Dr Rainer Arendt is an internal medicine and cardiology specialist, and one of the responsible physicians at Double Check - a leading centre for health checks and second opinions in Zurich, Switzerland. In this interview, he talks about what we can do to live a healthy life.
In your experience, is there a connection between mental and physical well-being? Does stress have a negative impact on your body?
Health can be defined as the state of attaining optimal physical, mental and social well-being, and is not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.I was always interested in the relationship between mental distress and sudden cardiac death.
While we understand something about the neurochemistry of this relationship, it‘s difficult to prove, since stress or distress means something different for every individual.
Would you say that a medical check can contribute to one’s well-being?
Our clients say so.
Nowadays, we have the means to rule out future serious health events for a couple of years, and this brings them tremendous peace of mind.
„ whatever we do in life, we need to generate meaning, and the best way to generate meaning in one’s own life is to do something for others.Dr. Arendt
What are the most imporant things we can do to achieve a sense of well-being?
I would say that whatever we do in life, we need to generate meaning, and the best way to generate meaning in one’s own life is to do something for others.The basis of caring for others, for loved ones as well as our neighbours, is to love yourself enough to care for yourself.
Staying healthy, fit, interested and engaged is therefore an act of self-love that pays off in all our relationships.
