Positive Health by Burke, Jolanta; Dunne, Pádraic J.; Byrne, Elaine;

Short description:

This introductory book offers a clear guide to the new field of Positive Health which incorporates a shift towards perceiving body and mind as an integrated system. Topics covered include the social determinants of health and meaning as a factor contributing to health.

Long description:

This introductory book offers a clear guide to the new field of Positive Health which incorporates a shift towards perceiving body and mind as an integrated system. The book combines Lifestyle Medicine research and practice, such as healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, and physical activity, with positive psychology research and practice, including cognitive, arts-based, and positive affect tools, to delve into the psychology of positive health, physiology, and health behaviour.

Combining theory with interventions, and illustrated by case material, mind-maps, and infographics, the book also provides exercises on how to use key research findings from the field of positive health to enhance personal wellbeing. It helps readers focus on the changes they can make to their thinking, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as changes they can instigate in their environment that can lead to positive health. Topics covered include the social determinants of health and meaning as a factor contributing to health.

It is essential for introductory courses on Positive Health, and supplementary reading for courses on positive psychology or wellbeing, as well as valuable reading for all healthcare professionals and policy makers.

'Positive health is a new paradigm, a shift in healthcare from just the diagnosis of disease and treatment of illness to include sustainable selfcare strategies through the science of flourishing. The authors provide a much needed holistic focus on what’s strong as opposed to what’s wrong, on how health and wellbeing can be developed and supported. Leveraging the emerging evidence from lifestyle medicine and positive psychology this  book provides the why as well as the how in terms of positive change. If you are involved in healthcare, education, training or simply are curious to learn how to add more life to your years, then this book is for YOU!'

Mark Rowe, PhD, author of The Vitality Mark

'Positive Health: The Basics provides excellent insights to the way we all should approach health and wellbeing. Promoting the positive can negate the negative and so positive health is for everyone, regardless of how high or low we are on the wellbeing continuum.'  

Darren Morton, PhD,  director of the Lifestyle Medicine and Health Research Centre, Avondale University, creator of The Lift Project

'The authors are modest when they describe this work as “The Basics”. It is much more than that. Health professionals and others who want to understand more about thriving in life will find a foundation for understanding and action in Positive Health. The disciplines of lifestyle medicine, salutogenesis and positive psychology are deftly woven into the philosophical framework of not simply “health”, but what it means to live life well.'

Simon Matthews, FACLM, MHlthSc, DipIBLM, NBC-HWC

'All of us can benefit from the Positive Health: The Basics in order to leverage our full potential – not only to prevent and treat mental and physical conditions, but also become our best selves, regardless of the adversities we may face. individually and supporting an environment for a health-sustaining and positive future globally. I commend the authors for pulling together the key basics of positive health and making it accessible in this text.'

Liana Lianov, MD, MPH, president of Global Positive Health Institute, author of Strengths in the Mirror, co-author of Lifestyle Medicine From the Inside Out

'First, this is a great book, easy to read and important. Well done. The authors take the reader through the concepts and theories of positive psychology and the pillars of ACLM  learn about positive health. The reader is provided tangible tools to wellbeing. Medicine will change.'

Kathi Norman, PhD, creator of Positive Medicine

Table of Contents:

About the Centre. Chapter 1: Introduction to Positive Health. Chapter 2: Positive Mental Health. Chapter 3: Positive Health in Mental Health Struggles. Chapter 4: Positive Physical Health. Chapter 5: Positive Health within the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. Chapter 6: Positive Environment and Health. Chapter 7: The future of Positive Health.