Running head: PROJECT 1: PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION PAPER 1

Personal Prescription Paper

Joshua Daniel Lewis
Pasadena City College
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On April 30, 2019 I took the health self-assessment called Holistic Health

Self-Assessment Online Quiz. I received the results based on four categories of wellness:

physical wellness, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness and overall wellness. My physical

wellness result was fair-good. My emotional wellness result was good. My spiritual wellness

result was good. My overall wellness result was fair-good. I was overall pleased with my results

based on the four-categories. The next section of text will cover my current state of health.

These results are an accurate representation of my current overall health. I am generally

active, up until April 20, 2019 I lived in Amsterdam, Netherlands where I biked and walked

everyday. However, I need to make a commitment to exercise more now back in the US. In

most cases, I walk over thirty minutes a day and consciously make an effort, especially after

living in walking Europe. My overall eating habits are generally not as good as they could be. I

traveled for two-and-a half-months after Amsterdam and ate loads of bread, dried meats, cheese,

fruit, beer and wine. The next section will cover the improvements I need to make in my life.

The first area in my life that needs to be improved is my physical health. The major

improvements that I need make is for more energy on a day-to-day basis as i’m mostly energized

but I sometimes experience a lack of energy and become tired. The ways I will improve my

physical health for more energy is by first selecting healthy foods that are produced sustainably,

shop at local farmers markets, eat fresh food on a regular basis, meal plan weekly and go on

walks and runs in the morning and jump start my day with exercise. I can learn and practice

specific exercises that are designed to increase my energy. I can eat foods that are rich in

vitamins and minerals, study proper food combinations, eat slow, not over-eat and if possible, eat

in relaxed environments. I can drink tea instead of coffee, ask a friend to work out with me so I
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have a gym buddy, walk my dog more, make a commitment by completing a behavior change

contract, concentrate on positive thoughts, eat foods that are more green and not fired or high in

sugar, salt or fat. The next section will cover ​the importance of sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

Sustaining a healthy lifestyle is important like one’s everyday lifestyle choices. The U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that everyday lifestyle choices are 53% of an

individual’s state of health (Walter, 1999). The decisions people make about their life and habits

are, therefore, by far the largest factor in determining their state of wellness (Walter, 1999). The

majority of illnesses and premature death can be traced back to lifestyle choices (Walter, 1999).

There are the well-known dangers connected with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, and unprotected

sexual activity (Donatelle, 2008). There are the also well-known dangers is the impact of excess

sugar, caffeine towards ones negative attitudes (Walter, 1999). So it is important to combine

exercise, nutritious foods, and self-esteem to enhance one's quality of life, now and in the future.

That choice is actually being determined by a multitude of seemingly unimportant choices made

everyday (Walter, 1999). Scholars promote the six dimensions of wellness as a guide to

wellness (Hettler, 2019). All six dimension contribute to one’s sense of wellness and quality of

life, each affects and overlaps the others. The six important dimensions to achieve health are

emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual (Hettler, 2019). The next

section will cover my three goals to improve a my healthy lifestyle.

My first goal is to plan and organize a way to reach my maximum well-being, where

everything is functioning the very best that is possible. The first way I will achieve this goal

making the right choices everyday to improve my health, by eating healthy. The second way is

by getting active. I will take the stairs instead of the elevator or go on a walk with your at
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lunchtime. My second goal is to start now accepting responsibility for my own level of

well-being by making changes to my everyday choices and take charge of my own health. The

first way I will achieve this goal is by drinking in moderation. The second way is by staying

hydrated. I recently purchased a 1.9 liter reusable water bottle that I will use to drink water

throughout the day. Getting the proper amount of water is very important towards reaching my

goal. ​The third goal that I have made to improve and sustain a healthful lifestyle is to ​emphasize

in my own life the connection of mind, body, and spirit. The first way I will achieve this goal is

by getting a good night's sleep more often. My sleeping schedule is not the best and I find

myself only getting around six to seven hours of sleep. This needs to change and I will do that

by turning off everything in my room with no phone in bed around nine at night to get at least

eight hours of sleep. The second way I will achieve this goal is​ by using my kitchen to cook in

and adapting more green vegetables, legumes and grains into my diet. The next section will

conclude.

After the self-assessment, learning about the ways to improve my health and the

importance of sustaining a healthy lifestyle, setting my three goals to improve a healthy lifestyle

and after reflecting on my health and the health of my community I see myself with a larger

responsibility to help improve it. It can be easy to blame my own health or the communities

health on outside factors, instead of taking responsibility for my everyday choices. I will from

now on, be more mindful and conscious that my daily decisions impact myself, my community

and the greater environment around me. Focusing on my healthfulness and wellbeing is very

important in order to fulfill my life goal of wellness. This assignment opened my eyes to how

much control we have over our own lives, health and wellness. I take more seriously my health
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and the health of my greater community because a healthy society is a countries greatest

strength.

Resources

Donatelle, R. J. (2008). ​Health: The basics​. Toronto: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.

Hettler, B. (2019).​ Six Dimensions of Wellness: ​National Wellness Institute.

Walter, S. (1999). ​Holistic Health: The illustrated encyclopedia of body-mind disciplines.​ The
Rosen Publishing Group.