By Dr. Fred Harvey 

What is the true definition of happiness? Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment. While happiness has many different definitions, it is often described as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction. Happiness is a crucial foundation for good health, and good health is crucial for happiness.   

We have many challenges to our happiness these days, and many of them come from our cultural approach to life. For example, there is the continued use of toxic synthetic chemicals in our food supply. We still see the use of dyes like tartrazine (yellow 5) and allure red (Red 40) in many “foods.” These chemicals cause allergies. Aspartame causes seizures, and Sucralose disrupts gut bacterial harmony. Toxic heavy foods like this are anti-health and thus are not good for overall happiness.   

The excessive consumption of oil and gas creates hydrocarbon pollution that changes the climate and toxifies the environment. This results in a variety of stresses on the environment and on humans, which create disease. Pollution and disease do not cause happiness.  

We can make some personal changes despite the challenges to our health and happiness in our daily lives. We can reduce our exposure to toxic substances by reading labels and eliminating things like dyes and sweeteners. We can’t change the environmental challenges, but we can protect ourselves from them with clean foods, clean water, sleep, and exercise. Add some targeted nutritional supplements from our Healthy Steps Store, HealthyStepsStore.com for detoxification and to support resilience to help eliminate diseases and improve happiness.   

Finally, maybe the most critical factor for happiness is in your relationships. Many interpersonal relationships have been strained in recent years. People are polarized, and emotions are high. If we remember that all people are going through their own evolutionary process, and no one is “bad” but simply struggling with their own obstacles. Forgiveness allows one to move beyond the drama to achieve peace, which facilitates the pursuit of… happiness! 

If you want to experience functional medicine and discover the root cause of your health issues, call Dr. Harvey’s office -  Functional Medicine Florida (formerly known as The Harvey Center), at 941- 929-9355 or join the conversation and ask Dr. Harvey healthy & wellness questions every Monday at 10 AM on 88.5FM WMNF radio as he hosts “The Healthy Steps Radio Show.” 

Dr. Fred Harvey is the Medical Director of Functional Medicine Florida. He is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Holistic-Integrative Medicine, specializing in chronic illness recovery and prevention and defiant aging. For more information, visit FunctionalMedicineFlorida.com.