Dr. Weil’s 5 Pillars of Good Health
I came across a very short video listing the 5 factors that Dr. Andrew Weil considers most important to creating and maintaining good health, and I thought I would share it with you.
If you are unfamiliar with Dr. Weil, I highly recommend checking him out. He is a Harvard educated doctor, the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, and a renowned healthy lifestyle expert.
His website www.drweil.com is a terrific resource for a wealth of knowledge about healthy eating, healthy aging, and so much more.
The 5 Pillars of Good Health…
1. Eating Right
Eating well is the first pillar of health, and for good reason. The way that we eat affects every other aspect of our health: weight, disease, sleep, energy, aging, and more. I say it a lot, but truly food is the very best medicine. Everything that you take into your body will affect it, so why not eat well? Also, Dr. Weil and I are in agreement that eating right should be delicious and does not have to be boring.
2. Physical activity
Our bodies were designed for movement, not for sitting on a couch and watching the television for hours on end. We are meant to be active. Dr. Weil emphasizes another point that I love; physical activity does not just have to mean exercising. Walk more, take the stairs, go hiking, swim, take a bike ride, or just dance your heart out to your favorite songs. Activity benefits your body in so many ways, both physically and mentally.
3. Neutralize Stress
Daily stress is something that you may just take for granted, but you shouldn’t. While everyone will experience some stress from time to time, ongoing stress can lead to both physical and emotional distress. Chronic stress is a contributing factor to heart disease, strokes, weight changes, insomnia, migraines, anxiety, anger, and depression. If you are experiencing chronic stress, seek help or look for resources to help you learn how to manage it.
4. Social connectivity
We live in a time that is filled with “artificial” interactions – texting, sending emails, or even spending time on social networking sites. While these may be easy ways to keep in touch, they should not be a substitute for real interaction. Relationships are a necessary part of maintaining happiness. Try and schedule real quality time with those you love.
5. Spiritual well-being
In this sense, spiritual does not have to mean the same thing as religious, although it may for you. Spiritual health is about finding meaning and purpose in life and engaging in things that make you happy and fulfilled in the deepest core of who you are. Some of Dr. Weil’s suggestions are having fresh flowers in your house, reading inspirational literature, spending time in nature, and engaging with people who make you feel elevated.
What do you think of the 5 pillars of good health? Is there anything that you would add? I would love to hear from you.
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Bill Kettley
Excellent review by this eminent physician. This is an example of “Being efficient is to do the right job, to be effective is to do the right job right.” You have done so with this email. Thanks!!
Bill Kettley
Marisa
Thank you! I think that Dr. Weil really encompassed the most important aspects of healthy living with these 5 pillars.
Dhammika
He has covered almost all aspects,but need to consider individual concerns.His approach is excellent.Stay active, be content ,eat natural,etc. Thank you.
Judy Szabo
Dr. Weil has covered the true basics of living – I’d like to add:
Animals can and do lower stress – a loving dog is a real joy. He bounds to greet you on arrival home and licks your hand and is delighted to have a ball game at any time A furry cat is healing and very stress releasing – just stroke her fur and hear her purr and a new dimension opens up -really handles stress wonderfully, and makes you feel loved and appreciated..
Marisa
I couldn’t agree more! Pets are great for stress relief and emotional well-being. My dog has been a great comfort to me and brought me endless joy.