To be healthy is to have all of the main areas of your life fulfilled and your main needs addressed. When we are unhealthy, lacking, or unbalanced in some way, our insides will remind us through unpleasant emotions such as depression, anxiety, or guilt, sometimes anger and resentment as well. Some of these emotions can simply come as temptations or disturbances from Satan. However, beyond temptation, such emotions can often be thought of as “action indicators”—indications that an area of life needs to be addressed in some kind of better or different way. And that changes and addition efforts need to be made in some way. When this happens, our insides are simply notifying us that something is out of order in some fashion, and that an adjustment or additional effort is needed in some way to correct the disturbance. Thinking of emotions as mainly a message from our insides to address something in a better, different way is usually a pretty good interpretation of our negative emotions. The challenge in life is to 1) have a self-awareness of what needs addressing, and then 2) make the needed adjustments. When these 2 things occur, our insides will be satisfied that the area of true need has been addressed, which will then ease the unhappy emotion by having the direct need addressed.
Areas of Health in Life:
Physical health: our physical health needs involve a few basics for everyone. First, we need to be basically eating healthy foods to the proper amount to maintain a healthy weight, mood, and energy. To support improving one’s diet, taking a supplement (vitamins) can be helpful. I recommend the 30-day GNC vitamin packs. GNC offers many forms of this. For instance, the complete whole body health vitamin pack that they offer—probably their best overall vitamin packs—can be found at: https://www.gnc.com/vitapak-programs/209711.html#q=gnc%2Bvitamin%2Bpack&lang=default&start=1 (for men) and https://www.gnc.com/vitapak-programs/204612.html#q=gnc%2Bvitamin%2Bwomens%2Bvitapak&lang=default&start=1 (for women). These packs are expensive but worth it in my opinion.
In addition, getting regular, moderate exercise is important, as well as getting adequate sleep on a regular schedule. Getting moderate relaxation (not too much, not too little) is important to avoid feeling lethargic or worn down. Avoiding illicit or harmful substances in accordance with the Word of Wisdom matters too, of course. Finally, when taking prescribed medications, always follow the instructions and directions from the MD.
Social health: looking for and having a relationship with a significant other is important for singles. Before having this area fulfilled, at least putting forth regular efforts in this is important emotionally. Beyond romantic dating and relationships, other areas of socializing are important as well. Keeping decently healthy and regular connections with family/extended family members matters. Making and keeping friendships matters as well. Finally, meeting new people is important to keep expanding and enriching your social network.
Self-health: this area of health involves being regularly productive and fulfilled in ways that are personally important to you. This area includes being productive with job/career, earning money, and paying bills. Regularly learning things and stimulating your mind is also important. Being engaged with hobbies and personal interests you find enjoyable also fits in this category. Finally, taking care of your mind and emotional health through positive self-talk, therapy (as needed), and self-help materials is important.
Spiritual health: being spiritually healthy is a broad category that we as members have a deeper understanding of. In a general sense, spiritual health involved having a good definition of right/wrong, good/bad, principles/values, and morals/ethics, and then basically upholding and living up to those ideals. To get a better understanding of gospel principles as we members understand them, I recommend reading the Gospel Principles manual, which you can find at: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles?lang=eng.
In addition, we can know we are living a spiritually healthy life by living up to the standards from the temple recommend questions. The standards for temple worthiness can be found here: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-temple-recommend. Beyond these standards, regular church attendance and regular exposure to uplifting spiritual materials (scriptures, general conference talks, and other materials) helps fulfil and strengthen a person’s spiritual health. Finally, getting out in nature can give a person a spiritual experience where they can examine and commit to improve certain needed areas of life.
Final Thoughts:
When you are healthy and balanced, you will be happier and more fulfilled. You will enjoy your life more along the way now—not at some later, theoretically better time. As you pay attention to your body and emotions, you will correctly address and fulfill the main needs you have as a person. Rather than battling, escaping, or numbing these natural feelings, look at these feelings as information. As “action indicators” to address and fulfill these 4 key areas of a healthy, balanced life.
Day by day, look to create decent fulfilment of these needs. Not only will this help you to be a happier and healthier person, but you will also be putting forth your best foot forward in your dating and relationship efforts. Healthier, happier people attract more and get more dating opportunities. Work on these key areas of life regularly and you will benefit accordingly. Finally, remember that “…neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Dr. G
P.S. If you have any questions, comments, or a future article request for me, feel free to contact me at drgilchrist@yahoo.com.
| 2024-02-04 | Randy Gilchrist | Health and fitness |
About the author
Hello, my name is Dr. Randy Gilchrist (aka "Dr. G"). I am a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed marriage & family therapist, and a certified hypnotherapist in private practice in Roseville, CA (www.dr-rg.com), practicing since 1997. Also, I am happily married in the temple (Manti) since 1996 and have 4 sons. I am a volunteer writer and contributor to LDS Dimension. I use my training, education, and experience to share insights with LDS Dimension on all things of interest to the LDS dating community. Please read my articles and columns on this site to assist you in your online dating journey. Also, to be considered for an answer in a future Q and A column, please email me your dating/relationship oriented questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com. Finally, I also offer a powerful, effective worldwide custom hypnosis recording service just for LDS Dimension members for weight loss, pornography, and many other issues of concern to those in the LDS dating community (please learn more now at www.dr-rg.com/lds; email me questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com).