Wellness and Healthcare

A science-based guide to wellness should be short and direct. It should be easy to understand and practical to apply in peoples’ busy lives. This guide is meant as just such a path to wellness and whole health. Health is defined as the state of being whole and functional. Wellness is the intentional activity of cultivating healthy habits and choices with the goal of being healthy.

A healthy organism is normally in a state of homeostasis, a state of stability and balance wherein the functions that maintain life are regulated to be relatively constant. This is why it is important to cultivate healthy daily rituals. Stability of positive (or stubborn) attitude, learning, exercise, sleep schedule, nutritious diet, relationships and finances supports the whole health lifestyle.

Whole or holistic health typically addresses body, mind and spirit. It also includes the socioeconomic and environmental aspects of health. Holism means that interconnected parts can only be understood from a perspective that includes the whole system. Holistic medicine aims to heal the whole person.

Health plays a crucial role in the individual life and personal experience of everyone alive and every living creature. It influences our perceptions and our actions. Health determines if we can work, how well we can work, and if we can even move. Health gives us physical strength, mental clarity, and beauty. In fact, health is the natural gatekeeper between life and death. 

It is reasonable, then, that healthcare is a key issue in the politics of every community and every country. Global spending on healthcare has reached trillions of dollars a year.

Scientific research works to understand healthcare providers, hospitals and clinics, managed care and public health promotion as much as new technologies, disease, vaccination, injuries, and nutrition. Government regulation seeks to make healthcare efficient, equitable and cost-effective. All of this is in the interests of preventing and treating health issues. 

Some level of disease and injury is inevitable, but many health problems can be prevented, and billions if not trillions of dollars could be freed up to spend on other high priority causes. This is possible – it can happen – if society begins to strongly disapprove of unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles, and begins to really promote whole health. This shift requires redefining social norms and reconditioning culturally instilled habits. 

Harvard study finds that leaders need to appear healthy more than they need to seem smart.

Mindfulness and Homeostasis

Whole Health

Whole or holistic health typically addresses body, mind and spirit. Body, of course, refers to the physical body whereby the human being exists, distinguished by twelve interconnected organ systems that perform the particular functions necessary to the perpetuation of human life. 

Holism means that interconnected parts can only be understood from a perspective that includes the whole system. Holistic medicine aims to heal the whole person. WebMD describes holistic medicine as the method of establishing physical, emotional and spiritual balance in life to achieve the goal of optimal health. 

The patient is considered as a whole person and is treated as such, rather than treatment being focused on relieving symptoms. Wellness is facilitated by the patient’s intrinsic healing powers. Modalities include proper sleep habits, diet, exercise, massage therapy, psychotherapy and sometimes “alternative” therapies.

A greater view of health includes the health of individuals, communities, and ecosystems. Holistic health encompasses the entire face of the earth. Other planets are not our concern at the moment: we have only one planet to maintain. 

Science analyzes the whole cosmos, breaking it down into categorizable parts, from galaxies to solar systems, to the whole earth and its ecosystems, to families and species, to individual organisms and their organ systems, to organs and their tissues, to molecules and subatomic particles. 

These basic human needs have been answered throughout human history by various means. The fulfillment of basic necessities has been complemented by the development of culture and a plethora of distractions. Life is not as simple as it was before civilization. In fact, as the world becomes smaller, it gets more complicated with every passing day.

The complexities of life and be confusing. It is often difficult to distinguish between the essential, the desirable, the superfluous and the malignant. Health is a top priority issue that is often forgotten within the hustle of day to day survival. It is no wonder that healthcare is such an important issue in politics and economics.

Family, Community, and Ecological Health

The World Health Organization asserts that sexual and reproductive health is essential to the whole health of individuals, couples, and families, as well as to the social and economic development of communities and countries. It includes a positive understanding of sexuality, fulfilling relationships, safe experiences, and consent.

Access to sexual health care is a basic human right. Education must be comprehensive—covering contraception, celibacy, sexually transmitted infections, gender identity, and the psychological factors of sexuality. Cultures must move beyond shame and secrecy toward informed, ethical, and affirming sexual lives.

Health is not only individual—it is communal and ecological. A polluted environment threatens every cell of the body. A corrupt government weakens the psychological immune system. A failing community breeds illness in both body and mind. True health demands systemic integrity at every level—from the intimacy of the family to the climate of the Earth.

Sexual health is influenced by several factors in an individual’s life, such as genetic dispositions, personal experiences, values, religious or spiritual beliefs, and upbringing. Local laws, rights, societal expectations and the communities one interacts with also play a part in shaping one’s sex life and sexual health.

Public health, the health of the community, is an extension of the health of the individual and the family. The reason human beings form communities is for the mutual benefit it provides its members. Pooled resources equate to greater resources and greater resources generally lead to higher productivity, increased production, and potentially higher economic growth.

Environmental Health is considered to be a branch of public health. Eco-health equates to ecological integrity, that is, “the state of being complete and whole.”* All of these considerations extend far beyond historical measures of health, and it is clear that the idea of holistic health progresses as science continues to discover more about reality.

