What is Wellness? A Nutritional Therapist's Guide to Holistic Health & Optimal Well-being
Wellness is a modern word with ancient roots. The key tenets of wellness as both preventive and holistic can be traced back to ancient civilizations. In the 19th and 20th centuries, various movements focused on natural approaches, self-healing, and preventive care, laying the foundation for modern wellness.
As a Registered Nutritional Therapist and holistic nutritionist, I see the flourishing wellness movement today as essential for long-term health. It encompasses the healthy-living, self-help, self-care, fitness, nutritional therapy, and spiritual practices that inform our approach to holistic health and wellness.
Defining Wellness
The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as:
"The active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”
There are two important aspects to this definition. First, wellness is not a passive or static state but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices and actions as we work toward an optimal state of health and well-being. Second, wellness is linked to holistic health—that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions that should work in harmony.
Wellness is an individual pursuit—we have self-responsibility for our own choices, behaviours and lifestyles—but it is also significantly influenced by the physical, social and cultural environments in which we live.
Wellness is often confused with terms such as health, well-being and happiness. While there are common elements among them, wellness is distinguished by not referring to a static state of being (i.e., being happy, in good health, or a state of well-being). Rather, wellness is associated with an active process of being aware and making choices that lead toward an outcome of optimal holistic health and well-being.
Wellness Is Multidimensional
Wellness is about more than just physical health—it is holistic. Most models of wellness include at least six key dimensions that must work in harmony.
These dimensions form the very foundation of the Eglin Health approach, aligning closely with the 6 Pillars of Health we use across all 8 of our health programmes (including Cancer Support, Optimise Health, and Chronic Health) to ensure a comprehensive path to well-being.
Physical: Nourishing a healthy body through exercise, nutritional therapy, sleep, etc.
Mental: Engaging the world through learning, problem-solving, creativity, etc.
Emotional: Being aware of, accepting and expressing our feelings, and understanding the feelings of others.
Spiritual: Searching for meaning and higher purpose in human existence.
Social: Connecting and engaging with others and our communities in meaningful ways.
Environmental: Fostering positive interrelationships between planetary health and human actions, choices and well-being.
Our Foundational Approach
The comprehensive nature of wellness requires a proven strategy. See how we turn these dimensions into actionable steps using our exclusive 6 Pillars of Health.
Ready to Move Towards Optimal Health?
If you are ready to move beyond simply 'not ill' and actively pursue maximum vitality, our Optimise Health programme is designed for you.
Using the principles of targeted nutritional therapy, we also offer dedicated support for recovery and management of complex conditions, including our specialist programmes for Hormone Health, Bladder Health, and Chronic Health conditions.
➡️ View Our 8 Core Health Programmes and Start Your Journey to Optimal Health:
The Wellness Continuum
One way to understand wellness is to consider health as a continuum that extends from illness to a state of optimal well-being. On one end, patients with poor health engage the medical paradigm to treat illnesses; they interact reactively and episodically with doctors and clinicians who provide care.
On the opposite end, people focus proactively on prevention and maximizing their vitality. They adopt attitudes and lifestyles that prevent disease, improve health, and enhance their quality of life and sense of well-being. In other words, wellness is proactive, preventive and driven by self-responsibility.
Wellness is different from healthcare. Our healthcare systems use a pathogenic and reactive approach, focused on causes, consequences, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries. In contrast, wellness is a salutogenic and proactive approach, focused on prevention, healthy lifestyles and the pursuit of optimal well-being. Ultimately, a solid foundation for holistic health helps us prevent and overcome disease, both at present and in the future.
The Wellness Continuum
Specialist Support: Wellness During and After Cancer
The proactive pursuit of wellness is especially critical when dealing with a major health challenge. If you are looking for evidence-based nutritional therapy and lifestyle support to help prepare for, manage, or recover from a cancer diagnosis, the guidance of a holistic nutritionist is invaluable.
🎗️ Learn About The Eglin Health Cancer Support Programme:
👋 Let's Stay Connected
If you would like to read more about my personal experience with breast cancer and my journey back to great health—which is the foundation for all my programmes—you can find more in-depth information here:
I look forward to connecting with you and supporting your journey! You can also follow me and join the conversation on: