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

Implement lifestyle changes targeting visible symptoms and the less obvious underlying causes to achieve a balanced and healthier life.

Key Thought

True well-being requires addressing symptoms and the root causes that affect overall health.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

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

Behavioral Objective

Implement lifestyle changes targeting visible symptoms and the less obvious underlying causes to achieve a balanced and healthier life.

Key Thought

True well-being requires addressing symptoms and the root causes that affect overall health.

Terms

Environment

noun

The external and internal factors, including diet, lifestyle, and surroundings, that influence an individual's health and well-being.

Holistic Health

noun

An approach to health that considers the whole person-body, mind, and emotions-rather than focusing on individual symptoms or conditions.

Physiological Function

noun

The normal functions and processes that occur within the body to maintain health, such as digestion, metabolism, and immune responses.

Root Causes

noun

The underlying factors or conditions that contribute to the development of symptoms or diseases, often hidden from immediate view.

Symptoms

noun

Observable signs or sensations that indicate the presence of a disease or imbalance in the body.

Terms

Environment

noun

The external and internal factors, including diet, lifestyle, and surroundings, that influence an individual's health and well-being.

Holistic Health

noun

An approach to health that considers the whole person-body, mind, and emotions-rather than focusing on individual symptoms or conditions.

Physiological Function

noun

The normal functions and processes that occur within the body to maintain health, such as digestion, metabolism, and immune responses.

Root Causes

noun

The underlying factors or conditions that contribute to the development of symptoms or diseases, often hidden from immediate view.

Symptoms

noun

Observable signs or sensations that indicate the presence of a disease or imbalance in the body.

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Activities
Related Content

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, such as stress, poor sleep, or a sedentary lifestyle.

"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. The trunk represents the underlying causes, such as genetic predispositions or environmental factors. 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.

Tree of Health visualizing symptoms as branches and underlying causes as roots, emphasizing holistic health.

The Tree of Health illustrates how visible symptoms are often connected to deeper underlying causes, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to well-being.

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-wellness or disease cycles. Each aspect of the environment plays an important role in supporting health or perpetuating illness, creating a dynamic interplay. For instance, a poor diet can lead to obesity, which in turn affects mental health and sleep patterns, creating a chain reaction 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 measurable changes 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.

Root Cause Reflection

Objective: Encourage deeper thinking about the underlying causes of visible symptoms.

Activity:

Take a moment to reflect on any persistent symptoms you might be experiencing (e.g., fatigue, headaches, stress).
Write down these symptoms in a journal, then brainstorm potential underlying causes, such as lifestyle factors, diet, or environmental stressors.
Consider what changes you could make to address these root causes, and note actionable steps you can take.

Environmental Audit

Objective: Increase awareness of how environmental factors affect health.

Activity:

Conduct an audit of your daily environment, including your home, workplace, and any other spaces you spend significant time in.
Identify any elements that might negatively impact your health, such as air quality, noise levels, or exposure to toxins.
Develop a plan to mitigate these factors. For example, you might improve ventilation, introduce air-purifying plants, or reduce exposure to harmful substances.

Lifestyle Adjustment Plan

Objective: Facilitate the creation of a personalized plan to address both symptoms and root causes.

Activity:

Based on your reflection and environmental audit, create a lifestyle adjustment plan.
Choose at least three specific changes you can make to address root causes (e.g., improving diet, increasing physical activity, reducing stress).
Set measurable goals for each change, and track your progress over the next month.

The Tree

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Behavioral Objective

Key Thought

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Behavioral Objective

Key Thought

Terms

Terms

Introduction

"The Tree" of Effects and Causes

What is Environment?

Lifestyle Guidance Must Be...

Root Cause Reflection

Environmental Audit

Lifestyle Adjustment Plan

What Is the Standard American Diet (SAD)?

What's a Sedentary Lifestyle? The Risks Plus the Benefits of Exercise

Course Outline