Am I Healthy or Am I Sick?

How do you know if you are sick? It depends on how you define being healthy.

When you catch a cold and you have a fever, does that mean you are sick? You certainly don’t feel well but does feeling good always equate to being healthy?

What if the fever was a HEALTHY response to catching a cold?

So, if how we feel isn’t the best way to determine whether we are sick or healthy AND if symptoms by themselves are not a good definition either, what do we have left?

My definition for your consideration is based on HOMEOSTASIS.

In biology, homeostasis is the state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems.[1] This is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance, being kept within certain pre-set limits (homeostatic range). Other variables include the pH of extracellular fluid, the concentrations of sodium, potassium, and calcium ions, as well as that of the blood sugar level, and these need to be regulated despite changes in the environment, diet, or level of activity. Each of these variables is controlled by one or more regulators or homeostatic mechanisms, which together maintain life.

Homeostasis is brought about by a natural resistance to change when already in the optimal conditions,[2] and equilibrium is maintained by many regulatory mechanisms.

Your body’s ability OR inability to maintain homeostasis truly determines whether you are healthy or sick.

How you feel and the presence of symptoms can mislead you into thinking you are sick when you are not, and healthy when in fact you are sick. Wouldn’t a lack of fever be worrisome if you knew your body was fighting a bug?

Reframing this definition will help you make better health choices for yourself and your family!

Yours in good health,

Dr. Jane