What Is A Holistic Health Mindset?

In the modern world, we like to break up reality into itty-bitty chunks. It’s a way of making sense of everything and putting stuff into nice, neat boxes. 

Unfortunately, though, reality doesn’t work that way. It’s just one big flow or “happening” going on at the same time. And it doesn’t care about our human notions of division at all. 

When it comes to health, we like to make a sharp distinction between the mind and body. The “mind,” we think, is what we really are. It’s the essence of what it means to have a sense of self. The body, on the other hand, is a kind of mechanical contraption that carries us around. It does a job for us, but it isn’t, in any meaningful sense of the word, a part of who we are. 

That dichotomy, however, is falling by the wayside. The mind and body are essentially part of the same system because one affects the other. If for instance, you have a negative emotion, your physiology will change. Your blood vessels will tighten and you will release more cortisol. Likewise, if you injure the body with a poor diet or lack of exercise, it will eventually affect the way you think. 

You can break holistic health down into different components - and that’s what we do below. But it is important to remember that it is all part of one great big whole. And any lines of differentiation we draw between concepts are completely arbitrary.

So what does holistic health include? 

Emotional Health

As discussed, our emotions are just as much a part of our health as anything else. What we think (more than anything else) affects our quality of life. You could have lots of money, but if your emotional health isn’t there, you can’t enjoy it. 

Mental Health
Mental health can overlap emotional and physical health. It reflects our daily mood and how pumped we are to get up and go in the morning. People with low moods can struggle to get out of bed in the morning, while those with high moods find it natural and effortless.

Physical Health

Physical health is what we usually think of as “health.” And it is arguably the easier of the bunch. Unlike emotional or mental health, we don’t have to go through any complex mental gymnastics. 

Maintain physical health includes eating a nutrient-dense diet - similar to what ancient peoples would have eaten, keeping your blood sugar levels balanced, and moving your body for at least 30 minutes per day.  

It also means going to see the chiropractor if you need to adjust your posture. Or visiting the dentist if you have a tooth infection. Leaving problems to develop usually only makes the body worse. 

Social Health

Social health means making time to connect with other people in your community. Many people, for instance, join faith communities to meet others and seek spirituality together. 

Social health is also about setting boundaries. It means getting toxic people out of your life until you’re emotionally ready to entertain them.