I’ve been contemplating writing an article about the wider picture of health for quite some time but found the complexity of trying to convey the sheer complexity of the subject really challenging. Then I came across the Theory of Complex Systems – developed by engineers – and realised that it can be applied to the human body, health and our relationships with our environment and wider world. Whole health is about this whole picture. We are interdependent, interconnected beings whose health and wellbeing is also dependent on, and inextricably linked to, the health of our environment, climate, biodiversity, nature, the soil we grow our food in and the planet on which we live. Conventional medical treatment and health care rarely addresses our health and wellbeing within this wider picture.
I hope you enjoy my thoughts on the importance of addressing health and wellbeing through this wider lens.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this
3 Comments
Teresa Mazon
July 29, 2022Dear Betsan,
What an interesting article! I agree with you 100% on everything.
As a psychologist with Rheumatoid Arthritis (with chronic pain), who was brought to tears more than once by my horrible Consulta Rheumatologist reprimanding me for having caught yet another infection (when the drugs he was prescribing were wiping out my immune system), I often reflected on how frustrating it was that he was hell bent on only seeing my symptoms, and never did treat me like a whole person.
Obviously the BIO system was all he could see, not even interested in the PSYCHO element, and forget about the SOCIAL one. And those three just to be outdated in his understanding of well-being. I had to gather courage and confront him on his appalling manners. We are more than symptoms, more than our disabilities, more than just our circumstances.
I found a mention to you and your blog, of all places, in the Rowan knitting magazine number 71.
All my crafty hobbies and pursuits, and the fact that I am a “maker”, is what really keeps me sane. Other things like the job, meditation and nurturing relationships help too, but doing patchwork, making quilts, painting watercolours, doing collage for art therapy, cross stitch, knitting, making bags, etc, give my life a huge chunk of its meaning.
Thank you for your blog and for your quest to help others.
Teresa
film izle
January 16, 2021There as certainly a lot to know about this topic. I love all of the points you have made. Reyna Sterling Patti
Miriam Maisel
October 17, 2020Comments
Miriam Maisel
Thank you Betsan, for this very thoughtful article—I left a longer response in the BSLM group on facebook. But I feel like it reflects decades of not only training but exploring, experiencing and reflecting. So, not only knowledge, but ‘being’.
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