The Tree

a large tree depicting fall, winter, and spring environmental changes all at once

course syllabus for Your Well-Being online health and wellness education course

Course Outline

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the relationship between visible health symptoms and their underlying physiological and environmental causes.

Behavioral Objective

Adopt lifestyle changes that address both symptoms and their root causes to improve overall well-being.

Key Thought

Health is a complex interplay of visible symptoms and hidden factors, requiring a holistic approach to treatment and lifestyle changes.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the relationship between visible health symptoms and their underlying physiological and environmental causes.

Behavioral Objective

Adopt lifestyle changes that address both symptoms and their root causes to improve overall well-being.

Key Thought

Health is a complex interplay of visible symptoms and hidden factors, requiring a holistic approach to treatment and lifestyle changes.

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Introduction

While outer appearances don't always mirror internal states, Dr. Jamie Wright proposes a novel perspective on health that addresses environmental factors detracting from a fulfilling life. This view encourages a deeper understanding of the often invisible influences on our health.

"The Tree" of Effects and Causes

Health can be visualized as a tree, where the visible parts-leaves and branches-are symptoms and observable effects, like behavioral anomalies or lab data. However, these outward signs often mask underlying issues. Many people appear healthy but suffer from symptoms invisible to standard tests, revealing a mismatch between external health appearances and internal turmoil. This discrepancy requires probing beneath the surface to unearth root causes-systemic functions or dysfunctions in the body tied to genetic and environmental factors.

What is Environment?

The environment includes all external and internal factors impacting physiological function: diet, exercise, air quality, mental state, and sleep patterns. These elements form a complex web of interactions that define our health cycles-be they cycles of wellness or disease. Each aspect of the environment plays an important role in either supporting health or perpetuating illness, creating a dynamic interplay that shapes our overall physiological state.

Lifestyle Guidance Must Be...

Lifestyle guidance should be straightforward and grounded in truth, making it persuasive and achievable. It needs to be within reach, allowing individuals to feel capable of making changes, and measurable, so progress can be tracked. Goals should be clear and meaningful, making the pursuit personally significant. Dr. Wright emphasizes that by simplifying and truthfully presenting lifestyle adjustments-such as promoting natural foods over processed ones-people can be motivated to adopt healthier behaviors that significantly enhance their quality of life.