Our health is comprised of multiple, interconnected dimensions

A series of clergy health articles by Gwen Wagstrom Halaas

Health and wellness are hot topics in the media. Not a day goes by without hearing or reading a media message on how to lose weight, live longer, be stronger or smarter. So what does the church have to do with health and wellness? More than ten years ago the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod created the InterLutheran Coordinating Committee on Ministerial Health and Wellness.

This committee, convened to address concerns about the health of church leaders developed some excellent resources that continue to be useful. One of those resources is "A Letter on Peace and Good Health"—a theological reflection on health and wellness written by James Wind, President of Alban Institute. A survey was sent out to pastors and other church leaders in both Lutheran churches asking a number of health-related questions. In 2001, The Ministerial Health and Wellness Report portrayed the health status of ELCA pastors based on the survey and on aggregate health data from the ELCA Board of Pensions - the pastors' health plan.

This report described a baseline state of ELCA pastoral health and set the stage for leadership in the ELCA Division for Ministry and the Board of Pensions to improve health. While reviews of past health literature show that pastors used to be in good health, when compared to other groups, more recently pastors have joined the top ten professions at risk for heart disease. Extensive data from a multi-year study of ELCA clergy recently demonstrated some lifestyle risk factors for heart disease: being overweight, physical inactivity and stress. In addition, data indicated that depression and other mental health disorders are significant concerns for pastors.

The InterLutheran Coordinating Committee on Ministerial Health and Wellness created a wonderful health and wellness tool—The Wholeness Wheel. This wheel is used by individuals and congregations to help inspire, support, and organize an approach to improved health and wellness. Knowing that we are each a child of God, through baptism a new creation in Christ and a member of the body of Christ gives us the motivation toward being whole. The dimensions of our health and wellness include not just the physical, but the emotional, social/interpersonal, intellectual, vocational and spiritual. In fact, it is spiritual wellness that surrounds and supports us. It gives us a "faith hardiness," described by Dr. Gary Harbaugh, pastoral care counselor, in his book "The Confident Christian" as that knowledge that Christ is ever present and caring. That knowledge is the reason faith hardy individuals are resilient to stress and change.

These dimensions of health are not separate from each other but each one blends into the next. Improving physical health improves emotional and intellectual health. Vocational health involves all of the dimensions. If anyone of the dimensions is not receiving the attention is deserves, it becomes under-inflated and the wholeness wheel is out of balance. Any dimension that becomes an obsession also throws the wheel out of balance. It is by being aware of and nurturing of each of these dimensions that we preserve our wholeness.

Acknowledging that our miraculous bodies are truly a gift from God encourages us to practice stewardship of that gift through the practice of self-care. Self-care means being aware of our health and wellness and being knowledgeable about healthy habits and healthy practices to prevent disease and to improve health when living with disease. Self-care is not selfish; it is truly stewardship of the gift of life and empowers each of us to use that healthy life in service to God.

Unfortunately, the realities of American culture often distract us from self-care. We work too hard, sit too much, eat processed and convenient food, plug into our televisions and computers, don't have time for prayer or devotion, and don't get the sleep we need. The healthiest among us know how to keep their lives in balance by practicing self-care. Most of us live with stress in our lives and do not struggle with the ability to balance that stress with healthy habits. Few of us, when we think of health, consider the importance of all six dimensions. Our pastors lead a life of service in a culture that expects 24 hour accessibility. While most feel called to that life of service or know that their purpose in life is public ministry, most are also challenged to keep that healthy balance.

This is not just an issue for one church or denomination. Whether pastor or layperson, we can all improve our health and wellness. Whether we are fit and free of disease or whether we struggle with chronic disease or disability, there is room for lifestyle improvement that will help us balance our Wholeness Wheel. To be successful in this improvement we need to support each other. We need to examine our own lives and be intentional in making healthy changes in our lifestyle. We can use the Wholeness Wheel to inspire and to organize our efforts. And we must ask God for help, acknowledging the gift of life and our desire to serve others fortified by our faith hardiness and health.

