Most people often interchange health and wellness for each other. However, while these two terms can be attained simultaneously, they are different concepts with varying meanings.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The global health governing body also described wellness as the optimal state of health of individuals and groups or a positive approach to living.

Wellness goes beyond physical health. It is multidimensional, cutting across the physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental, and spiritual wellness dimensions.

The major difference between health and wellness is that health is a goal to aim for while wellness is the specific process involved in attaining that goal. Which means, you cannot have health without first achieving wellness. In essence, living a meaningful and satisfied life is tied to a positive state of health and wellness.

How can I tell the difference between health and wellness?

To further explain the point of divergence between both concepts and provide some health and wellness tips, here are some illustrating points:

• You cannot choose your state of health, but you can consciously choose wellness by living responsibly and taking charge of your well-being.
• Health involves the diagnosis of a disease or an illness while wellness is an active process of growth and lifestyle changes to reach your fullest well-being.
• Health also concerns an individual’s predisposition to a disease and any unexpected injury. Wellness on the other hand has to do with actively engaging in that lead to holistic health. This might include making important choices, controlling risk factors, focusing on nutrition, planning your diet, and following helpful spiritual practices that enhance your overall health.

Risk factors are actions or activities that increase your susceptibility to illness or injury. Some risk factors that are harmful to a positive state of health and wellness include:

• Smoking: smoking increases your chances of getting lung cancer or other cardiovascular diseases.
• Alcohol: excessive drinking of alcohol can cause liver damage, heart diseases, stroke and cancer.
• Unprotected sex: having sex with multiple partners without protection can expose you to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV, Gonorrhea, Herpes, and others.
• Extreme physical activity: this is another risk factor since you are prone to getting broken bones and other types of body injuries.

What are the dimensions of wellness?

There are six dimensions of wellness in all. They include physical, social, intellectual, emotional, environmental, and spiritual wellness.

1. Physical Dimension

Physical wellness increases a person’s physical fitness, enhancing their ability to prevent illness and diseases. To attain this level of fitness you must engage in regular exercise such as jogging, cycling, walking the dog, hiking and others. You must also be conscious of your nutrition. Eat a balanced diet, drink sufficient water, and don’t forget the importance of getting adequate sleep.

2. Intellectual Dimension

This involves engaging in mental exercise by learning new things, solving creative problems and challenging your mind to avoid mental health problems. In the long run, this promotes a positive mental attitude in the individual.

3. Emotional Dimension

This has to do with a person’s emotional intelligence. If you have emotional wellness, you would be more aware of your feelings as well as those of others. This places you in a great place to deal with stressful situations easily.

4. Environmental Dimension

This involves being aware of your role in improving your natural environment instead of destroying it. A person with sound environmental wellness will take delight in maintaining and living in a physical environment free of health hazards.

5. Social Dimension

This wellness dimension encapsulates a person’s ability to form helpful social networks. How easily can you interrelate with others, interact and contribute to your immediate community, and maintain relationships with friends and family? This is what social dimension involves.

6. Spiritual Dimension

Spiritual wellness does not necessarily mean faith or religion pf a person. Instead, it is the search for the meaning and purpose of life. Having a compassionate, caring, and forgiving heart as well as a defined purpose in life contributes to your spiritual wellness. You can develop these by volunteering, meditating, spending time in nature, and other helpful ways.

So, if you’ve wondered in the past, what are the dimensions of wellness? Or, what are some health and wellness tips? There you have it. We hope you can start to make changes and inculcate these healthy habits both in yourself and you loved ones.

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