If the environment becomes toxic due to pollution, the individual is in danger of poisoning. If the community is unhygienic and infested with bacteria and viruses, the individual is at large risk for contracting disease. If the government operates on flawed policy or profits the few at the expense of the many, the individual will bear the burden financially, emotionally, and in other ways.

Ultimately, the health of the individual is connected to the health of the whole world. Any disorder in these greater bodies will affect the health of each individual. It is in the best interest of each individual that their family, their community, their government and their natural environment are healthy and well-ordered.

* Ed. Nicholas Mercuro, Ecology, Law and Economics, University Press of America, Inc. Lanham, Maryland, 1997, pp. 64 – 65.

City Infrastructure Plays a Role in Health

---

Public Health and Public Healthcare

Public health is the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of populations through organized efforts—policy-making, education, prevention, surveillance, and community interventions. Unlike individual medical care, public health aims to prevent illness and promote health at the societal level. It includes vaccination programs, sanitation infrastructure, nutritional guidance, mental health support, and epidemic preparedness.

Public healthcare refers to systems, often government-funded, that provide access to medical care regardless of socioeconomic status. This includes hospitals, clinics, primary care services, and emergency response. Universal healthcare systems aim to deliver these services equitably and sustainably, acknowledging health as a public good rather than a market commodity.

Public health is not limited to fighting disease—it encompasses fostering conditions that allow individuals and communities to flourish physically, mentally, and socially.

The World’s Biggest Health Challenges

The 21st century presents a formidable list of public health challenges:

• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke are now the leading causes of death globally, driven by poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental pollutants.
• Mental health crises: Depression, anxiety, and suicide rates are rising, especially among young people.
• Infectious diseases: While largely preventable, diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and emerging zoonotic viruses (e.g. COVID-19) still take millions of lives.
• Malnutrition and obesity: These dual burdens afflict both developing and industrialized nations, with undernourishment and overconsumption often coexisting within the same populations.
• Health inequities: Gaps in access to healthcare, education, and income remain stark between and within nations.

Social Health

Social health refers to the quality of one’s relationships, social roles, and participation in society. It includes access to supportive communities, family networks, fair employment, civic engagement, and the freedom to express one’s identity without fear. Social isolation, discrimination, and systemic injustice all deteriorate social health, which in turn undermines mental and physical well-being.

A scientifically grounded view of health cannot ignore the sociological dimensions of human life. Just as disease spreads through social contact, so too do hope, confidence, and healing.

Economics of Public Health, Insurance, and Healthcare

Public health is cost-effective. Investments in prevention (e.g., vaccinations, clean water, prenatal care) yield exponential savings compared to the cost of treatment. Despite this, many nations underfund public health infrastructure, favoring reactive medical care over proactive wellness.

Health insurance exists to distribute risk and ensure access to care. When well-designed, insurance systems reduce inequality and improve national productivity. When privatized and profit-driven, they can fragment access, inflate costs, and leave millions without care.

Healthcare economics requires intelligent regulation: balancing cost, access, innovation, and equity. Markets alone do not guarantee justice or public good—evidence-based policy must intervene where lives are at stake.

Global Comparison of Health Coverage

Nation	System Type	Coverage	Strengths	Weaknesses
Norway	Universal (Single-Payer)	100%	Equity, access, quality	High taxes, slower elective services
Germany	Universal (Multi-Payer)	100%	Competition + regulation	Complex bureaucracy
United States	Mixed/Private	~90% (partial)	Innovation, high specialization	High cost, fragmentation, uninsured populations
India	Mixed (public/private)	~30% full access	Innovation, telemedicine growth	Urban-rural divide, underfunded public sector
Nigeria	Limited public, mostly private	<10%	Growing private sector	Weak infrastructure, out-of-pocket burden

The best systems are those that combine centralized funding with accountability, universal coverage with choice, and public interest with scientific integrity.

The U.S. Healthcare System from a Global Perspective

The United States spends more per capita on healthcare than any other country—yet ranks poorly in life expectancy, maternal mortality, and preventable deaths. The system excels in biomedical innovation and emergency care but suffers from fragmentation, administrative waste, and profit-driven priorities. Many Americans live one illness away from financial ruin.

From an international perspective, the U.S. system appears paradoxical: wealthy yet unequal, advanced yet inaccessible. Scientific humanist reform demands not just more spending—but more coherence, compassion, and accountability.

Scientific Humanist Solutions to Global Health Challenges

A scientific humanist approach to health focuses on evidence, equity, and empathy:

• Universal access: Health is a human right, not a luxury. Systems must be designed to include everyone, everywhere.
• Preventive care: Invest in education, nutrition, vaccination, and mental health.
• Transparency and regulation: Public funds must serve the public good, not corporate profit.
• Global cooperation: Disease knows no borders. Shared knowledge, data, and vaccines are essential.
• Science education: Public understanding of health and medicine strengthens democratic health policy.

Environmental Science and Environmental Health

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of the physical, chemical, and biological systems of the Earth, with a focus on human interaction and impact. It draws from ecology, geology, meteorology, biology, chemistry, and physics to address global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Environmental health, a subfield of public health, studies how the natural and built environments influence human health. It includes:

• Air and water quality
• Exposure to toxins and radiation
• Urban design and transportation
• Climate change and extreme weather events
• Food safety and waste management

Just as the body breathes and feeds from the environment, so too does it suffer when the biosphere is poisoned.

The World’s Biggest Environmental Health Issues

• Air pollution: A leading global killer—linked to asthma, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
• Unsafe water and sanitation: Over 1.7 billion people lack access to safe water, risking cholera and other infections.
• Chemical contamination: Pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors harm neurological and reproductive health.
• Climate change: Rising temperatures increase heatstroke, famine, vector-borne disease, and displacement.
• Loss of biodiversity: The collapse of ecosystems undermines food security and natural medicine sources.

Scientific Humanist Solutions to Environmental Health

• Decarbonization: Shift rapidly to renewable energy; tax pollution and subsidize clean tech.
• Regenerative agriculture: Restore soil, protect watersheds, and reduce chemical dependence.
• Eco-conscious urban planning: Walkable cities, public transport, green infrastructure.
• Environmental education: Equip citizens to make sustainable, science-literate decisions.
• Global legal frameworks: Enforce environmental protection as a shared human right.

Spiritual Health

Holistic health refers to the integrated well-being of body, mind, and spirit. While modern science offers robust models of physiology and psychology, the dimension of spirit remains the least defined—yet perhaps the most essential for human flourishing.

• The body refers to the physical organism: the twelve interrelated organ systems that sustain biological life.
• The mind encompasses sensation, emotion, perception, memory, imagination, and thought. Functionally rooted in the nervous system, it represents the stream of conscious experience and interpretation.
• The spirit, by contrast, is the dimension that connects the individual to the greater whole. It is the subtle organizing principle, the breath of life, the felt sense of aliveness and coherence beyond material function.

Across cultures and centuries, this life force has been named and studied:

• Qi in Chinese medicine
• Prāṇa in Indian yoga
• Ruach in Hebrew texts
• Pneuma in Ancient Greek philosophy
• Spiritus in Latin science and theology
• Élan vital in French vitalist philosophy

These terms describe not just biological processes, but the animating essence—something sensed in breath, presence, vitality, and meaning.

Contemporary psychologists such as Kenneth I. Pargament and Jeremy McCarthy define spirituality as “the search for the sacred.” Here, “sacred” does not necessarily mean religious—it refers to that which is deeply meaningful, awe-inspiring, or personally transcendent. In this framework, spiritual health is not a dogma, but an experience: fulfillment, connectedness, and a sense of purpose.

Spiritual health is multidimensional. It touches:

• The personal self (body and mind): through practices like mindfulness, exercise, contemplation, and emotional integration.
• The social dimension: via relationships, community belonging, service, and ethical conduct.
• The ecological dimension: through attunement to the natural world and the systems that sustain it.
• The transcendental dimension: through experiences of awe, oneness, or the infinite—whether in religious, artistic, meditative, or existential contexts.

Spiritual health helps individuals ask and live out profound questions:
Who am I? Why am I here? How shall I live?
It cultivates a sense of meaning, purpose, and wholeness that cannot be reduced to biology or behavior alone.

Religious Spirituality & the Science of the Spirit

Religious spirituality often depends on a faith-based (as opposed to an evidence-based) belief in an immaterial realm that permeates or transcends the temporal world. This magical realm usually relates to ideas of a higher power, supreme being, gods, spirits, souls or life-force.

These give meaning and purpose to life and normally impose moral judgments and rules. Spiritual experience ranges from personal religious beliefs, revelations and mystical insights, to the dogma and ritual of organized religion.

Religious spiritual health is often different than holistic health insofar as it requires an obedience to a god or gods, or at least a belief in the supernatural. However, the believer finds comfort in the most difficult times through prayer or faith in a greater benevolent divine plan, which may include a sense of cosmic interconnectedness. Similar to holistic health, religious mystical experiences or realizations may include feelings of tranquility or inner peace.

Alchemy, the precursor of science, was centered on the operations to purify and cultivate spirit. The alchemical “Spirit” refers to the primordial life-force generally imagined to reside in the air and the breath of all living beings. Alchemy ascribes this force to Mercury or Quicksilver, the quintessence of the natural elements, the cultivation of which culminates in pure consciousness and enlightenment, the Philosopher’s Stone.

The science of spirit, then, leads to the spiritual or mystical experience of enlightenment. The science of the sacred inevitably does point toward spiritual awakening and Illumination meditation.  Most spiritual traditions therefore are centered on some form of independent or communal meditation or prayer, and usually some sacred ritual, along with basic tenets. This is why Illumination meditation is one of the three pillars of Science Abbey, along with science and community.

Humanistic psychology has developed the theory of self-actualization as the realization of one’s full potential, popularized as the apex of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid, being the consummation of health. Yet, although it is worthy of attention as a possible higher or ultimate state of consciousness, enlightenment does not appear in any such model.

