Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Right to Body Care... Awareness

French king Louis XIV had a journal in the 17th century
called the Journal de la Sante du Roi, or King's Health Journal..
For almost his whole life, from 1747-1711,
his doctors, three in succession, noted daily his body's condition,
spanning almost a century in time.

Such focus on the body.
But how does a person benefit from this intense focus and awareness of one's body?

Although the King suffered from headaches, rheumatism, fevers,
gout, and toothaches, he died at 77 from a gangrenous leg.

French King Louis XIV
The story of the King's health is summarized in a
fascinating article, which describes how this King's journal
is now a historical document of health care in 1600's France.



38 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have one body that belongs to us. We can not exchange it in a department store as a purchase we choose to return. If we don't take care of our body both inside and out our body will fail us, and make us pay the consequences for not taking care of ourselves. The way trees need rain and sunlight to survive, our bodies need the best care possible to live. I support the right to body care because without it the body can't survive.-YEM

Anonymous said...

I think that yes we have the right to body awareness, but the fact that we need to be educated to know when to seek professional help is greatly needed. For example before a stroke there are numerous signs that your body gives, but as individuals we shrug it off as a bad day. for example frequent headaches are a symptom.
-JPG

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, the king was a human experiment of medicine and his leg festered until his infection became systemic. Now, with the advancement of medicine, there are numerous books and sites to visit for information on illnesses and how to treat them. When you learn how your body works and how to keep it healthy, you live longer. The right to awareness is key for a healthier life.
G.C.

Anonymous said...

The fact that he loved and took care of his body is something I respect. No one wants to feel helpless, nor do they like to feel like if they can die any moment. Because of that people will always try to slow down the countdown of their deteriorating bodies. Some give up hope along the way and let themselves whither while others keep struggling to maintain their strength and health.
AG

Fidela said...

The Right to Body Care...Awareness
It is of great importance to know your family genetic health history as a complement of yours. Also, learn to identify good food from low nutritional value, i.e., junk food. Whatever your intakes of food, it will be the reflection of good or bad health. Keep control of your medical records for future references. Awareness is of great benefit because it provides a premature diagnosis of the health test results. Be a strong believer of preventive medicine. Fidela.

Anonymous said...

By taking care of his body, Louis XIV set an example. He was King and wanted to stay healthy for his people. He reminded me that I have one body and I shoulsd continue to take care of it. A.H.

Anonymous said...

We should treat our body like a temple and take care of it by watching what we eat and exercising regularly. We only get one body but if we run it down by drinking and smoking with no moderation then it is our own fault. Getting check-ups at the doctor is a great way to tell if you are keeping your body in good shape.-I.C.

Anonymous said...

While bodily awareness is a good characteristic to have, "intense focus and awareness of one's body" may have negative repercussions. It could be argued that excessive bodily awareness leads to several disorders, fore example, anorexia. Conversely, it may indeed be beneficial by making one aware of medical issues, or problems of other natures which can be solved. In totality, every being has the right to body care and should be aware of his body, but, as with everything else in life, moderation is key. -JAY

Anonymous said...

Taking care of your body demonstrates how much you love yourself; understanding that our lives could end in a heartbeat may be a clear example of how fragile our bodies are. Eating healthy, not smoking, or not using drugs may well be a good illustration of self stem, however, it is also good to remember that we only have one life, and living the same to the fullest, responsibly and at moderation is also good for the body and the mind.
AYS

Anonymous said...

One benefits from intense focus and awareness of one’s body by noticing changes that may have an adverse effect on it. Awareness is the key, getting to know our body, our reactions to stimulants whether good or bad, and identifying the triggers gives us the ability to positively care for our bodies. Excessive obsession or distorted awareness is not healthy as it creates unnecessary and sometimes wounding reactions that in some cases cost people their lives way to early in more than one way. This obsession blindly recognizes death as being the most excessive and over diagnosis and medication the second. TL

Anonymous said...

I definitely think that body care awareness is the key for a healthy life, it has been discovered in many researches that on time prevention, trough seasonal checkups can help to prevent diseases like cancer and pulmonary fibrosis among others.
I truly believe that the body is a perfect machine that give signals when something is not working properly, unfortunately most people don't pay attention to the small signals and wait ,until getting sick; Then they realize that all could be prevented with awareness
By. ASR

Anonymous said...

Numerous of people don't care about their body as much as they should. In this generation, many people take drugs that intoxicate their bodies. This shows no concern in what the drug actually does to the body. Health care is extremely significant to how people will live their lives. There is a need to encourage people to visit the doctor more frequently because people are clueless to what harm they have done to themselves. Most people don't even know they have a certain disease or illness until the side affects increase.-S.S.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, our generation doesn't care about their body as much as they should. And many times people wait until it is required to take care of their body. I think we should be aware of our body because if we don't we are only going to hurt ourselves, and their won't be no one to blame but ourselves.
J.R.

Anonymous said...

It's very good to be aware of your body and what does it need to be in full shape but home remedies are not always the right way to go. You need to be aware of what your body needs and not what you think its right. YML

The Wandering Light said...

Humans have evolved technologically, but our knowledge has not continued into our own selves. If we were more aware of our bodies, we could use our minds to cure our ailments! Listen to your body, give it what it needs. If we were aware of every movement, pain, and desire, our longevity would be unstoppable!

Anonymous said...

