The
concepts of health and beauty are constantly evolving. Globally, we are coming
across new—and rediscovering old—medical research and philosophies
pertaining to the attainment and maintenance of humans’ well-being. Modern
medical advances have led many to believe that we can find external youth in a
bottle, and freedom from disease in a pill. With an overwhelming quantity of
contradicting sources claiming to hold the golden ticket to happiness and
physical longevity, we ponder what exactly defines universal health.
ABOUT ME
My name is Aquene Diedricksen, and my goal is to uncover the ambiguity of this term, learning
how to contribute towards the promotion of complete physical,
mental, emotional, and social well-being.
I have designed this blog not only to encourage myself to live well, but to share with others what I have learned (and will be learning) through my daily experience and education. I plan to work locally and think globally with the concept of providing a health coaching/mentoring service for today's adolescent women.
I have designed this blog not only to encourage myself to live well, but to share with others what I have learned (and will be learning) through my daily experience and education. I plan to work locally and think globally with the concept of providing a health coaching/mentoring service for today's adolescent women.
My vision is to help young girls as they grow by educating them on multiple subjects, ranging from fitness and beauty to art and spirituality to give them the tools that are not are often not provided to them by their schools, counselors, the media, or even their families and friends.
WHAT IS ABSOLUTE BEAUTY?
In our world today, we exhibit a blind and blinding faith in the power of
science to cure all illnesses, no matter what we do to cause them. We are held
to seemingly impossible standards of physical health and beauty, and many
believe that if we do not live up to those standards, we must compensate by turning
to less favorable measures such as elective surgery and dietary medicines. By
suppressing the symptoms of illness or surgically removing diseased parts, it
allows us to achieve an appearance of good health without actually being
healthy. Western society seems to accept the external bodily appearance as
qualification for an individual’s overall well-being. This perception helps to
explain the growing market for products that stand behind a façade of instant
gratification, and gives insight to the increasing number of individuals
who are affected by eating disorders and alcohol and drug abuse. In short, our
culture has notions of fitness and nutrition that few of us can adhere to. With
this said, I firmly believe the cultural interpretation of these more external
corporeal elements presents only one facet of the ever-changing concept of
health. Moreover, I believe that the overall well-being of the individual
should be constituted on internal and
external levels.
I define good physical health as a
result between the interaction of two fundamental elements, and I have
exercised these elements in the maintenance of my own well-being. These
elements include the manner in which we treat our body, and how we interact
with our peers and our environment. To elucidate further, the treatment of our
body is regulated through our diet, physical activity, while our interactions are characterized by the relationships we make and maintain with ourself, others, and our surroundings. In the words of
Pratima Raichur, author of Absolute Beauty, “life is the totality of
experience, not merely a collection of physical parts, and human experience
happens fundamentally through the filter of the mind and senses on the level of
consciousness.” The problem lies in the fact that our society’s definition of
health is skewed, failing to effectively recognize the importance of all of
these elements, and instead focusing on exterior appearance alone.
The discrepancy between society’s generalized view of
physical health and the opinion of more educated sources has acted as a
catalyst in my research of the effects of holistic health, alternative
medicine, and Ayurveda. I have taken particular interest in Ayurveda because of
its emphasis on the causative role of thought and behavior in health and
disease. Ayurvedic treatments harness the body’s inherent ability to heal and
balance itself, restoring overall appearance, emotional disposition, and mental
aptitude. Ayurveda applies concepts of healing and spirituality, botanical
therapies, and therapeutic touch, and addresses the element of wholeness, the one thing
that is missing from our culture’s idea of health.
After recognizing the frustration
and confusion of individuals’ in their quest for health and beauty, I’ve
decided to make it my mission to provide myself with the knowledge and tools
needed to help them. Through a comprehensive education in integrative nutrition and Aveda's esthiology program in Lafayette, Louisiana, I plan to pursue my long-standing passion for
physical and emotional well-being, and so that I may obtain my goals as a
professional and make an effective difference in the health and wellness field.
I am eager to learn about additional alternative herbal remedies, holistic
nutrition, and therapy options. I look forward to educating the
public (specifically young children and adolescents) of the benefits of incorporating
natural healing methods into their normal healthcare routines. I am excited at
the prospect of beginning a new future in my field of interest.
"I suggest we learn to love ourselves before it's made illegal." - Incubus, Warning
XOX - The Girl With the Mermaid Tattoo
