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Holistic Health
Evolving Concepts Of Health
Welcome to the definitions of
Holistic Health - The way we define or describe something tells what we are thinking about and
how we are going to achieve it or how important it is to us. So we consider the
different streams of thought about the concept of Health. Health has been a
common theme in most cultures. In fact, all communities have their concepts of
wellbeing, as part of their culture.
Modern medicine is often accused
for its preoccupation with the study of disease, and neglect of the study of
health. Consequently the ignorance about health continues as for example the
determinants of health are not yet clear; the current definitions of health are
elusive and there is no single yardstick to measure health.
However during the past few
decades, there has been a reawakening that health is a fundamental right and a
world wide social goal. It is essential to the satisfaction of basic human needs
and to an improved quality of life. In 1977, the 30th World Health Assembly
decided that the main social target of the governments and WHO in the coming
decade should be "Health For All". With the adoption of health as an integral
part of socio-economic development by the United Nations in 1979.
The Changing And Evolving Concepts
Of Health:
An understanding of health is the basis of all health care. New concept of
health is bound to emerge based on advance patterns of thought. Health has
evolved over the centuries as a concept from an individual concern to a world
wide social goal and encompasses the whole quality of life. The brief account of
the changing concepts of health is given below:
-
Biomedical Concept: Health is
viewed as the absence of disease. This Biomedical concept has the basis in 'Germ
Theory of Disease' that dominated medical thought at the turn of 20th century.
The medical profession viewed the human body as a machine, disease as the
breakdown of machine and oneself as the mechanic. This concept has minimized
the role of environmental, social, psychological and cultural determinants of
health. So it was found inadequate to solve some of major health problems as
malnutrition, accidents, drug abuse, mental illnesses, environmental pollution
etc.
-
Ecological Concept: This view
considers
health as the dynamic equilibrium between man and his environment, and disease
as a maladjustment of the human organism to environment. Human ecological and
cultural adaptations do determine not only the occurrence of disease but also
the availability of food and the population explosion. This concept raised two
issues - imperfect man and imperfect environment.
-
Psychosocial Concepts:
Contemporary developments in social sciences revealed that health is
influenced by social, psychological, cultural, economic and political factors
of the people concerned. These factors must be considered in defining and
measuring health. Thus health is both a biological and social phenomenon.
-
Holistic Concept: The holistic
model is a synthesis of all the above concepts. It recognizes the strength of
social, economic, political and environmental influences on health. It is
described as the unified or multidimensional process involving the well being
of the whole person in the context of his environment. This view corresponds
to the one held by Ancients. The emphasis is on the promotion and protection
of the health.
Definitions Of Health:
Most of us
will find to define health as difficult but we would be confident of its
meaning. Some of the definitions are:
-
'The condition of being sound
in body, mind or spirit esp. freedom from disease or pain.' (Webster English
Dictionary)
-
'Soundness of body and mind;
the condition in which its functions are duly and efficiently discharged.'
(Oxford English Dictionary)
-
'A condition or quality of the
human organism expressing the adequate functioning of the organism expressing
the adequate functioning of the organism in the given conditions, genetic or
environmental.' (WHO - 1957, Techn. Rep. Ser. NO. 137)
-
'A modus vivendi
enabling imperfect man to achieve a rewarding and not too painful existence
while they cope with an imperfect world.' (Dubos, R. 1968; Man, Medicine And
Environment)
-
'A state of relative
equilibrium of body form and function which results from its successful
dynamic adjustment to forces tending to disturb it. It is not passive
interplay between body substance and forces impinging upon it but an active
response of body forces working toward readjustment.' (Perkins)
WHO Defining Health:
The widely
accepted definition of health is given by WHO in 1948 in the introduction of its
constitution.
'Health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely an absence of disease or
infirmity.'
Ayurveda Defining Holistic Health:
Sushruta, the father of Indian Surgery defined health in Sushruta
Samhita.
"When bodily humors are in dynamic
equilibrium, the metabolic process are in dynamic equilibrium, all the tissues
are functioning in harmony, all the excretory material is expelled out
adequately and the soul and the ten sense organs and the mind is happy is the
perfect state of health." (Sushruta Samhita, Sutra section, Ch. 15: 44)
This description emphasize the
biological, metabolic, seasonal, social, mental, spiritual, social, dietary and
environmental dimensions of holistic health. It is neither too broad and nor too narrow
to cover any aspect of health.
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The
Overview Of Holistic Health
Holistic Health - Two Basic Approaches To Understand & Live Life
Holistic
Holistic
Health - The Relevance Of Holy Trinity In Medicine
Holistic
Health - The Two States Of Nature With 24 Principles
Holistic
Health - Sharing Doubts, Concerns & FAQ's
Understanding
The Foundational
Role Of Health In Life
Four
Lifestyle Paradigms Of Ayurveda For Holistic Health
Evolving
Concepts Of Holistic Health In Medicine
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Holistic Health
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