What is Good Health, Part 1Written by Loring A. Windblad
Copyright 2004 by http://www.organicgreens.us and Loring Windblad. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text intact and unchanged except for minor improvements such as misspellings and typos. There is no universally agreed definition of health. Its meaning has changed through ages and in different cultures. The term derives from Anglo-Saxon word "haelth," meaning safe, sound or whole. In medieval times "haelthing" meant "sharing a few drinks with one's friends," having previously meant "hello" and "holiness." In recent decades, health has been taken to mean "the absence of disease." The term "disease" generally refers to a diagnosable physical abnormality while "illness" means personal experience of sickness, or perceived suffering due to a disease. Changing views of health Since mid-1900s, medical practice has been dominated by a biomedical model that focuses more on curing than preventing illness, dividing diseases into categories -- for example, targetting a "cirrhotic liver" or "ischemic heart" for treatment. This method tends to separate physical from psychological or emotional problems, which are sometimes dismissed as "all in head," not meriting medical attention. However, views of health are undergoing radical changes. The absence-of-disease concept is being supplanted by an image of "wellbeing for body, spirit and mind." The emerging biopsychosocial model regards mind and body as an intertwined unit and suggests that people be treated as whole persons, taking into account economic, social and psychological factors. In 1948, World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as a "state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, encompassing ability to achieve full potential, deal with crises and meet environmental challenges." In other words, health -- or wellness, to use a trendy term -- is capacity to undertake physical effort, to live within one's own potential and carry out tasks with vigour and alertness, leaving enough energy for unforeseen emergencies. The more recent Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion goes further, suggesting as fundamentals for health: "peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice and equity." For example, people can't easily stay healthy if they're starving, if air is polluted or during wartime. Today's key buzz words are “disease prevention” and “health promotion”, rather than trying to “treat symptoms of illnesses” (as is practiced by most madical practitioners nowadays) that are largely preventable. Unfortunately, despite lip service, prevention is often a hard sell as it takes both personal and community action. Yet studies show that even a few words of advice from health professionals can often help to prevent disease by motivating people to modify their lifestyle. Many of us are "worried well" Although North Americans have an increasing life expectancy, many worry unduly about health. As U.S. physician Dr. Arthur Barsky writes in his book Worried Sick: "Our sense of physical wellbeing has not kept pace with improvements in our collective health status...there is a pervasive atmosphere of dis-ease." Many feel constantly "out of sorts" -- with vague undiagnosable ailments -- worriedly scrutinizing everyday actions for their health effects. For example, foods may be dubbed "good" (life-prolonging) or "bad" (health-harming) -- instead of being regarded as enjoyable nourishment. Many are confused, even stressed, by trying to keep up with latest medical pronouncements -- eat margarine instead of butter (or not); drink red wine (one glass or two?); take antioxidants, vitamin E (or don't); shun coffee, drink decaff (or what?).
| | Soothing The Itch - Natural Remedies For Itchy SkinWritten by Ololade Franklin
Has your scalp or skin ever been uncomfortably itchy? Do you know someone who has an itchy scalp or itchy skin? Itching can cause extreme misery for sufferer, however many causes of itchiness can be solved with simple remedies. There are many reasons why scalp or skin may be irritated. So before you seek a dermatologist’s help, ask yourself following:1)Are you using a shampoo or shower gel made from detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate? Although these detergents lather wonderfully they can dry your scalp or skin out to point of being extremely itchy. Consider switching to a natural soap-based liquid or bar cleanser, or try making your own cleansers yourself. Natural soaps are much kinder to skin and scalp because they are made from vegetable oils instead of petroleum derivatives. 2)Is your laundry detergent making your skin itch? Laundry detergents are made from harsh cleansers and they are so strong that some of residue may be left on your clothes even after rinse cycle. When you dry your clothes, that laundry detergent residue is left on them. When you wear your clothes laundry detergent residue comes into contact with your skin. As an alternative try a natural laundry powder available at health food stores or make your own soap, grate it, and use it as a natural laundry powder.
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