Although some inquiry exists, the issue of enlightenment as heightened awareness or identification with the cosmos has not been robustly addressed by scientists.^[1] Some researchers have difficulty even defining enlightenment, much less measuring it, while others point to correlations between objective neurophysiological measures and subjective experiences such as non-duality, bodily awareness, clarity and focus.^[2]

More scientific research needs to be done on visualization, meditation and higher states of consciousness. Human beings are singular in that we are able to transcend our animal instincts like perception and emotion to explore concepts of reason, morality and awareness of a unified cosmos or higher self.

^[1] Sam Harris, “Waking Up with Sam Harris #102 – Is Buddhism True? (with Robert Wright),” YouTube video, 2:13:22, 30 Oct., 2007,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SGs89x8lY

^[2] Jake H. Davis and David R. Vago, “Can enlightenment be traced to specific neural correlates, cognition, or behavior? No, and (a qualified) Yes,” Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 2013, p. 870, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3837242/

Ancient Conceptions of Spirit and Deity

The Science of Spirituality: Beliefs, Practices, and Health Impacts

Spirituality is a universal human phenomenon—expressed through a wide spectrum of beliefs, practices, and experiences across cultures and time. While definitions vary, most agree that spirituality involves a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, often involving themes of meaning, purpose, inner peace, or transcendence.

Core Spiritual Beliefs and Practices

Spirituality is not confined to religion, though the two often overlap. It can be deeply personal or communally shared, theistic or non-theistic, traditional or eclectic. Common features of spiritual life include:

• Belief in a higher power or universal intelligence (e.g. God, Source, Tao, Brahman, Nature)
• Practices of self-transcendence, such as prayer, meditation, ritual, or sacred music
• Moral and ethical frameworks, often derived from spiritual teachings or scriptures
• Community and belonging, through churches, temples, sanghas, retreats, or informal circles
• Inner development, including reflection, forgiveness, gratitude, service, or surrender

These practices are not just cultural artifacts—they impact mental, emotional, and physical health in measurable ways.

Scientific Findings on Spirituality and Health

Recent research has increasingly affirmed the health benefits of spiritual beliefs and practices:

• Mental health: Spirituality is linked to lower rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicide. Practices such as mindfulness and contemplative prayer have been shown to reduce stress and increase emotional regulation.
• Physical health: People with strong spiritual lives often have lower blood pressure, better immune function, and longer lifespans. Spiritual practices can reduce the body’s inflammatory response and improve recovery from illness.
• Coping and resilience: In times of trauma, illness, or grief, spiritual individuals often show greater resilience and find meaning in adversity, enhancing recovery outcomes.
• Lifestyle choices: Spiritual frameworks often encourage healthy behaviors, such as avoiding substance abuse, cultivating compassion, and engaging in community service.

Importantly, these benefits appear most strongly when spirituality is experienced as authentic, open, and life-affirming—rather than guilt-ridden, rigid, or fear-based.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Spirituality and Religion

Not all forms of spirituality or religion are beneficial. A growing body of psychological research makes a critical distinction between healthy and unhealthy spirituality:

Healthy Spirituality/Religion	Unhealthy Spirituality/Religion
Promotes love, compassion, and self-awareness	Promotes fear, shame, or superiority
Encourages questioning, growth, and inner freedom	Demands obedience, suppresses doubt
Offers meaning and peace in suffering	Fosters guilt, self-hatred, or helplessness
Builds inclusive communities	Justifies discrimination or exclusion
Grounds ethics in empathy and responsibility	Enforces rules through dogma or violence

Healthy spirituality empowers the individual, connects them to the whole, and cultivates joy, gratitude, and reverence for life. Unhealthy spirituality—whether fundamentalist, superstitious, or authoritarian—can damage mental health, relationships, and society at large.

A Scientific Humanist Perspective

From a scientific humanist view, spirituality should be evaluated not by its metaphysical claims, but by its psychological and societal effects. Spiritual practices and beliefs are valid to the extent that they promote flourishing, maturity, and ethical action.

Science does not need to “disprove” spirituality—but rather to study it with openness and rigor. The goal is not to replace religion, but to understand what makes spiritual life healthy, meaningful, and healing.

Spirituality, when grounded in critical thinking and compassionate practice, becomes a vital force for human development—not in contradiction to science, but as a partner in the evolution of health and civilization.

Learn more about: The Science of Meditation, Happiness, and Enlightenment

Scientific Evidence for the Benefits of Spirituality

Scientific studies from across disciplines—psychology, medicine, public health, and neuroscience—are increasingly validating what ancient traditions have long claimed: spirituality can be good for you. When understood as a search for meaning, a sense of connection, and a foundation for values and inner peace, spirituality offers measurable benefits for mental, physical, and social well-being.

Mental Health and Emotional Resilience

Spirituality has consistently been linked to better mental health outcomes. According to WebMD, spiritual practices can reduce anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, while increasing hope and psychological resilience (WebMD 2024).

Psychologist David H. Rosmarin highlights that spirituality provides people with existential tools for coping with suffering, reframing negative experiences, and fostering gratitude, forgiveness, and hope—key ingredients in emotional healing and long-term well-being (Psychology Today, 2025).

