Adding Life to Years!

Wellness is a hot contemporary worldwide trend nowadays. Everywhere you look you will see the evidence: wellness centres are rapidly springing up in hospitals, clinics, and fitness centres; medical spas and wellness spas are on the rise; wellness coaching is a hot new field; wellness and body-mind-spirit health is omnipresent in magazines; and “wellness” is now a common name for a myriad of health products, from vitamins to pet foods.

Health and wellness are not synonyms. Health simply refers to a physical body being free from diseases, but wellness is an overall balance of your physical, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental, occupational well-being. Wellness is a lifestyle and is not an end to be achieved. Wellness means that one strives for balance throughout his whole life. On the other hand, health would be that a person wants to lose weight and lower blood pressure. Once he does this, he is considered a heal.

This concept is not new or is not an outcome of modern medical science research; the concept was prevailing in many ancient human societies. Even, India is the home of yoga and meditation as well as the system of medicine known as Ayurveda, which sounds the same voice

Many works of literature, thoughts placed a great emphasis on lifestyle to maintain this balance throughout one’s life – diet, exercise, proper sleep, moderation in all things, ethical behaviour, promotion of positive thoughts and emotions, and the importance of one’s spiritual nature, through prayer and meditation. All focused on the whole person – understanding that good health encompasses a balance in body, mind, and spirit. These were the original systems of holistic medicine on the planet.

The principles of these ancient holistic systems of medicine are playing a big role in the emerging wellness movement today. Wellness, as a luxury pursuit, is found obviously in the more affluent societies because it involves managing the body state after the basic needs of food, shelter and basic medical care have already been met.

Adopting this concept by government or civic bodies as public health program can be a costly affair and many countries/organizations cannot afford to implement. However, it would be worth spending as it will add years to life as well as life to years and over the long term would reduce overall healthcare costs.

This well-practiced old-time concept can serve mankind in an effective & economical manner if it is adopted and practiced by present medical practitioners and establishments for overall benefits to society at large instead of turning hospitals, spa centres & wellness centres into money-making shops.