Illness and Health can be viewed in a manner that reveals meaning and purpose in the larger context of our lives. The lack of health is something that profoundly affects every area of our lives, and health is generally something we do not prioritize and frequently take for granted.In our modern times it is important to be cognizant of the increased burden of lifestyle diseases affecting so many and to become proactively aware of what you can do to improve and maintain your health status, listen to the messages your body is sending you and take care of your physical-biological-psycho-emotional well being.

Important message and Dr Gunter’s top 5 health points: 

Dear All,

Having met so many different health professionals and different patients from really wide ranging backgrounds, beliefs, cultures and socio-economic environments in my recent travels, I have learnt some very important things about human health. And it is simple. Yet, in our modern lifestyle these important points can evade us, and that is the purpose of seeking assistance with your health. So we can figure out what the problems are and how to get you back on track. ( I will return to South Africa and be available for consultations from 07 March 2018).

Health is maintained and supported by 5 things:

1.Lifestyle- clean unadulterated food, correct nutrition, adequate sleep and sufficient amounts of filtered water. These are really the basics, yet most of us are not following a good lifestyle. The body needs the appropriate fuel, and regular maintenance much like that attention and care we spend on our cars!

2. Adequate and balanced exposure to Sunlight. We are so blessed with our beautiful and temperate climate in South Africa. I saw a few patients from Denmark and Russia who frequently suffer with SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder) because of inadequate Sun Exposure. Depression, decreased immunity and cardiovascular health are all linked to lowered levels of Vitamin D. Surprisingly, many South Africans suffer from this as well, despite our beautiful weather, mostly due to working in the office from early morning to evening.

3. Rest and Activity in Balance is key– it is vital to find ways and use our intelligence to make our lives work for us. To find ways to balance work and rest, true rest, rest of the mind and heart and Soul in our busy and intense lives. Exposure to Nature is one of the best ways of doing so. Also, people need time. We need time to think our situations in life through, we need time to digest our experiences and process our emotions, we need time to orientate ourselves to what matters most in life. And we need to set aside time to make our Health a priority. Without Health we cannot achieve our goals and dreams, or at least it becomes very challenging to do so.

4. Balancing our minds, emotions and Body. The connection between our minds, emotional realities and our bodies is real. It is a biochemical reality, so true health care must address all aspects of a Human Being holistically.

5. Meaningful and nourishing Inter-Personal Relationships. The longest standing study on the effects of meaningful inter-personal relationships on health and longevity to date is The Harvard Study. It is a wonderful research study, so please take out some time to watch it here:  https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness