Checklists for Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Health.
By Mary Kurus
Are you Healthy?
Be Your Own Best Advisor
In today's busy world, people are rushing around with complex schedules, a variety of activities, leading to long days. In many homes both spouses need to work to support themselves and their family and time is limited for personal relationships and for health. Children are having to take on additional responsibilities to look after aging parents. There is so much discussion about health care systems and yet people are complaining about not feeling well even though their physicians tell them they are healthy.
How do we know if we are healthy, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The following are checklists to use for a quick review of your personal health. These symptoms are the signals or signposts that something is wrong. We need to learn to listen to our bodies, minds, emotions and spirit.
Checklists are effective to use when preparing to see a physician or alternative health practitioner. How often have we gone to visit a physician or health practitioner and forgotten to ask the questions we wanted to ask. How often have we forgotten to tell the physician about symptoms which are making us uncomfortable. It is important to prepare for these visits, to identify clearly which symptoms we are experiencing, and to prepare a list of questions we want to ask the practitioner. Don't be brushed aside and don't let a practitioner rush us out of their office. We have the right to have clear answers to our questions, even if the answer is: "I don't know". Ask, ask more questions, and then ask more questions again. In doing this we will be taking the first steps to take charge of our health.
The Symptoms of Physical Illness
The following is a list of physical symptoms which in either mild, medium or high levels can indicate to an individual that something is not right. We need to learn to listen to our bodies and respect the signals our bodies are giving us. Do not allow physicians or practitioners to dismiss you or your symptoms and do not dismiss them yourself. You are entitled to a thorough analysis and to answers. Sometimes the answer will be "we don't know". What is important is that you understand they don't know what to do or how to eliminate your illness.
So often the physician or practitioner dismisses symptoms. Many times we ourselves dismiss our symptoms until they become quite serious. At times when physicians don't know how to assess different symptoms they label them as psychosomatic, or, if you're a woman, the common excuse is that it's PMS or menopause. Some of these symptoms are indicators of emotional, mental or spiritual difficulties and only indicate that your physical body is telling you that something is wrong elsewhere. Have fun checking the status of your health.
Physical Symptoms
Symptoms of Emotional Illness
It is important to note that the following emotional symptoms can have many causes. Some of these symptoms are the direct result of physical problems. For example, food allergies or food sensitivities can create emotional difficulties. Low levels of certain minerals, vitamins and hormones can create emotional illness. Recent research has shown that low levels of magnesium can cause depression and Attention Deficit Disorder in children. It is not possible for technology to test accurately for a magnesium deficiency since only one percent of magnesium is in an individuals blood, the balance being in their intercellular matter. Children are prescribed Ritalin and Prozac when they may be suffering from a magnesium deficiency.
Emotional, physical and sexual abuse which occurred many years prior can easily trigger emotional symptoms many years after the abuse took place. If the abuse was repressed the memories remain in the body creating havoc with an individual's emotional life.
Our emotions are complex responses which are sensitive to physical, mental, environmental, relational and spiritual stimuli. Often there is a sense of shame attached to the experiencing of emotional difficulties. There is often a social stigma attached to emotional difficulties which causes many to either avoid looking at their emotional symptoms or to hide the emotions they are experiencing.
Emotional Symptoms
Symptoms of Mental Illness
The negative social stigma attached today to mental illness indicates how fearful and how lacking in knowledge we are of mental illness. Perhaps this is because we know so little about these imbalances and seeing or knowing individuals who have mental or emotional difficulties make us feel helpless and afraid. People who are mentally ill are often out of control.
Those who have received treatment for mental problems from a psychiatrist or a therapist usually keep it a secret. They are concerned that people will think poorly of them. They believe that their promotional opportunities at their workplace will be limited if people knew. People might think they are unstable and unreliable. Others fear social isolation if their need for emotional therapy is known. It's deemed to be a weakness to have a mental disorder, something to be ashamed of. But it's quite normal and part of the human condition to need help at certain times in life. Why do we associate shame with mental illness?
It is amazing in Canada and the United States to see the number of homeless people, on the street, who are mentally ill. In the 1970s and 80s it became fashionable to close the majority of institutions for the mentally ill and to place these individuals on welfare. If they are not on the streets they are usually living in boarding houses. They cannot remember when to take their medications properly and they get sicker. The food they can afford is not the healthiest of food. They need a certain level of assistance for their basic needs. There are many symptoms for mental illness in varying degrees of severity . The following are illustrative symptoms of mental illness.
Mental Symptoms
Symptoms of Spiritual Illness
Spirituality is defined as the direct and personal relationship which we have with a Cosmic or Universal power. This presupposes that the majority of human beings believe in a power greater than themselves. Albert Einstein the genius mathematician and scientist had a profound believe in a Cosmic power which created and constantly energizes this universe. So many other great men had similar beliefs. One needs only to see a miracle of a newborn child or the miracles of nature to see the existence of a Universal power. It's difficult for me to imagine how anyone cannot believe in a Cosmic power.
Believing is only part of spirituality. Living ones spiritual beliefs in the essence of spirituality. Therefore the symptoms of difficulties with spirituality are centered on the integration of spirituality in all aspects of an individuals life. The following are key indicators of difficulties in our spiritual lives.
Symptoms of Spiritual Illness
Each one of us has the power to become a highly energized healthy human being. But first we need to become our own best friend and to become healthy in our bodies, minds, emotions and spirit. Once we have accomplished this, we will have the energy and strength to make that important difference, and to make the world a little better for everyone each day.
Using the Checklists of Symptoms
Sit down quietly and tick off the symptoms which you are experiencing on a regular basis. Think about these symptoms as you read these pages. Think carefully about your living habits, your emotions and your concerns regarding your health. At the end of these pages come back to this section and revisit your list of symptoms. You will need to develop a plan of action for yourself or seek the help of your physician and alternative therapist to help you make this assessment and to develop a personal plan of action. You can become physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually healthy.
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