Over the past two weeks, our readings and discussions have been focused on establishing a baseline for understanding wellness. In this module, we’ll begin our tour through the four lenses, beginning with history. As we dive into the four lenses, keep in mind that each lens is framed as a way of seeing the issue and is not necessarily tied to the associated discipline. So, looking through the historical lens isn’t just about History Channel documentaries—it’s also about how you use the lens to understand the past and present. As you write your initial post, answer the following questions:

• In what ways does looking through the history lens enhance your understanding of wellness?
• Consider a current event in the news that has a historical counterpart. How does looking through the history lens influence how you perceive both the current and historical events? Please share a news link to your events.
• How does analyzing the relationship between history, culture, and wellness have an influence on your discipline of study or chosen profession?

Respond to at least two of your classmates. Compare and contrast your answers to further everyone’s understanding of wellness and the lens of history.

Peer 1

Hello Class:

How might the four lenses apply to better help you understand wellness?

Wellness is multi-layered, process consuming the ability to examine through the perspective of four different lenses, you have the ability to view from the various stages. Viewing from the lens of social science, you can view wellness from a sense of society and relationships. ] The historical lenses may help you to understand the trends of wellness as well as the historical impact. Examining wellness through the history lens provides a greater understanding of how wellness and health have evolved over the years. The origins of wellness go back decades and are even considered “ancient” (History of Wellness, nod). The history lens offers a wellness into perspective, and gives us an indication of how to improve our health and our lives.

I found the article on “meditation” resource so helpful especially this week as I have been very sick this week and there are so many benefits of meditation from reducing pain to sleeping better.

What is the influence of wellness on your chosen field of study or future profession? How can you use your understanding of wellness in your professional career?

Gaining a deeper understanding wellness is essential me. By understanding wellness, it will definitely give me a deeper of what my emotions and thoughts that my clients experience, Wellness involves all aspects of a person’s well being and should be taken into consideration.

Reference:

Global Wellness Institute. (2019). HISTORY OF WELLNESS. Retrieved from Global Wellness Institute: https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/industry-resea…

Loustaunau, M. O. (2019). Meditation. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.snhu.edu/eds/d…

Peer 2

Looking through a historical lens for any topic helps to demonstrate what has happened in the past so that we may gauge how to move forward both in the present and the future. By learning how medical and mental health dilemmas were managed and treated in the past, doctors, clinicians, psychiatrists, etc can learn what worked and what didn’t work to more effectively treat and manage symptoms (Global Wellness Institute, 2019). Equally, from a diagnostic standpoint the history lens allows current and future medical and otherwise providers to learn about new diseases, ailments, disorders, etc that were not known or were not well known 20, 30, 50 years ago (Global, Wellness Institute, 2019).

Reviewing the news article “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby: A History of Cosmetic Lead Toxicity” provided vital information into how the historical lens helped to improve and potentially save the lives of people by altering the way makeup is made (Witkowski & Parish, 2001). As Witkowski and Parish (2001) outline makeup manufactures did not know the effects of using lead in their makeup, they used materials and ingredients that had been used for decades prior until new research developed that told the tale of the dangers of lead poisoning and other toxic materials used in makeup production. This allowed for progress and evolving the way makeup companies manufactured their products, it allowed for new regulations and safety controls (Witkowski & Parish, 2001).

I work in the human service field where history, culture, and wellness are prevalent amongst daily thought processes. How to make delivery of services better than in the past, how to live best practices, how to integrate individuals served into their community while keeping their different cultures as well as the culture of their environments at the forefront of our minds are all ways we look through a historical lens to analyze present-day culture and wellness. Equally, making sure we are working to value wellness for both ourselves and our individuals served is an important daily practice so that staff may continue to promote and provide the best services possible by keeping themselves healthy and active in preventative measures as well as ensuring we do the same for the individuals we work with. This can be achieved through taking days off as a staff, getting a flu shot, talking about challenges and success in this line of work, having a significant other at home to vent to, venting to one’s boss, etc. For the individuals served this can be achieved through making sure individuals make and attend both doctors and therapy appointments, that individuals take medications needed, that they eat a healthy diet, have access to exercise and activities that will keep their mind active and engaged, etc.