We all have a right to body care and awareness. Like previously stated by other comments, we only have one body and its not anything new to hear about people who have all types of sickness still live a long life. For example I suffer from primary chronic insomnia. I've had it for 5 years and I function on only 1-3 hrs of sleep sometimes I don't sleep at all but I'm healthy. I do my best to take care of my body even though sometimes the toll of not sleeping weighs heavily on my body. So the more one pays attention to your body the more you can extend your life.

A.M.

Anonymous said...

How does a person benefit from this intense focus and awareness of one's body? It is important to be in tune with your body. Your body is a machine and you are the only one who knows when this machine needs repair. As my doctor always says, preventative care saves lives, meaning if people went to the doctor for their regular checkups illnesses such as cancer could be detected early and treated. JJ

Anonymous said...

The king kept a journal of his body falling apart in front of him. As king he wanted to show his people that he cannot be weak and never be sick in front of them. We should learn a lesson from this king. Once we see signs of our health slipping away from us, we should jump on it and do whatever we need possible to make ourselves healthy. Many people today do not listen to their bodies and brush little sicknesses away, when in the end it could lead to something much worse. We need to love ourselves.
-ABL

Anonymous said...

People don't realize that taking care of your body is probably the most important and rewarding thing for oneself. In the long run, people pay the consequences. So it's better to start sooner than later.
KR

Anonymous said...

Keeping the body healthy, not only makes a person physically attractive, but also prolongs life. Working out simply three times a week can reduce the chances of a heart attack, which is the number 1 killer in America today.
Q.M.

Anonymous said...

The right to body care is simply essential to our health and well being. Without being aware, how would we know which actions to take when our body presents us with symptoms of an illness? Being aware is like being prepared for a test, if you know how the body functions and which signals mean what, you will be prepared to make the right decisions towards your physical and mental health. JLF

Anonymous said...

The more aware and careful we are of our body the longer our lives will be. We only get one chance at life, don't abuse the privilege.

RF

Anonymous said...

Everyone should personally practice the right to body care, while a journal of everything that has ever ailed you might be too much. You need to take care of your body inside and out.
CP

RCW said...

Being aware of your health and well being I consider to be the most vital right. Amongst freedom and the right to coexist, we can not enjoy those rights without the health to do so. The right body care is what keeps us fighting for all the rights we rightfully deserve.

Anonymous said...

I don't blame the King for keeping note of his body's condition on a daily basis. In that time, health care obviously wasn't as advanced as it is today. Therefore by having your body examined by doctors everyday, you could catch something as soon as it occurs and treat it in the best way possible. I can relate somewhat because I am a hypochondriac. Whenever I see even the slightest thing different with my body, I call the doctor. MBS

Anonymous said...

I person benefits from being aware of his body, because they can be more careful and prevent illness. If you do not know what's good and bad for your health than you will not live long; and what is a life if you have to suffer through pain. Unfortunately for King Louis XIV, medicine wasn't as advanced, but now in days you can find out about anything unusual in your body if you just go to a doctor. It is important to maitain a healthy diet and exercise to be able to enjoy life.
J.S

Anonymous said...

I defiantly believe that everything start from within. Taking care of our body is the most important thing that an individual can do for oneself. We only have one life, and its important to be responsible about it.
I agree with the right to body care.... awareness.
*NG*

Anonymous said...

No one can know you better than you know yourself. Being aware of your bodily health can lead to early detection of diseases and disorders. Women, especially, can detect lumps and bumps in their breasts. Care for yourself. Be aware.

Anonymous said...

Previous comment by ALB

Anonymous said...

The awareness of one's body care is essential, our body is our most precious possession. The proper upkeep of our body and self image will help the way others look at you. I support all those who take good care of their bodies and self image, because I am one of those.
S.A.

Anonymous said...

The major benefit you get from being so aware of your body is that you know your health status at all times. It can be a major issue especially in the times of King Louis when there were not many tests you could run. Getting hit by a sickness that you have no idea where you got it from or what it is can be a huge problem. E.P.C

Anonymous said...

-I agree with "The Right to Body Care....Awareness". The bible states "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20).-J.D.

Anonymous said...

I agree with QM, all one needs to do is exercise and eat right. If one does not take care of anything it will eventually go bad. So one needs to be focused on their body in order to prolonge life.
RCT

Anonymous said...

Being aware of ones health is essential to living a long and healthy life. Although being healthy, exercising, and getting check ups still doesn't prevent you from getting sick, old, or dying. Becoming obsessive over ones body though is a bit much. Moderation is key. SC

Anonymous said...

I agree with JPG if professional help is not sought then exercising, eating right will be pointless. If symptoms are occurring and you decide to ignore them then you are putting your body at risk.
-Y.M

My Eye In This World said...

The king set a great and valid example to his people. Taking care of your body is defenitely a must to help it last longer and stay healthy. But, just as it happened to the king, we can take care of our bodies our entire life, and unexpectedly or suddenly, die of something else...

Anonymous said...

Life is one~ flowers tilt~ health always prevails
-Ali

Anonymous said...

Body awareness is critical for a healthy life. There are so many factors to have in consideration to live a healthy life and your body is the most important one. You should pay attention to any alert that comes from your body. Act promptly when you notice any symptoms indicating that something is not going well. Also, improve your body with exercises and cosmetic care. It will appreciate it.

MCC