People who report high spiritual well-being tend to have a clearer sense of identity, higher life satisfaction, and reduced suicidal ideation. These effects persist across religious and non-religious populations, suggesting that the psychological mechanisms of spirituality—rather than doctrinal beliefs—are the core contributors to mental health.

Clinical and Patient Care Outcomes

A landmark study by researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that patients who identify as spiritual experience better health outcomes across many conditions—including cancer, heart disease, and chronic pain (Harvard, 2022). These patients are more likely to use preventive services, adhere to treatment, and maintain positive attitudes during recovery.

The same study also found that patients value spiritual support from healthcare providers. Integrating spiritual care into medicine—particularly in end-of-life settings—not only improves patient satisfaction but may also reduce unnecessary interventions and costs. Spirituality in patient care is not merely a compassionate gesture; it is a pragmatic strategy for healing and dignity.

Social, Civic, and Physical Health Effects

Spiritual people often enjoy stronger social networks, greater civic engagement, and better overall health. A global study by the Pew Research Center showed that religiously active individuals tend to be happier and more civically engaged than their nonreligious counterparts (Pew Research, 2019). While this does not imply causation, it suggests that spiritual frameworks—especially those that promote altruism and community involvement—can contribute to individual and social well-being.

Moreover, a comprehensive review in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine concluded that spiritual and religious involvement is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, improved immune function, and increased longevity (Koenig, 2012).

Ways to Cultivate Spiritual Health

Like physical or mental health, spiritual health can be developed through conscious practice. The following strategies have been identified as effective tools to enhance spiritual well-being (Banner Health, 2023):

1. Reflect on personal values and purpose
   Journaling, introspection, and life review help clarify what truly matters.
2. Practice gratitude and forgiveness
   These emotions expand mental space and reduce internal conflict.
3. Engage in meditation or prayer
   Stillness practices quiet the mind and center awareness.
4. Spend time in nature
   Ecological immersion fosters awe and connection.
5. Build supportive spiritual community
   Sharing beliefs and values with others deepens meaning.
6. Volunteer or serve others
   Acts of kindness reinforce purpose and relational bonds.
7. Engage with sacred texts or spiritual philosophy
   Studying profound ideas sharpens ethical reflection and intellectual depth.
8. Cultivate awe and humility
   Experiences of wonder, whether in art, science, or nature, remind us of our place in a larger whole.

Spirituality, in this framework, is not an escape from reality but a deeper engagement with it. It is the practice of connecting to one’s inner core, to others, to the cosmos, and to a vision of the good. Science now affirms that such connection is vital to health—and worthy of cultivation.

---

Sources

• Banner Health. “8 Ways to Take Care of Your Spiritual Health.” Banner Health, 2023. https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/better-me/8-ways-to-take-care-of-your-spiritual-health
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Spirituality Should Be Incorporated into Care for Serious Illness.” Harvard University News, 2022. https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/spirituality-better-health-outcomes-patient-care/
• Koenig, Harold G. “Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications.” International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 43, no. 4 (2012): 327–353. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3537797/
• Pew Research Center. “Religion’s Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health Around the World.” Pew Research Center, January 31, 2019. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/01/31/religions-relationship-to-happiness-civic-engagement-and-health-around-the-world/
• Rosmarin, David H. “The Psychological Benefits of Spirituality.” Psychology Today, March 2025. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/mental-health-nerd/202503/the-psychological-benefits-of-spirituality
• WebMD. “How Spirituality Affects Your Mental Health.” WebMD, 2024. https://www.webmd.com/balance/how-spirituality-affects-mental-health

Whole Health Regimen

Were we to create a curriculum and regimen of preventative health, we would urge that the client maintain physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

We would advise the client to try a cleansing period of at least two weeks, to abstain completely from mood-altering drugs, tobacco, alcohol, sexual activity, and verbal profanity. With the experience of this discipline one can better moderate one’s lifestyle. It is important to abstain completely from indulgence in any activity, including over-work and screen time.

Our adult client should sleep six to eight consecutive hours per day if possible, while our younger client needs even more sleep, about nine to eleven hours, depending on their age. Sleep deprivation is a serious health issue that profoundly affects alertness, mood and performance. Getting enough quality sleep is important for cognitive, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

The client should keep a perfectly clean and tidy residence; wear clean garments each day; cleanse the body each day with soap and water; and keep the body clean throughout the day as practicable. The client ought to keep impeccable bodily and oral hygiene and sleep in linens cleaned at the beginning of the week.

The next top priority is meals made of healthy and nutritious food. Ideally, the food is organic, fresh, and as raw as possible. Meals ought to consist mainly of vegetables and fruit. The amount of food eaten should be moderate. One should always refer first to their physician for recommendations before changing any regimen related to health, including exercise and diet.

Traditional wisdom recommends three full meals per day, each with a number of servings from each of five basic food groups: cereals, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meat (or protein). Sometimes water and/or confections (sugary foods) are added to these common food groups. One should stay hydrated with clean water throughout the day. Grazing throughout the day may suit some people’s needs better than three square meals.

The food pyramid is an illustration of the number of servings required to consume the healthiest level of nutrients from the food groups each day.

