what is wellness ?
the World health organization (WHO) defines it as “the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are two focal concerns: 1. The realization of the fullest potential of an individual physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually, and economically; 2. the fulfillment of one’s role expectations in the family, community, place of worship, workplace, and other settings“. However, The Global Wellness Institute defines it as the “active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. moreover, the national wellness institute considers it as “a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.”
key tenets of wellness
- Holistic
- Preventive
“a modern word with ancient roots”. it can be traced back to the ancient civilizations from the east(China,India) and middle east(Iran) to the west(Greece, Rome).
It is not a passive or static state but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices, and actions as we work toward an optimal state of health and well-being. Then, it is linked to holistic health—that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions that should work in harmony. Wellness is an individual pursuit—we have self-responsibility for our own choices, behaviors, and lifestyles—but it is also significantly influenced by the physical, social and cultural environments in which we live.
WHAT IS WELLNESS OSTEOPATHY?
We have defined osteopathy in another article and here we just focus on the benefits of osteopathy on wellness. A manual osteopath can enhance your wellbeing in different ways.
Benefits of osteopathy on wellness
First, manual osteopaths can improve the functions of your myofascial system by their osteopathic techniques including joint mobilizations, muscle energy techniques, myofascial releases, soft tissue mobilization. The osteopathic approach can increase the range of motion of different joints and muscles and also can relieve chronic pain and stiffness. Second, It is proved by many studies that osteopathy can trigger the parasympathetic response which reduces tensions, anxiety, and stress. The parasympathetic system plays a great role in your body-soul equipoise that leads to a better psychological state throughout our stressful lifestyle. Third, techniques like craniosacral therapy alleviate the headaches which are affecting a great majority of societies nowadays while they can also promote the parasympathetic response.