What Is Your Definition Of Disease?
It Has A Massive Impact On Your Experience Of Health
What Is Your Definition Of Disease?
When it comes to experiencing better-than-average health, understanding the definition of disease is going to help you, may be more than you realise. Clients that find high levels of health, healing and wellbeing pretty much have a good understanding, in one way or another. In this article I will share with you some of the ways that we can understand ‘what is disease’ and how this can, and does, affect your experience of health. I’m giving you an overview here so you can start to use some of this thinking as you move towards better health.
I am going to interchange the words disease, illness, health, wellbeing and healing. Each have their own definition (which I won’t go into here) and yet you almost can’t consider one without the other.
Cause – Effect: A Simplistic Understanding
One definition of disease encompasses the fundamental principle of cause and effect (germ theory: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/germ-theory). There is trigger, be it a bacteria or virus. The definition can be extended to include genetics, certain environmental factors, or lifestyle habits, that sets off a chain reaction within the body. This results in symptoms or conditions that can be considered disease. This understanding is what underpins ‘modern’ medicine.
Can You Be Healthy With Illness?
As we begin to define disease, in any way, we have to ask the question, “can one be healthy and still have a disease?” Surprisingly, the answer isn’t always straightforward. Health isn’t merely the absence of disease but rather a holistic state of balance. It includes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Therefore, individuals can be healthy or experience wellbeing while having an illness.
Disease Is Not Only Physical
As we look a little deeper, we uncover that disease is not confined to physical (including psychological / psychiatric) ailments. It encompasses our whole experience. For example, the mind-body connection plays a powerful role in our thoughts, emotions and spiritual inclinations. This then affects us physically. This idea is very much aligned to using out thoughts and emotions to positively affect our health.Check out my article on manifesting health. (https://andrewjamesnaturopath.com/manifesting-health/)
Disease Is Spiritual!
Contemplating what is disease, is going to differ depending on the culture and societal groups. Illness is understood in different ways. Traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, views disease as an imbalance in the flow of vital energy, known as chi. This holistic paradigm contrasts with western medicine’s premise of cause – effect’ as I mentioned before.
As we understand disease, health and wellbeing, is become apparent that our perceptions and beliefs profoundly influence our experience of, for example, how healthy we are and feel. Some cultures interpret illness as a spiritual phenomenon, attributing its origins to metaphysical forces or divine interventions. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481387
So What’s Your Understanding Of Disease?
Let me finish by saying the definition of disease is a complex discussion. Yet if you draw on some of the ideas I have discussed here, you can shape your understanding of health and disease in a way that is true and is going to support your desire to enjoy the best health possible. How you think about illness can and does affect the level of wellbeing you experience.