PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION PAPER

Personal Prescription Paper

April Rivera

HED 044

Moore

Pasadena City College

7 July 2019
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Prescription Paper Getting Started

Based on my results from the health self-assessment that I took from The Expanding

Light Retreat website, it was brought to my attention that I am fairly healthy. The test that I took

tested my overall health in all of the six dimensions and I have discovered that I greatly need to

improve in each of them. In order for me to evolve and truly become my healthiest self, I would

have to make several changes and adjustments in all aspects of my life. For example, in order to

see an improvement in my assessment results, I would have to take my dieting more seriously,

focus on bettering all aspects of my mental health, and continue to work out more often.

First off, creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely valuable to one’s life as

for the fact that it comes with so many long/short-term benefits that will positively alter one’s

mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Some of the many benefits that come with

making healthy habits are “higher energy levels, healthier mental health, weight control, stronger

ability to combat diseases, and most importantly it improves longevity” as stated in an article by

Healthline, regarding the benefits of healthy habits. When establishing change, there comes the

need to make and adapt to goals, take action, and maintain motivation to carry out the goals.

Secondly, establishing goals is apart of the very first few steps when trying to begin or

alter a healthy lifestyle. Goals provide clarity and allow someone to truly focus on what they are

trying to achieve and how exactly to achieve them. Research shows that “setting goals gives you

long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge and helps

you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the most of your life” as

stated in an article provided by The Mind Tools website. Personally, my three goals are to limit

myself from eating unhealthy foods by taking my dieting more seriously, educate myself in
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regards to the topic of nutrition and fitness, and prioritize my overall well-being by focusing on

strengthening my mental and spiritual health. My first goal can easily be achieved by buying

healthier foods/snacks and cooking at home using recipes found online or via YouTube.

Although, things are easier said than done, allowing myself to have a cheat day or two during the

weekends will also help my transition. The second goal that I have set, of educating myself will

be achieved by reading articles online, watching videos, and this class will also benefit me as

well. Being well informed will help me make the proper decisions for my personal health and

lifestyle. It will help guide me into what I should put in my body and what will help me achieve

my fitness goals. For my final goal, this will be achieved by removing all negative aspects in my

life, listening to calming music, and simply putting myself and my happiness first.

Then, when these changes are made, my overall health should improve greatly. The

National Institute of Wellness, claims that when trying to achieve “optimal wellness” it is a

“process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful

existence”. It has been made clear that one’s mission to become truly healthy in all six

dimensions is greatly influenced by one’s mentality. It is a never-ending, forever altering cycle

filled with decisions and whether or not one wants to take the necessary actions to become a

better, healthier version of themselves.

Also, a great way to achieve a goal is to have the motivation, sometimes it is found

within yourself or outside sources. For instance, two motivators that I currently have are my

family, friends, and myself. I have a few family members that are currently suffering from

diabetes or other health problems due to poor lifestyle decisions. Seeing them suffer from these

health problems only pushes me to work harder for the healthy lifestyle I want to live. Currently,

according to a report conducted by the CDC, “there are 30.3 million people in the United States
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suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes.” and the numbers are not expected to slow down. Having

seen what this disease is capable of doing to the human body, it is not something I would want to

experience. Although, there strong words of encouragement and support are greatly appreciated

and it is something everyone needs when trying to accomplish a goal.

In conclusion, after seeing the results from the self-health assessment I took, it has truly

made me want to become a better, healthier version of myself. The first steps I will take in order

to initiate my new lifestyle include having a stricter diet, buying healthier foods/snacks, cooking

at home more often, educating myself regarding the topics of nutrition and fitness, and most

importantly prioritizing myself, to focus on my mental and spiritual health. All of these actions

and goals that I plan on fulfilling are all related to the six dimensions of wellness and by the end

of this year, I hope to see a huge difference in my overall health, as I have challenged myself to

carry out these goals for the next six months.

Works Cited
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Five Benefits of Healthy Habits. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/5-benefits-healthy-habits#combats-diseases

New CDC report: More than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes | CDC

Online Newsroom | CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html

The Expanding Light Retreat. (n.d.). The Holistic Health Self-Assessment Quiz Make an ever

greater connection with the Source of your energy at The Expanding Light Retreat.

Retrieved from https://www.expandinglight.org/holistic-health/self-assessment-quiz.php

The Mind Tools Control Team. (n.d.). Personal Goal Setting: – Planning to Live Your Life

Your Way. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html

The National Wellness Institute. (n.d.). The Six Dimensions of Wellness. Retrieved from

https://www.nationalwellness.org/page/Six_Dimensions