Why is it that when someone asks, “How are you?”, we instinctively scan the body for symptoms?
Fever? Pain? Blood reports? Diagnosis?

As families, friends, teachers, bosses, and yes, even physicians, we have been trained to look at health through the narrow lens of disease. If there is a label, we act. If there is no diagnosis, we often dismiss the discomfort. Yet deep inside, we all know this truth:

You can be disease-free and still not feel well.

And feeling well is not a luxury. It is the foundation of a meaningful life.

Disease Is Not Just a Physical Event

The word disease itself quietly reveals its meaning - it is a state of dis-ease, a loss of inner harmony. But modern life has taught us to treat disease as something that happens to the body, rather than something that emerges through the body.

We rarely pause to ask:

What emotional burden is this person carrying?

What unresolved grief or trauma lives quietly in their tissues?

What chronic stress is tightening their muscles, altering posture, disturbing sleep, and slowly creating pain?

Human beings are not single-component machines. We are beautifully complex—bodies, minds, emotions, and spirit woven together. To address only one layer is to ignore the language of the others.

Every Thought Has a Physical Echo

Science now confirms what ancient wisdom always knew: every thought creates a physiological response. A fearful thought tightens muscles. Chronic worry alters digestion. Suppressed anger strains the jaw, neck, and shoulders. Long-term stress - whether emotional, mental, or social can be as damaging as physical illness and can lead to a host of metabolic conditions, including hypertension, cardiac diseases, cognitive decline, autoimmune diseases, and even cancers.

Stress is not just psychological; it is hormonal, inflammatory, and cellular.

When we ignore emotional and mental distress, the body eventually reacts through pain, fatigue, metabolic disorders, autoimmune conditions, and burnout.

Healing Must Be Holistic

It is time, perhaps long overdue, that we treat dis-ease with holistic care.

This means:

Looking inward, not just at lab reports

Asking why an ailment exists, not just what it is

Exploring the surface symptoms and the subtle signals beneath

True healing happens when we address the body, mind, and emotions together. Not in isolation or silos but as an integrated whole.

What This Means for the Individual ?

Feeling well begins with conscious self-care at multiple levels.

Care for the physical body :

Nourish with wholesome, real food

Move the body with joy - walk, stretch, breathe, play, and dance, or choose any activity for movement that we enjoy

Choose safe, hygienic, and minimally polluted food and environments

Respect sleep, sunlight, and relaxation

Care for emotional and mental health :

Release pent-up emotions instead of storing them in the body

Reduce chronic stress and create work-life balance

Practice mindfulness and conscious breathing

Build strong family and social connections

Learn healthy communication and conflict resolution

Care for the spirit :

Practice prayer or meditation, whatever helps us feel centered

Cultivate kindness, love, and forgiveness (especially towards the self)

Slow down the pace of life

Live with purpose, service, and contribution

Feeling well is about living more aligned and in service of self and others.

What This Means for Healthcare Professionals ?

Healthcare must evolve from treating organs to healing people.

This means:

Assessing the person, not just the pathology

Understanding lifestyle, emotional stressors, relationships, and beliefs

Offering holistic support - nutritional, emotional, behavioural, and therapeutic

Creating safe spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported

What This Means for Policymakers ?

Policy shapes health more than prescriptions ever will.

We need systems that:

Promote mental and emotional well-being alongside physical health

Integrate nutrition, mental health, lifestyle medicine, and preventive care

Encourage safe food systems, clean environments, and active living

Support work-life balance, community connection, and stress reduction

Make preventive and holistic care accessible and normalise seeking help for mental and emotional well-being

Health is not created just at a medical clinic but in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

Quality of Life Is the True Measure of Health

The World Health Organization defines health as:

“A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

This definition is powerful and demanding. It reminds us that health is about how we live, not just how long we live.

And this understanding must be taught - to ourselves,
to our communities,
and to future generations.

A Personal Responsibility We All Share

The next time we see someone emotionally exhausted, mentally overwhelmed, or distressed, let's pause and acknowledge it.
As a friend.
As a family member.
As a colleague.
As a healthcare professional.

Emotional and mental dis-ease deserves care, compassion, and healing, just as much as physical illness.

When we do this, we move forward, not just medically, but humanly in an evolved, sustainable way.

Do seek help and support from family, friends, or qualified healthcare professionals if you experience physical, emotional or mental diseases.

At Nutrition with Vibha, we believe healing works best when food, emotions, lifestyle, and self-awareness come together. Our approach looks beyond symptoms, supporting individuals in feeling well, living well, and sustaining health from within.

Because true wellness is about living and thriving gently, consciously, and holistically.

Write to us at nutritionwithvibha@gmail.com if you are looking for support

Stay Empowered.
Stay Nourished.
Stay Blessed.