Taking Care of Health Leads to Happiness

Every so often, you see an article on your social media sites about the habits of happy people. One of the key factors is exercise, which is shown to help self-image and ease symptoms of depression and stress leading to a happier self. Exercise is just one component of taking care of your health. Could taking a proactive role in taking care of yourself lead to greater happiness?

taking care of health leads to happinessAre You Taking Your Doctor’s Advice?

In the report, A Fragile Nation in Poor Health, only five percent of patients are following a doctor’s treatment plan to the letter. Only seven percent of the surveyed healthcare professionals thought they were successful in helping their patients have healthier lives.

Many patients, 42 percent said they would follow prescribed plans if they could receive encouragement from their doctors between appointments. Patients want to have more ownership in their care, but they do need their doctor’s support. Doctors have more technology available to them to provide this personalized assistance, but they have to take advantage of it within their own practice.

What About Diseases that Individuals Have no Control Over?

Many health issues come about no matter how well you take care of yourself. Would it give you greater peace to know that you’ve done all you can do to maintain your well-being? Although there are no studies that link proactive care to happiness, there are many studies that show happy people are healthy. Researcher Robert Holden found that 65 percent of individuals would choose happiness over health. He stated, “(T)here is no true health without happiness.”Curious though, if it’s the happiness that leads to good health or whether good health leads to happiness.

Depression and chronic illnesses are physically stressful, but having a positive outlook increases overall health. While this can be difficult to manage, taking an active role in what you can control does lead to better outcomes. Having a doctor that provides the tools to assist you in managing your condition is paramount to your overall health and well-being.