Eating is sometimes used as a method to relieve stress. There are better, healthier ways to deal with stress, such as creative visualization and science-based relaxation techniques. The Relaxation Response method developed at Harvard University is the quintessential scientific relaxation technique practiced today.

Mental health is an fundamental part of whole health. Psychotherapy and self-help groups treat emotional disorders caused by external conditions such as hidden anger, loneliness, instability, over-developed role behavior, co-dependency, loss, abuse, and alcoholism and its effects in the home.

Elevating the mind and thinking positive thoughts has been scientifically proven to have beneficial effects on the brain. Take measures to play and laugh regularly, and to feel happy, grateful, and positive about your life and your self. Help others and practice the “Golden Rule.”

However, moderation means a balanced attitude, avoiding toxic positivity as well as toxic negativity. Negative emotions should not be suppressed or simply hidden; they ought to be acknowledged and managed with self expression and coping mechanisms.

Scientific advances have been made in the field of preventative medicine, including discoveries in nutrition, strength-building exercise, flexibility exercise (neuro-muscular stretching like active isolated stretching), therapeutic massage (like sports massage, acupressure, shiatzu, myofascial and trigger-point techniques), and meditation.

Treatments like these are popular methods of producing physical health, homeostasis and clarity of mind, which have been sought by mystics of all times and places as requisites to the attainment of higher levels of consciousness or spiritual achievement. 

The client is expected to regularly engage in moderate physical exercise, at the very least, walking. Examples are Qigong, taijiquan, martial arts, yoga, body building, wrestling, therapeutic massage, dancing, hiking, climbing, swimming, golf, European football, sailing, horseback riding, archery and fencing.

It is recommended that the client walk outdoors one half hour every day, for exercise, accompanied by neuro-muscular stretching. Again, consult a licensed physician or health care professional before making any changes to your diet or exercise regimen. 

Training in a musical instrument, the fine arts, or theatre are alternatives for those whose physicians recommend abstinence from physical exercise, and are recommended endeavors for others, as well. The time invested and the activity or activities chosen are left entirely up to the individual.

Location is very important to health and happiness. My client should minimize exposure to environmental toxins in food, water, and air. Chinese Daoist alchemists of Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China advise collecting qi, or life-force, from sites such as revered temples, sacred mountains, and certain trees.

Often, ancient qigong practitioners and their successors have sensed or built up a what they refer to as a strong field of qi in these locations. In other words, these settings may be sources of health, power, and wisdom.

Likewise, I would promote visiting museums and historic sites, libraries, theatres, monuments, cemeteries, parks and centers of commerce and government, temples and other socially relevant landmarks. These may all be considered to have significance on many levels, including the possession of important and unique concentrations of life-force, or spirit, which can instruct, nurture, energize and inspire.

The Human Being is 90% Bacteria

National Health Statistics Reports: Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use

Statistics on Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches

Medicine and Healing

Sometimes it occurs that part of the body or mind does not function properly. This can be due to internal or external factors. A medical disorder is any condition that deviates from the proper functioning of a healthy mind or body. Modern scientific medicine is the science and practice of healing, returning the living organism to a state of wellness, in other words, normal functioning. 

Healing counteracts medical disorders by assisting with regeneration and repair of living cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. This is achieved by the process of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorder. 

Modern scientific medicine, or Western Medicine, as mainstream or conventional medicine, is contrasted with Eastern or alternative medicine. Western medicine treats disorders whereas alternative medicine is oriented toward preventative care. Holistic medicine includes modern scientific medicine and evidence-based preventative care.

The branches of modern scientific medicine today include:

Allergy and immunology, Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Diagnostic radiology, Emergency medicine, Family medicine, Internal medicine, Medical genetics, Neurology, Nuclear medicine, Obstetrics and gynecology, Ophthalmology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Preventive medicine, Psychiatry, Radiation oncology, Surgery, and Urology.

There are many types of healthcare professions, including: nurse, physician (medical doctor, such as family practice physician, psychiatrist, radiologist, or surgeon), dietitian, dentist, optometrist, pharmacist, physical therapist, massage therapist, public health expert, and veterinarian.

Whereas these professions rely on modern scientific medicine, the term “alternative medicine” is applied to a number of practices that may or may not be supported by science. These should be approached with caution and research.

Alternative Medicine

Today, holistic medicine is not to be confused with so-called mind-body interventions that claim that prayer, guided imagery or hypnotism can heal the body. One must be careful about how much one invests in modalities that are not proven to work by science. Some holistic “experts” will claim that certain herbs, scents (essential oils) or solutions are ignored by the FDA or doctors because they are not profitable to them or their corporate connections.

These so-called experts will insist that every body is different and what works for one may not always work for another, so everyone needs to experiment. To some extent, it might be true that more research needs to be done on certain alternative medicines, but when the science is in, it can be trusted, such as in the case of debunking the false claims of homeopathy.

Much of what is called alternative medicine has been debunked and/or needs to be studied for benefits unrelated to its pseudoscientific claims. Examples include Reiki, Healing Touch, Magnetic Therapy, Cupping and Reflexology, Chiropractic Medicine and certain claims of Ayurveda and Chinese Traditional medicine.

