food into my body.  If I contemplate that I care for my physical body by physical activity, then I should feed and water my body with nourishing foods.  It is as simple, yet as difficult as that.  The second strategy I would implement includes keeping a food journal.  I believe if I begin to write down what I put in my mouth in a twenty four hour day, then I will begin to be more aware of what I am doing to my body.  I also feel that allowing one day of indulgement may be beneficial and not deprive me of foods I love.

The strategies I would like to incorporate for the psychological aspect of my life are probably the most important to me.  Relationships with ourselves and others have the greatest impact on our health (Dacher, 2006).  Relationships can be either toxic or bountiful.  Love does not at first mean merging, and surrendering to another person, rather it is a high inducement for the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to become world in himself for another’s sake (Dacher, 2006). I feel that is a profound statement, and one of which I truly believe in.  When we engage in an intimate relationship with another, we should not surrender part of who we are, but rather aspire to be even better.  Two strategies I would like to incorporate into the psychological aspect of my life include finishing up my bachelors degree in Nursing.  I suppose it could be considered a goal, however, I look at it as a strategy to better serve others in this world.  The second strategy I incorporate would be to re-evaluate my current job.  Perhaps, I simply need to change my attitude regarding my job as a healthcoach for a health and wellness company.  Perhaps it will be time to search for a career for which I will reach great fulfillment in helping others. 

Commitment

As a professional in health and wellness, I will need to remind myself and patients about principles of success.  One strategy I will implement is saving this document, and coming back to it on a quarterly basis or monthly basis.  I could also print out this document and keep it close at hand, reading and reflecting upon it on a monthly basis. If I wish to incorporate integral health in others, I must incorporate integral health in myself.  I cannot expect from others what I don’t expect or commit myself to.  Other strategies I will use include having integrity, optimism, and a positive attitude.  I believe those three qualities are essential when committing to a goal. 

 

            Reference

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA:  Basic Health Publications, Inc.