Q: Other important aspects of
healthcare.

Society tends to focus on the purely physical aspect of looking after our health, namely:

avoiding smoking;
minimising caffeine and alcohol intake;
eating a healthy, balanced diet; taking regular exercise and getting regular sleep.

This is part of a general tendency to look at the body as if it were a machine.

The idea is that it will work well, provided it is maintained correctly. Emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our being are often
overlooked, but holistic medicine sees these aspects as inseparable from the physical.

Although all of the suggestions listed above are valid, they can often seem impossible to
someone who feels depressed, under stress or lacking in self-esteem.

Being aware of, and expressing, emotions is vital to health
and well-being. Suppressed emotions will find other ways of expressing themselves,
maybe as an “angry” rash or an ulcer or, more seriously, as apathy and depression.

Negative thoughts can also be very
debilitating.

Fortunately in the past decade or more, many people have realised they can dramatically alter and improve their health and their lives by breaking this cycle of negativity. This involves retraining the
mind (through affirmations, visualisations and various other means) to focus on what can be achieved rather than what can’t.
However, perhaps it is spirituality that is the most neglected aspect of all in modern society.

Being in touch with our spirituality
brings a feeling of connection, of oneness and a sense of purpose.
For some this feeling comes from being a member of an organised religion, for others it comes during quiet moments of meditation or through experience of Nature
and the changing seasons. Expressing creativity through painting , writing , Reading
is another way to experience this
connection.

Allowing time and space for
this to happen, can be deeply life-
enhancing.

By beginning to examine and
work on the emotional, mental and
spiritual aspects of our nature, the well- publicised list of “Dos and Don’ts” relating to our physical well-being may eventually
seem less like an obligation and more like a desirable and natural way of life