Integral
Health Assessment Final Project
Vernita
Myers
Kaplan
University
HW420
Dr.
D.
May
26, 2014
As
an aspiring health and wellness professional I cannot preach what I
do not practice. I must lead by example. I lack credibility if I talk
about the virtues of proper nutrition and regular exercise if I am
modeling the opposite behavior. I need to be psychologically and
spiritually healthy because all aspects of health are intertwined.
What good is a physically fit body if I get a stroke due to poor
stress management? How can I be psychologically healthy if I am in
spiritual distress?
Unfortunately,
due to a series of events that I have very little control over, I
feel myself backsliding. In the unit three assessment I rated my
physical health at a seven with a goal of eight. I feel that I have
fallen to a five or six. I believe that the mental and emotional
stress I have been under has caused me to suffer near-constant acute
pain, which has forced me to limit my strength training routine. I
have also had to reduce the duration and intensity of my
cardiovascular routine as I lack full range of motion. My nutrition
has similarly decreased. I unexpectedly have more mouths to feed
without having the corresponding resources to accomplish the task.
This means that I am sometimes forced to choose between quality and
quantity.
Previously,
I rated my spiritual well-being at a six. I hope that I am at least
holding steady, but I am not so sure. This lack of certainty comes
from the serious emotional and mental strain I have been under. My
goals for regular church attendance and prayer meetings are under
scrutiny. As a foster care provider for my niece and nephew, I have
been told that I do not have the right nor permission to take the
children to church. I also cannot leave the children unattended even
though my niece is sixteen. This means that if my sister chooses to
continue to lash out at her family, she can effectively prevent me
from attending church. I will be forced to find another way to meet
my spiritual needs. This has been a source of distress for me.
It
is not my intention to continue to sound negative, but in the
interest of an honest assessment I must say that my psychological
health is also slipping. I am trying to meditate and still my mind,
but I find the exercises harder to do each day. I am a single parent
who is trying to blend my sister’s children into my household. This
is something I do regularly, and would not be a source of great
concern, but for the fact that the process for becoming a foster
parent is intrusive and emotionally painful. Due to the sheer number
of meetings, therapy appointments, inspections, court dates, and
paperwork, many of my previously healthy practices have fallen to the
wayside.
Now
for the positive, I have this opportunity to truly choose this task
that is before me. I know the sacrifices that it involves. However,
my health cannot be one of those sacrifices. So here is my plan of
action. I have been engaging in deep breathing whenever I feel acute
stress or pain. This is not quite to the level of mindful meditation
however; I must get control over my body and emotions before I can
proceed much further. I have begun to slowly improve, and during my
break between classes I intend to revisit all of the mindful
meditation and loving-kindness exercises. I also intend to take a
timeout whenever I feel my emotions are becoming too overwhelming. I
will do this with the intention of calming my mind and preparing
myself for the rest of the day. I tend to keep a daily journal, and
in order to track my progress I will make daily notations of my
physical and emotional state.
In
terms of my spiritual health, I will have to actively seek help. It
will no longer be enough to sit back and listen. I need to ask my
church elders and prayer partners for help. I am not religious, but I
am a person of faith. It is not the building I will miss, but the
fellowship of the congregation. Perhaps if I reach out to them I will
not have to lose that fellowship.
I
am less worried about getting back to the level of physical fitness I
am accustomed to. Thankfully in this area I have high self-efficacy.
I know what I need to do. I will set realistic, challenging
short-term and long-term goals. I know the system of rewards and
positive reinforcement that works best for me. I know how to
incorporate the support of family and friends. I have the skill set
to complete this task. I will measure my success by tracking my
workouts and physical activity, including duration, intensity, and
performance outcomes. I will create an exercise prescription for
myself and I will follow it. I will not torment myself for the
temporary setback, but will instead remind myself that I have an
opportunity to make positive change.
As
my body and soul goes, my emotions will follow. I need no further
convincing that there is a mind-body-soul connection. I feel it. I
must identify that which is causing unnecessary pain. I must work
through the pain that is necessary, for as Dacher points out, that is
where the growing occurs (2006). I will take the time I need to
prepare my mind each day, and I will ask for the help I need. I have
so many people counting on me that I cannot afford to fail.
The
challenge is to remember all the progress I have made in life, and
know that I can do it again. Because of this class I now have new
tools to work with. I can choose to consider my setbacks as a test.
What matters most is how I overcome my obstacles. It is pushing past
the pain that builds character, and character development requires
intention which is on the path to integral health (Dacher, 2006).
Dacher,
E. (2006). Integral
health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna
Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
