Best Health Classes Near Me
Health is more than physical wellness, it also encompasses mental/psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Being healthy means being able to handle changes in the environment around you. Or so the research says.
There are competing definitions of health and what it means to be healthy. One is that a person in good health is “without disease or infirmity” (WHO). One is a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being” (The Lancet). The final definition is “the ability to adapt to one's environment” (The Lancet).
Although there’s been quite a bit of research and attempt to define good health, ultimately it’s based on each individual. Everyone has unique needs and a different environment they live in. It makes sense, then, that their health should be considered alongside these factors.
Definitions are helpful when you go to the doctor because it helps them guide you to your peak level of health. They’re also useful for you as you determine how to best take care of your needs. Using all of them together is a reasonable way to get a well-rounded view of how to be healthy. What you need might be different from someone else.
When you’re thinking about your health, consider these types:
- Physical
- Mental/psychological
- Emotional
- Social
- Ability to adapt to your environment.
Physical health has to do with the body. When someone is physically healthy, their body is at peak working condition including what they eat, how they sleep, and how they move. Physical health includes more than exercise. To be physically healthy, you need a balanced and nutritional diet and enough sleep. These factors work together allowing your body to get everything it needs to survive and thrive.
Mental health encompasses psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Taken together, these pieces make up our mental health. Psychological health is being able to feel satisfied with your life and being able to actively problem-solve in difficult situations. Emotional health is self-awareness of emotions and being able to cope with the full spectrum of intense feelings, good and bad. Social health being able to trust and build “secure relationships” with others. It’s connected to making and keeping healthy friendships. Mental health and physical health go hand-in-hand. They both impact the other, and to be a healthy person, you need to be well in both areas.
French physician George Canguilhem first discussed the adaptability element of health in 1943. He posed the theory that because health isn’t fixed, humans had to be able to modify their lives according to the environment around them. For those who promote personalized medicine, this is where the idea comes from. Unlike visions of health that solely include the physical and mental aspects (or even one or the other), the adaptability method supports a more holistic and full-bodied approach. In fact, physical, mental, emotional, and social health are all included in Canguilhem’s conception of health.
Health is such a broad and important topic that it’s worth continuing to do research. There’s always more to learn about how to be your healthiest self, whether that’s physically, mentally, socially, or some other aspect research hasn’t uncovered yet.
Why You Should Learn Health
Health is a pretty universal topic because it impacts everyone. Taking time to learn about health can have pretty great benefits.
As you learn how to care for your body and mind, you’re likely to feel more capable and energetic. Knowing how to be your best, healthy self is important in day-to-day life. You’ll figure out ways to have less days where you feel unwell, and when those days do happen, you’ll better understand how to support the healing processes.
Aside from feeling good, literally, learning about health can be a fun hobby. Whether you want to discover new foods, new activities to do in your free time, or ways to relieve stress, there are such a variety of options available that promote wellness. Not to mention, these activities often seem productive, which releases a little dopamine boost and makes you happier.
On your quest to learn about health, you’ll meet people with similar interests and become part of communities you may never have otherwise encountered. It’s good for your social health to have relationships with others who have common interests (it all comes full circle), even better if you enjoy doing self-care activities together.
Health also encompasses many career paths. If you’re looking for a way to help others or give back to your community, there are many options in the health world—not all of them involve being a medical professional, either.
5 Ways to Learn Health
Health is an essential part of the human experience and all civilizations throughout history have figured out their own ways to be and stay healthy. Some are quite different from modern times, but still involve similar elements like movement and diet.
In the age of the internet, learning the basics about health has never been easier. In fact, the amount of information can be overwhelming. Rather than give up, try starting with one part of health you’re curious about and build from there, for example ways to relieve workplace stress.
Here are some additional ways to learn about health:
- Visit your local library. Libraries have tons of resources to help you learn. There are, of course, books to read; however, most libraries host free community events, many of which are wellness based. More and more Library of Things are popping up within libraries, too. A Library of Things is a borrowing system of items donated by the community. You may be able to borrow items you don’t have as you try a new hobby. Librarians are excellent at helping you locate information, too—it’s their job.
