Differences Between Health and Wellness

When was the last time you visited a doctor? And do you recall the reason for the visit? The reason can either be an illness or a routine checkup. But unfortunately, the second reason is often associated with a long-term illness in most cases. This means that most of us don’t avail of healthcare services unless we fall sick. Because healthcare is for those who aren’t healthy enough right? That’s what we were taught from a young age. But now we are seeing a shift in this perspective as our healthcare systems are becoming wellness oriented in every aspect. So, let’s decode the relevance of this new trend with this write-up. 

Health and Wellness – Meaning

Firstly, let’s look into the actual meaning of health and wellness. These terms are often used interchangeably as they seem identical. But still, there is a difference in their meaning and context which needs to be addressed. The World Health Organization has put forward a clear definition of health and it is as follows. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In simple words, health is the state of being the best version of yourself both physically and mentally. A person is considered healthy when they can function and remain in their best form. 

And the National Wellness Institute is defining the term wellness as “an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.” And The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.” So this means health is just the state of being while wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle. And health becomes more attainable when we start focusing on attaining wellness in life. 

What Happens in the Absence of Wellness? 

In simple words, the absence of wellness is slowly but surely pushing you towards an illness in the long run. Unfortunately, the kind of illness you get in the absence of wellness is often permanent and incurable. Perfect examples of this would be lifestyle disorders like Type 2 Diabetes, High Cholesterol, and Hypertension. Even hormonal disorders like PCOS and Hypothyroidism are associated and amplified by the absence of wellness or in other words an unhealthy lifestyle. Basically, an unhealthy lifestyle is more like an unsolicited invitation for lifestyle diseases. So, the only way to manage these diseases/disorders would be to commit to a healthy lifestyle. 

Vital Components of Wellness 

Wellness is certainly not an easy thing to attain. You will have to work towards it and put in conscious efforts in the right direction. So, let’s have a look at the vital components of wellness.

Healthy Eating 

In the context of healthy eating, there’s a famous saying by Ann Wigmore, who was an early advocate of holistic health.”The food you eat can either be the most safest and powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” This saying sums up the importance of healthy eating habits. We need to pay more attention to the food that we consume on a daily basis. It is our essential fuel and it is supposed to be full of nutrients and free from toxins. But nowadays we are harming our bodies by doing the opposite. 

But thankfully we can reverse the effects of unhealthy eating habits by switching to a healthier diet. But this should not be some kind of crash diet that you see on the internet. Each one of us has different nutritional requirements and based on recent studies around 10% of the global population has some kind of food allergy. So, it is important that we cross check our diet plan with a professional, preferably a clinical nutritionist or dietician, to stay on the safe side. 

Healthy lifestyle 

Lifestyle is a combination of all things that we do in our day to day lives. It includes our sleep schedule, physical activity and eating habits. Healthy eating is also a part of a healthy lifestyle. But the part that we often forget is physical activity. Physical inactivity often puts us at a higher risk of lifestyle disorders like obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. And that’s why a healthy lifestyle is a vital component of wellness. This would include incorporating healthy habits to our daily routine which includes drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, regular exercise and managing mental stress. 

Establishment of Wellness Clinics

Our healthcare sector has taken the next step towards wellness as we can see some dedicated wellness clinics promoting this approach for treating lifestyle diseases and hormonal disorders. Let’s have a quick look at some of the top wellness clinics providing quality healthcare services to patients. 

Ginihealth

Ginihealth is one of the most affordable wellness clinics in Mohali and is providing various treatment programs based on the concept of holistic health. They have Dr.Anil Bhansali in their Team who is also one of the best Endocrinologists in the region. He is in charge of their diabetes reversal program and also the first point of contact for patients visiting the health facility for treatment of endocrine disorders like PCOS, Hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism and more. They also have treatment programs for conditions like fatty liver and hypertension. 

All these treatment programs are wellness oriented as they have experienced dietitians and lifestyle coaches in their team to provide specialized care to each patient. Their premises are located at Mohali in Punjab.

Ivy Healthcare 

Ivy Hospital in Mohali is another leading healthcare provider with a wellness-oriented treatment approach. They have many specialties including Endocrinology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Dietetics. Dr. Jasmeet Kaur is the Endocrinologist in charge of providing treatment to conditions like Diabetes, Thyroid disorders, Hypertension and more. Dr. Komal Jain is the clinician dietician to care for the nutrition of the patients by providing specialized diet plans based on their condition.

In the end, I want to say that attaining wellness is not a one-time treatment plan as it calls for continuous and prolonged efforts throughout your life. The healthy habits that are formed as a part of the treatment approach need to be sustained forever for achieving the long-term goal of wellness. Health is the greatest wealth of all and wellness is the investment we make for preserving it till the end.