It is not being claimed that these therapies have no effect, but practitioners and patients are urged to consider the scientific evidence or lack thereof. The scientist is not afraid to say, “I don’t know,” and is the first to change her assertions based on demonstrable fact. This does happen when new evidence is found that falsifies an old theory or advances a new theory. 

Conventional scientific claims can be wrong, too. Scientific knowledge is an ongoing endeavor. The concept of anti-bacterial soap was accepted by the professional medical community for many years, for example, but it has been proven that use of anti-bacterial soaps just leads to stronger bacteria and is thus detrimental to health. Their use is not recommended.

Some alternative therapies, like acupuncture, are successful to some degree because of the placebo effect, that is, the treatment has no measurable effect without the patient’s belief in its efficacy, but works to some extent only because the patient believes it will work. This is a good example of the healing power of the mind.

Modern modalities with scientifically backed benefits include contact with nature, nutrition, exercise, massage therapy, tai chi, yoga and meditation. These practices may be incorporated into the whole health lifestyle. In fact, they can prevent or reduce the need for more invasion forms of conventional scientific medicine, such as dangerous pharmaceuticals, which may be overprescribed by an unregulated medical establishment.

Holistic medicine tends to focus on preventive health rather than the treatment of disorders. Preventable diseases caused by poor dietary and exercise habits distress and kill millions of people every year who could otherwise live long and healthy lives.

Preventative Health 

Ancient societies often expected their doctors to provide holistic health, as can be seen with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Indian Ayurveda. In many cases, magic, prayers, gods or spirits were involved, as in Egyptian medicine or medieval Christian European societies. Herbs have been used in indigenous cultures all around the world, as well, as cures for many ailments.

The author’s personal take-away after over thirty years of research on Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern medicine and holistic medicine is that one should live as naturally as possible, with moderation in all things, and resort to pharmaceuticals only when it is absolutely necessary. However, whereas naturopathy or naturopathic medicine promotes pseudo-scientific natural remedies or self-healing modalities, like homeopathy, the author only promotes science-based holistic health and medicine.

Pharmaceuticals should be avoided when possible, but not if using them will control disease or extreme pain. Naturopathic pseudo-science is not a substitute for modern holistic science. The Asian traditions and holistic health modalities instruct us how to prevent some of the worst health issues, from cardiovascular disease to anxiety and depression.

Western science and Asian philosophy are finally merging to form a complete picture of health. A holistic world-view is required for wise decision-making. Meditation and exercise like yoga and taijiquan are essential elements of holistic health. 

Critical thinking and science are our best methods for understanding the universe and advancing our interests. An evidence-based world-view is essential to a moral lifestyle. Modern medicine is based on science and holistic health studies are no different.

We start with nothing and the totality of the cosmos and use the deductive method of science to discover the bare essentials of a happy, enlightened and productive human life. We explore all aspects of human life, including fields like environmental conservation, healthcare, education, economics and politics. We examine the necessities of life and the deprivation of each: fresh air, clean water, healthy diet, moderate sunlight, security, sleep, rest, exercise, dress and shelter.

Lifestyle is to blame for 70-90% of cancers

We focus on health and medicine in moderate detail, including psychological modalities like sound therapy and color therapy. We explore all aspects of quality of life: 

leisure time v. labor, access to modern conveniences, freedom, taxes, charity, meditation and visualization, polite society and fraternity, art, music, literature, philosophy and education, gardening, geography and natural environment, and even the view of the outdoors. 

Those who are further interested in the foundations of health and healing should start with the study and visualization of the elements of human anatomy, physiology, and psychology as they relate to the natural biological functions of human life.

How Walking in Nature Changes the Brain

Human Anatomy: 12 Organ Systems

Science studies the physical and mental aspects of human beings in the most basic sense in the branches of anatomy, physiology and psychology. Anatomy describes the structure of the body, physiology describes the functions of the body, and psychology describes the structure and functioning of the mind, and studies behavior. 

The sciences of biology, human anatomy and physiology recognize twelve functions essential to human life and twelve major organ systems functioning within the human being. The human being can thus be understood scientifically as twelve interconnected systems each performing some aspect of twelve biological functions essential to human life.

1.     Nervous System: Brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia

Transmits messages between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body, controls and coordinates the body

2.     Endocrine System: Glands, gonads (testes or ovaries), pancreas

o   Produces hormones that regulate the functions of the body

3.     Circulatory System: Heart, blood vessels, blood

o   Circulates blood to regulate temperature, fights disease as part of the immune system, transports nourishment to cells and carry away waste.

4.     Lymphatic System: Lymphatic vessels, lymph, lymphocytes

o   Transports plasma from the interstitial fluid to the blood, fights disease as part of the immune system

5.     Respiratory System: Respiratory tract: nasal cavities, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, lungs, diaphragm, ribcage (thorax)

o   Exchanges gasses (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the lungs and the atmosphere

6.     Digestive System: Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, rectum

o   Turns food into nutrients

7.     Urinary/Excretory System: Skin, lungs, kidneys, urinary bladder, ureter, urethra, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, biliary system, integumentary system

o   Removes waste products of metabolism from the body.