Health and wellness are hot topics in the media. Not a day goes by without hearing or reading a media message on how to lose weight, live longer, be stronger or smarter. So what does the church have to do with health and wellness? More than ten years ago the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod created the InterLutheran Coordinating Committee on Ministerial Health and Wellness. This committee, convened to address concerns about the health of church leaders developed some excellent resources that continue to be useful. One of those resources is "A Letter on Peace and Good Health"—a theological reflection on health and wellness written by James Wind, President of Alban Institute. A survey was sent out to pastors and other church leaders in both Lutheran churches asking a number of health-related questions.

In 2001, The Ministerial Health and Wellness Report portrayed the health status of ELCA pastors based on the survey and on aggregate health data from the ELCA Board of Pensions - the pastors' health plan. This report described a baseline state of ELCA pastoral health and set the stage for leadership in the ELCA Division for Ministry and the Board of Pensions to improve health. While reviews of past health literature show that pastors used to be in good health, when compared to other groups, more recently pastors have joined the top ten professions at risk for heart disease. Extensive data from a multi-year study of ELCA clergy recently demonstrated some lifestyle risk factors for heart disease: being overweight, physical inactivity and stress. In addition, data indicated that depression and other mental health disorders are significant concerns for pastors.

The InterLutheran Coordinating Committee on Ministerial Health and Wellness created a wonderful health and wellness tool—The Wholeness Wheel. This wheel is used by individuals and congregations to help inspire, support, and organize an approach to improved health and wellness.

Knowing that we are each a child of God, through baptism a new creation in Christ and a member of the body of Christ gives us the motivation toward being whole. The dimensions of our health and wellness include not just the physical, but the emotional, social/interpersonal, intellectual, vocational and spiritual. In fact, it is spiritual wellness that surrounds and supports us. It gives us a "faith hardiness," described by Dr. Gary Harbaugh, pastoral care counselor, in his book "The Confident Christian" as that knowledge that Christ is ever present and caring. That knowledge is the reason faith hardy individuals are resilient to stress and change.

These dimensions of health are not separate from each other but each one blends into the next. Improving physical health improves emotional and intellectual health. Vocational health involves all of the dimensions. If anyone of the dimensions is not receiving the attention is deserves, it becomes under-inflated and the wholeness wheel is out of balance. Any dimension that becomes an obsession also throws the wheel out of balance. It is by being aware of and nurturing of each of these dimensions that we preserve our wholeness.

Acknowledging that our miraculous bodies are truly a gift from God encourages us to practice stewardship of that gift through the practice of self-care. Self-care means being aware of our health and wellness and being knowledgeable about healthy habits and healthy practices to prevent disease and to improve health when living with disease. Self-care is not selfish; it is truly stewardship of the gift of life and empowers each of us to use that healthy life in service to God.

Unfortunately, the realities of American culture often distract us from self-care. We work too hard, sit too much, eat processed and convenient food, plug into our televisions and computers, don't have time for prayer or devotion, and don't get the sleep we need. The healthiest among us know how to keep their lives in balance by practicing self-care. Most of us live with stress in our lives and do not struggle with the ability to balance that stress with healthy habits. Few of us, when we think of health, consider the importance of all six dimensions. Our pastors lead a life of service in a culture that expects 24 hour accessibility. While most feel called to that life of service or know that their purpose in life is public ministry, most are also challenged to keep that healthy balance.

This is not just an issue for one church or denomination. Whether pastor or layperson, we can all improve our health and wellness. Whether we are fit and free of disease or whether we struggle with chronic disease or disability, there is room for lifestyle improvement that will help us balance our Wholeness Wheel. To be successful in this improvement we need to support each other. We need to examine our own lives and be intentional in making healthy changes in our lifestyle. We can use the Wholeness Wheel to inspire and to organize our efforts. And we must ask God for help, acknowledging the gift of life and our desire to serve others fortified by our faith hardiness and health.

By Gwen Halaas, M.D. Halaas is director, Center for Interprofessional Education, Academic Health Center, University of Minnesota, and assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.