QUIZ: Is Your Family Healthy?

While many people define "health" as a lack of disease, it is possible for families to be strong and healthy, perhaps even exceptionally so, when coping with a chronic illness like thyroid conditions. This is because health and wellness are determined by a balance and blend of the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social and occupational aspects of life. Is Your Family Healthy? Take stock of how "well" you and your family are by taking the "Family Health Quiz":

Family Health Quiz

Score 3 points for each "usually" answer; 2 points for "sometimes" and 1 point for "rarely."

Physical health-

• Do you and your family members eat a balanced, varied diet?
• Do you exercise and seek health-promoting activities that suit your family style?
• Do you schedule regular medical and dental checkups for everyone?

Emotional health-

• Do you surround yourselves with trusted people with whom you can share feelings?
• Do you make a point to talk together as a family and vent anger, anxiety and frustration in appropriate ways?

Intellectual health-

• Do you participate in intellectually stimulating activities together such as going to movies, museums, the library or lectures?
• Do you bring stimulating and interesting discussions to the dinner table?

Spiritual health-

• Do you and your family members practice behaviors and attitudes in sync with your personal worldview and values, perhaps including affiliation with a religious community?

Social health-

• Do your family members have healthy social connections such as friends, extended family?
• Do you and they have community connections such as PTA, civic and religious groups, arts and political committees?
• Do you have regular opportunities to have fun with other people?

Occupational health-

• Does each family member have a meaningful occupation including work, school, volunteer work, hobbies or activities that are satisfying and enjoyable?

There is no set score that equals "healthy." However, examine anyplace you answered 1 or 2. Is there a pattern?

Brainstorm with your spouse, children and other family members about enhancing wellness in those areas. Start by asking about the kinds of things each does already to promote his or her health. Remember adults are healthy-behavior role models for children and that you can demonstrate healthy living skills even if you have a chronic disease.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on how to live well with a chronic condition like thyroid disease, read Mary Shomon's book Living Well With Hypothyroidism.