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SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
DUKE UNIVERSITY
| Personal Health Planning |
In the same way that you might plan to meet your personal goals for education, professional development and financial security, it is important to create a plan for your health. Many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, osteoporosis and lung cancer can silently destroy health before any symptoms become apparent. These, and many other diseases like them are often preventable. Personal Health Planning helps you to take the steps you need to achieve your optimal level of health.
| A PHP is Personal because it's about You! | Your personal health history, your genetics and family history, your lifestyle, likes and dislikes and your individual health goals begin the process. We all know that aging is a natural part of life and that both genetics and life choices play important roles in the risk factors for disease. Taking time to assess your personal risk factors through a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) can be an important first step. We've provided an HRA for you. Click here to start the HRA.
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| A PHP is about Health. | In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease." This definition is still true today. Do you feel truly healthy according to this definition? On this website, we've provided you with tools to assess your wellness in all areas of the Wheel of Health and to begin to determine steps that you can take for greater health and vitality.
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| A PHP is a Plan. | An HRA will give you a beginning idea of the health conditions for which you may be at risk. But is that enough? An effective health plan includes not only your risks for disease, but also your likes and dislikes, your personal health goals, and your readiness to change. On this website, we've provided steps for you to take to create your personal goals. Meeting those goals is a challenge that will reward you with many years of health, strength and vitality. Click here to create your Personal Health Plan. |
Optimal health is more than just the state of being disease free. It's a condition of well-being that is reflected physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The Wheel of Health will help you to look at all of the areas that make up health. We all know that life demands, work, and family needs can cause increased stress and demands on time. It can be hard to find time to exercise, to eat well, to go to a doctor’s appointment, and to take care of yourself in a healthy way. Everyone experiences a time when life feels out of balance.
The important thing is to notice when you are not taking care of yourself and to take small, but important, steps to regain energy and balance in your life once again.
You may want to take time to review the Wheel of Health and to consider which areas are balanced and healthy in your life right now and which may need some improvement. Click on each section in the Wheel of Health for more information. You'll see that in each area, there is a question to answer. You may want to think about these questions now and your readiness to make important changes in your life and health habits.
Click on the Titles of the Domains within the Wheel of Health
to find out more about each domain.
Personal Health Planning and the Wheel of Health were developed by the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine.
to find out more about each domain.
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