8.     Skeletal System: Upper and lower extremities, pelvis, spinal column, ribs and sternum, skull

o   Shapes and supports the body, protects the organs, forms blood and stores minerals

9.     Muscular System: Involuntary muscles, voluntary muscles

o   Shapes posture, produces body heat, carries out movement

10.  Integumentary System: Epidermis, dermis, sweat glands, oil glands

o   Regulates body temperature; holds water inside the body; protects the body from the environment; eliminates waste; synthesizes vitamin D; feels sensation, temperature, pressure, and pain

11.  Fascia: Fibrous connective tissue

o   Joins, stabilizes, encompasses, and divides muscles and internal organs

12.  Reproductive System

·      Female – Uterus, Fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, vagina

·      Male – Scrotum, testicles, accessory glands, penis, epididymis, vas deferens, semen, sperm

o Produces offspring

The Twelve Biological Functions of Life

Health means being functional, and the science of biology recognizes twelve basic functions of life expressed in human beings. 

These twelve biological functions manifest roughly as breathing; drinking water to stay hydrated; eating, digesting, and eliminating food for nutrients; circulation of nutrients; fighting disease; growing and holding bodily structure; producing hormones; regulating the whole system in relation to the environment; and coupling and having offspring to produce the next generation. 

The twelve basic biological functions of human life are listed below as they correspond very generally with the twelve organ systems of the human being.

A General Correspondence of the Twelve Biological Life Functions and the Major Organ Systems of the Human Being

1. Movement: movement of parts or the whole organism… Muscular System

2. Ingestion: receiving food for nutrition… Digestive System

3. Digestion: breaking down food… Digestive System

4. Assimilation: transmutation of digested food into living tissue… Digestive System

5. Synthesis: building new tissue… Digestive System

6. Transport: conveyance of nutrients into cells and waste or toxins out of cells… Circulatory System, Immune System

7. Respiration: breaking down nutrients from the air… Respiratory System

8. Growth: enlargement of an organism… Skeletal System

9. Secretion: creation and release of hormones… Endocrine System

10. Excretion: removing waste from an organism… Urinary System

11. Regulation: ability of an organism to respond to its environment to maintain balance (homeostasis)… Nervous System

12. Reproduction: production of offspring… Reproductive System

Government Health and Societal Health

Looking toward the future, government might be made more effective if its leaders understand the science behind the relationship between biological functions and government functions. The departments of local, national and international government correspond in various ways to the biological functions of the individual human being. Coordination of these parts is integral to a healthy system of governments across the globe. A healthy society depends on a healthy government.

Government Functions

1. National Defense
2. Diplomacy
3. Science and Technology
4. Energy
5. Environment
6. Agriculture
7. Infrastructure & Development
8. Transportation
9. Education
10. Commerce
11. Labor
12. Treasury
13. Social Services
14. Justice and Human Rights
15. And last but not least… Health

The world is not healthy at this time, as we see with statistics about pollution, deforestation, crime, corruption, injustices, and healthcare. We must act upon healthy goals even though we know that his world is not going to become a healthy place right away.

We may never get there. It is enough to take personal responsibility and urge others to do the same. Each of us can do our own part for our own health, and the wellbeing of our family, community, and world.

Conclusion: Toward a Global Science of Health

Health is not merely the absence of illness—it is the presence of vitality, resilience, meaning, and connection. In the twenty-first century, our understanding of health must expand beyond the clinic, beyond the self, and even beyond the species. It must become planetary, systemic, and integrative—anchored in science, but animated by humanist values.

This article has traced the many dimensions of health:

• Physical and mental health, which is the beginning of health originating in the individual
• Family health, which depends on responsibility and self-education
• Public health, which protects communities through sanitation, vaccination, education, and equity;
• Social health, which emerges from just relationships, strong institutions, and inclusive societies;
• Healthcare systems, whose designs reflect national priorities and ethical commitments;
• Environmental health, which reminds us that the well-being of ecosystems and economies are inseparably linked to the well-being of human bodies; and
• Spiritual health, which addresses the most interior dimensions of life: identity, purpose, and the search for belonging in a vast and mysterious universe.

Each of these domains reveals the same truth: the health of the individual is bound to the health of the whole. No person is fully well in a sick society. No community thrives on a dying planet. And no civilization can sustain itself without a shared vision of moral, mental, physical, and ecological integrity.

A Scientific Humanist approach to health recognizes both the power of empirical knowledge and the primacy of ethical responsibility. It values the methods of science—not for domination, but for liberation. It seeks cures not only for disease, but for alienation, injustice, and despair. It embraces spirituality—not as superstition, but as the inner experience of wonder, reverence, and wholeness.

This is the science of health we must now pursue—
One that heals not just bodies, but societies.
One that fosters not just survival, but wisdom.
One that honors the unity of nature and mind, organism and culture, evidence and meaning.

The future of health lies in our capacity to think globally, act compassionately, and live as whole human beings on a shared and fragile Earth.