What We Get Wrong About Health in the Modern World
There are many foundational things we misunderstand about health, especially given our modern climate.
We mistake fake food for real food.
We think going on the treadmill is a substitute for getting fresh air outside and moving our bodies.
And don’t even get me started on sleep.
Look, I get it. Most people are doing the best they can. We’re all trying to navigate an overload of health information available at the touch of our fingertips.
And the crazy, but often confusing, thing about it is that no two health professionals or experts wholeheartedly agree on any one health protocol, or on what leads to a healthy and fulfilling life overall.
This only adds to the complexity and minefield of the health landscape, because, at least if you’re like me, brought up in Western society, on the premise that doctors always know best, then no one even dares to question them, or any health professional for that matter.
If any health issue arises, we go straight to the doctor because, at the end of the day, they’re the ones who have spent years getting their degree. They are the experts.
And while I don’t want to castigate doctors and health professionals, most of them enter into their line of work to genuinely help people, and it goes without saying they are far more qualified than I, it’s fair to say that putting anyone, any health professional, on a pedestal above our own felt experience is naive at best.
As I explored in Facts vs Feelings: Why Our Felt Experience Matters, how we feel is real data. We are the ones who have to live with ourselves. We know how we feel. We know our own bodies.
Why the Current Health System Isn’t Getting to the Root Cause
This is what often happens in the world today: we feel unwell and go to the doctor, because that’s what we’re meant to do, yet get palmed off with the latest medication or drugs, and God knows what else they’re prescribing these days without any real interest in going deeper. Without any consideration for getting to the root cause.
It’s actually not their fault. It’s the system they reside in.
The Chronic Disease Statistics That Should Concern Us All
I think it’s also fair to say that something about the current health system is broken, and we just need to look at the latest stats to back this up, with an estimated 133 million people in the US having at least 1 major chronic disease and at least 46% of adults aged 16 and over in the UK following suit.
Those numbers aren’t good and are only ever increasing.
The 6 Foundations of Holistic Health: What This Guide Covers
This points to, at least in my mind, the fact that we’ve forgotten some foundational health principles, not just individually but as a society. And this is one reason why, at AWMS, we developed The 6 Foundations of Holistic Health: A Simple Guide to Navigating Health and Feeling Better.
As the title suggests, this guide covers six foundational principles that we believe sit at the core of holistic health, all of which we’ve forgotten in today’s landscape.
It includes principles such as why health must come first before anything else.
Spoiler alert:
Because without health, we have nothing.
We may have heard that time and time again, yet our actions demonstrate otherwise. For example, we say our health is the most important thing, yet when it comes to it, we give in to going to that fast food restaurant at 9 pm with a group of friends, passing it off as enjoying life.
And that’s potentially the worst part of it. Covering it up with excuses rather than accepting that health simply isn’t our priority, and that we’d rather fit in socially.
If that’s the case, I don’t blame us. Social pressure and the desire to fit in are very strong motivators. At the end of the day, we’re social creatures and want to fit in with others; we fear being castigated and left outside the group.
This is true no matter what area of life we’re talking about, whether health or anything else. And it’s worth recognising that we are our actions. We become the sum of our actions.
We Are the Sum of Our Actions
If we consistently give in to social pressure whenever it arises, then that’s the type of person we’re going to become and the type of life we’re going to live, one without discipline, self-control, integrity, or courage.
You get the point.
This principle of health first, without health, we have nothing, is just one of six covered in The 6 Foundations of Holistic Health, now available to download for free.
A lot of time, effort, and resources went into developing this guide to help people like you and me begin to navigate health with more ease. As stated, it’s a minefield out there. Time and again, I saw close friends and family growing more frustrated trying to make sense of health information and what they “should” actually be doing.
This guide doesn’t promise miracles, and it doesn’t include specific habits like the optimal number of hours to sleep each night. When we get into the granular details, as you’ll learn in the guide, health is deeply personal; the nuances vary from person to person.
Although on the topic of sleep, prioritising it is important for everyone, the timing, duration, etc., differ between us.
Instead, this guide covers the big ideas to keep in mind when navigating health information, especially online. There’s a lot of dogma and false promises out there. This guide was created to help you navigate that.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together, although it was a little stressful at times. Good stress, though. Hopefully, it serves a unique purpose: helping you, your friends, and your family discover what true health looks and feels like for yourselves, and start feeling better because of it.
I’m always open to feedback. Let me know what you think of the guide by replying to this email. I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to navigating health with more ease and feeling better, so we can truly live our best lives possible. Enjoy.
Key Takeaways on The 6 Foundations of Holistic Health
- Health is Personal: There is no one-size-fits-all solution for health. This guide focuses on foundational principles rather than rigid rules, helping you understand the big ideas so you can find what works specifically for you.
- Trust Your Experience: Modern health advice can be confusing and contradictory. It’s vital to listen to your own body and treat your feelings as real data, rather than placing health professionals on a pedestal above your personal experience.
- Look for the Root Cause: The current health system often treats symptoms with medication instead of addressing the underlying issues. A complete approach encourages you to seek the root cause of any health concerns.
- Actions Define Priorities: Many of us say health is our top priority, but our actions, often driven by social pressure, tell a different story. Your daily choices are what truly shape your health and your life.
FAQs for A Free Guide: The 6 Foundations of Holistic Health
Why is modern health advice so confusing?
You’re not alone in feeling that way. There is a massive amount of health information available, and experts often disagree with one another. This creates a complicated environment where it’s difficult to know what advice to follow. The guide helps you cut through this noise.
What is a major flaw in the current healthcare system?
The system often focuses on treating symptoms with medication rather than digging deeper to find the root cause of an illness. This approach can lead to a cycle of dependency on prescriptions without ever truly resolving the underlying health problem.
What is the core idea behind the ‘6 Foundations of Holistic Health’?
The guide is built around six key principles that have been largely forgotten in modern society. A central theme is that your health must be your absolute first priority, because without it, nothing else matters. It encourages you to align your actions with this priority.
Will this guide tell me exactly what to eat or how long to sleep?
No, it avoids specific, granular advice. Instead, it provides you with the foundational principles to help you make better decisions for yourself. Health is deeply personal, so the guide empowers you to navigate the information and discover what true health looks and feels like for you.
