 The World Health Organization defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. Fair enough. But what does “wellbeing” mean? Well, according to the dictionary well-being is “the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.” So health = wellbeing, and wellbeing = health. It’s all just circular gibberish!
When we look around theses days, we can find many definitions and there’s is a reason why. Every product is being advertised as ‘good for your health’ or ‘a healthy alternative’ and sure, it sounds good but we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what that actually means. And that’s why the marketing works - it’s an empty promise. Though compelling, most terms in the fitness and wellness industry are so ambiguous and vague that even if you don’t see visible results, you can still be fooled into thinking it works. Just think about buzzwords like 'clean eating, detox, cleanse, wellness, optimal, natural' and the list goes on. Have you ever thought about what they actually mean? They're all meant to grab your attention in order to get you to spend money on something you don’t need. As a fitness professional, I’ve learned a lot about the industry over the past two decades - and I don’t like where it’s going. The word ‘health’ has been redefined, repurposed and became essentially meaningless. Instead, I honestly believe that true ‘health’ should reflect the body’s self-maintaining, self-healing and self-developing properties. But it’s hard to sell a product that you already own ie. yourself! Being healthy doesn't mean drinking a superfood-shake everyday or spending a ton of money on supplements. It means listening to your body when you need a break, eating food that has recognizable ingredients (think fruit or vegetables), and creating a life that doesn’t leave you exhausted at the end of every day and longing for the next yoga retreat. The point is, if you like health-related products, that's fine (these are all great ‘options’) but it shouldn't be necessary or marketed as necessary in order to be ‘healthy’. I believe that certain knowledge about fitness and nutrition should be free and accessible to everyone so we can each form our own opinions on what is best for us. My mission is to educate people on how and why you should spend time on learning about your health and take charge of it. Simply, because no one else will.
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