The Health Triangle

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The Health Triangle | Dr. Ali GhaharyThere are three main aspects when it comes to our overall health and wellbeing:

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Social health

This is also referred to as “the health triangle.”

When it comes to your physical health, there are several key aspects that we all need to take into consideration. For example, we need to ensure that we’re getting enough sleep. Maintaining a regular sleep cycle is important as adequate sleep us what helps us to stay alert and focused through the day. When you don’t get enough sleep, this can lead to an increase in fatigue and sluggishness, in addition to having problems concentrating, as well as increased susceptibility to illness as your immune system can become compromised. Staying physically active is another important part of our physical health. You don’t have to engage in high-impact exercise every day, but it’s important that you keep yourself moving – whether it’s going for a walk each day, or engaging in low-impact fitness (i.e., yoga) in the comfort of your own home. In order to stick to a regular fitness routine, it’s important to find an activity you enjoy doing. You also need to make sure you have a healthy, well-balanced diet. In particular, fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains – as well as drinking plenty of water These particular foods provide the body with the essential nutrients it needs in order to thrive.

It’s also important to prioritize and protect your mental health. While sleep is an important factor for our physical health, it’s also important for mental wellbeing for the same reasons mentioned above – in addition, if you don’t get proper sleep, you may also find yourself increasingly agitated or angry. Exercise can also improve mental health by alleviating low self-esteem and reducing things like anxiety and depression. To further improve mental health, you can benefit from practicing new skills, being mindful, as well as helping others. Staying in tune with your mental health is important and something that everyone should practice. If you are struggling with your mental health, it’s important to reach out to someone you trust as well as utilize the different resources that are available.

Lastly, social health. This isn’t typically something that people will often consider as being part of their health, but it can play a significant role in your overall wellbeing. Social health can relate to everything from how you adapt in certain social situations, to your ability to form relationships and how you get along with others. Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the social interaction that we’re used to having has been significantly reduced or cut-off all together. For some, this has led to an increase in anxiety and depression. While you may not be able to spend time with people face to face right now, it’s important to continue social interactions in other ways – such as through e-mail, text message, and video chats.