By Prameela Kannan Kutty

Without total health of body, mind and social links, we aren't prepared for this tremendous health challenge facing us.

While we've all heard about holistic health, do we make efforts to possess it?

The holistic health of a person is what really makes one healthy or sick. Health challenges like the one we're facing (with the possibility of three viral strains!) require, besides good physical health, great resilience of character and strength of mind to face up to it

Body, mind and social links

Don't we all know this, but let's just say it again to do it better, let's trace links in holistic health.

If you have a disease (of the body), you may feel stressed due to the pain of the disease. That will upset your state of mind. You may feel sad or unable to cope, which may then make your disease worse.

If you're free from a disease you must also be happy, have a positive attitude and have the will to ensure that you don't get the disease again. Otherwise you may only be temporarily cured.

If you are now well physically but are very sad or stressed about something then sooner or later you may be physically affected

In all the above circumstances one thing's for sure, we need to be also supported by caring relationships. Without such social support your physical and mental infirmities will not improve.

A maturity milestone link

Let's learn a thing or two from children who are, no doubt, individually unique.

The infant initially plays alone, without much interest in toys outside the immediate environment, then learns to play alongside another with guarded caution and gradually blossoms into one who' s visibly happy with games of caring and sharing. 

Caring and sharing is simply a part of growing, but to work to sustain such feelings so that they become a part of ourselves, requires determination and maturity.

Do we work towards sustaining this, because this is part of our holistic health, so necessary to face challenges?

In crisis we work out the blues, but are we sure we can keep the spirit up?

We are able to reach out to touch many lives and this is seen clearly in crisis. Studies suggest that unexpected events inspire resourcefulness and novelty, with fun type artistic creativity.

For example, I enjoyed watching the YouTube of two children entertain with synchronizing violin duos with much enthusiasm in their body language. I hope they'd keep up the energy to keep doing these things.

A teenager entertains through online zumba classes, expressing dancing passion accessible by a click of a button. Her jives send home a powerful health message, during the lockdown. "Just stay home and stay active,do a workable cardio if you can, and melt away those stubborn calories, then, indulge in the strawberry cheese cake ice cream!"

Like everyone else, I persisted in the zumba because of my confidence in her sustained efforts.

The health triad

On a larger scale, holistic health can be supported by sound and inclusive governing policies

Personal health behaviors

Charity begins at home. People must be empowered through knowledge on safe personal health behaviors and habits. In Malaysia, far reaching multilingual campaigns on lifestyle and eating habits give useful advice to different cultures.

Socioeconomic factors 

It's important to ensure the blending of cultures to avoid blame games during crisis.  While Malaysia has done well in attending to the crisis so far, let's never forget to ensure health accessibility to marginalized groups such as refugees.

Geopolitical factors 

Although natural disasters aren't common in Malaysia, activities must hone workable solutions for unavoidable geographical problems such as climate change.

Energizing the health triad 

Let's not take for granted the importance of sustaining positive feelings and attitudes which more often than not, are merely flashes in the pan.

Integration of these to the bigger picture is often the forgotten link to health.

(Dr Prameela Kannan Kutty is Professor of Pediatrics, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia.)