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Adaptation An alteration by which the functioning of an organism, in this case a person, becomes fit for a new environment. This occurs continuously. As an example, when we start an aerobic exercise program, our lungs and heart adapt to the need for more oxygen and better delivery of food to the body’s cells. Over time physiological changes occur and our body’s adapt to the new state.
Adaptation is also used in the context to indicate that tissues and organs and whole body responses to repeated demand may also be decreased or fatigued, or increased and excited. An example is the reduced response of a sense organ to repeated stimuli like your eyes. They adapt to the darkness or the light.
Circadian Rhythms We have adapted to the daily (24 hour) rotation of the earth on its axis. By means of internal circadian clocks that can be synchronized to the daily and seasonal changes in external time cues, most notably light and temperature, we anticipate environmental transitions, perform activities at biologically advantageous times during the day, and undergo characteristic seasonal responses.. The effects of jet flight across time zones and shift work are strong reminders however, that although modern technologies can create “cities that never sleep” we cannot escape our biological clocks that regulate much of our physiology and behavior. Moreover, dysfunctions in our circadian timing system are implicated in several disorders, including chronic sleep disorders especially as we age and in the elderly, manic-depression, and seasonal affective disorders (SAD or winter depression.
Disease Disease and disorder are manifestations of Health Medical definitions usually make no distinction between diseases, disorders, syndromes, symptoms, manifestations, markers, or any other effect on the structure or function of the human body. In a medical view they are all treatable. However there are differences that require clarity. A disease has a definite pathologic structure or process with a characteristic set of signs and symptoms. A disease is usually deep seated and either prolonged or permanent. The definition of disease can under no conditions be expanded to cover physiological conditions that occur in natural states of life (such as pregnancy, menopause, and aging) or that otherwise occur without underlying pathology (such as pain or constipation). Only pathological conditions that are not an inherent part of the natural status of life are properly classified as diseases. There is a difference between disease expression i.e. direct manifestation of disease itself and an implied disease based upon the possibility of change to a structure or vital function of the person. Many times a disease is implied by identifying abnormal or unhealthy conditions or any clinical measurement relating to markers of, or risk factors for, diseases. (like high cholesterol) This is NOT Disease but the implication of a possible disease state or potential disease process The definition from Webster’s medical dictionary on line is so inclusive that all people could be classifies as diseased: : “an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors”
Disorder A disorder is most often slight , partial and temporary. A disorder references a slight irregularity to the functioning of a mental/emotional or bodily system. A disorder is a disturbance to the regular or normal functioning of the human organism. This can occur in either body or mind and can effect mental, emotional, physical , physiological, relationship, or social functioning.
Lifestyle Lifestyle consists of ways of living, the patterns of behavior, in the circumstances of one's life. Increasingly in industrialized society we create for ourselves, individually and collectively, both the circumstances of life and our ways of living in those circumstances. And we are beginning to recognize that both those facets of lifestyle strongly influence how long we live and how well." You can be a member of a single lifestyle (group) or belong to several life “styles”. A lifestyle is a personal approach to living that determines the extent of your living.
Wellness Wellness is usually defined as the optimal functioning of each individual regardless of their current health status or disability. Wellness exists in a continuum and is unique to each person. Each of us defines our own wellness. Wellness is dynamic and changing and not a static event or state. Wellness is a continual process. Experiences of wellness are subjective. This does not mean that they are not real, just that they are not measurable like tangible health status indicators. What makes you personally feel well, might make another feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Wellness requires individual responsibility for the quality of life for the pursuit of good health and reduction of potential illnesses , disorders and disease.
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