“Wellness is defined in many different ways, but all agree that it is more than the absence of disease.   For some it is the achievement of one's fullest potential, for others it is an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Wellness can include a broad array of activities and interventions that focus on the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional aspects of one's life.”

“An individual’s health does not occur in isolation.   Rather, many factors combine together to influence the health of individuals and communities. These factors include social, cultural, economic and physical environments, individual behavior, and biology. Together, these factors are known as the “determinants of health” and they describe where and how we live, and who we live among. Examples of health determinants include housing standards, employment and education prospects, income and wealth distribution, access to health care resources, clean and safe water and food, relationships with family and friends, pollution, and personal safety.”   [4]

All these evolving concepts of wellness acknowledge that our mental state, economic circumstances, the community we live within, and our genetic heritage all contribute towards our overall health.

Strangely, none of these definitions mention our personal choices of
daily diet, or supplementation.

Although there are hundreds of thousands of peer-reviewed studies discussing the impact of nutrients on our health, the medical community still remains largely skeptical.   That is the major weakness of the scientific method:   evidence is not considered “proof”.

Evidence is suggestive, and that is good, but even the most compelling articles end with the stock statement:   “these results warrant further study, or another review, or another meta-analysis.”   Science is about investigation of cause and effect, and more data will ALWAYS be required.

There will always be more information to come, but in the meantime, we must act
on the information we have at hand.

In this issue of HealthQuest, we will discuss how the Shaklee lifestyle contributes to our overall health.   It’s about much more than just taking a vitamin.   It’s also about knowing that we make a difference every day for our Planet, because we choose to use non-toxic cleaners.   It’s because we help our friends and family to regain and maintain their health with Shaklee supplements.   It’s about knowing we are part of a community of like-minded individuals, who want to make a difference.