- Research online, but make sure you vet your sources. There’s an abundance of information for free that you can spend hours reading or watching videos learning about health. There are even gamified apps that you can play that purport to strengthen your mental health and reasoning skills. As you’re reading, watching, and listening, make sure wherever you’re learning from is a reputable place/person. If the source is more than 5 years old, consider double-checking the information it presents to make sure the information hasn’t changed since then.
- Watch YouTube and influencer videos. With social media and video content being extremely popular, it makes sense that you can learn from “regular” people who seem to have it figured out. This can make health topics more accessible and doable than reading from an expert. That being said, you should still double check the information in case it’s incorrect—especially with trends on TikTok and Youtube. Not all of the healthy trends are good for you, in fact, many challenges are dangerous. You can definitely start or keep learning, just be aware of what you’re hearing and look up anything that doesn’t make sense.
- Take an online class. From exercise to meditation to nutrition classes, virtual courses are a great way to learn. You can take live online classes with an instructor, which means you can ask questions and learn with peers. There are also self-paced classes where you can set aside time that works best for you and learn the material on your own. As you look at online classes, look at the instructor and school/business that’s offering the class to make sure you’re satisfied you’ll be getting correct information.
- Taking an in-person class is a great way to learn because you have an instructor and peers in the room with you. Not only do you get the social aspect of visiting others and learning in-the-moment, you can also sometimes get extra information from the instructor’s personal experiences and knowledge that you might not get with other types of classes. Consider the kind of qualifications you want the teacher to have as you begin researching courses in your area.
In-Person Health Classes
One great thing about health being universal is that there are classes almost everywhere you might want to take one. If you’re looking for a good place to start your search, consider CourseHorse. They make it easy to search by topic and area, plus there’s a wide variety of topics to choose from.
One of the most diverse places in the United States is New York City. In the Chelsea area of Manhattan, Vibra Wellness offers a Reiki Level 1 Training and Certification course. Reiki is a set of techniques to soothe stress and promote healing. This two-day course will cover the history, ideals, and concepts of Reiki energy. You’ll then learn how to place your hands, work with the environment, and the Placements for Reiki Level I, among other things. Through lecture, demonstration, discussion, and practice, you’ll walk away with a thorough understanding of Reiki principles as well as a practitioner’s certificate.
Balance Arts Center, also in Chelsea, Manhattan, offers a Walking Well course for those who want to learn a gentle, but effective form of exercise. Although walking might seem self-explanatory, this class offers richer insight into the mechanics of how your body moves when you walk. You’ll learn the Alexander Technique for whole-body posture and practice specific types of movement to improve balance. If you enjoy the class, there are additional sessions that focus on other walking-related topics like hip joint mobility and spatial thinking.
Perhaps you want to learn more about natural ways to support your health. Herbs 101: Intro to Medicinal Herbs by Remedies Herb Shop in Brooklyn might be a great fit. During this 90-minute session, you’ll learn about Traditional Herbal Medicine from the Wise Woman Tradition, including how it compares to modern Western medicine and other kinds of natural healing methods. The instructor will guide you through how to make your own oils, tinctures, and salves. Plus, you’ll get to take home herbal medicine that you make during class.
For those in the Midwest, Chicago is home to many interesting health classes. Zen Shiatsu Chicago in the Evanston/Northside area offers a Beginning Zen Shiatsu class with six dedicated sessions. From being with someone in a “healing context” to learning about ideas like Yin/Yang (Balance), Jing (Essence) and Ki (Energy), you’ll learn how to give a full-body treatment by the time you complete the class. This is a great first step for learning about Chinese Medicine and Zen Shiatsu, especially as the class is taught by licensed practitioners in the state of Illinois. If you enjoy the class, it is the basis of their certification program, which means there’s plenty more to learn.
If you’ve heard about yoga but never tried it, Gentle Yoga by the Chicago Botanic Garden might be an excellent place to go. The class is available for all experience levels. Even if you’ve done yoga before you can benefit from the relaxing environment in the Glencoe suburbs. Not only will you do gentle stretching and breathing, but you’ll also learn meditation concepts and postures that promote relaxation.
Out on the West Coast, Los Angeles is a hub of learning. There are some really fun health-related courses all over the city. For instance, Liberate Hollywood offers an 80s Aerobic Dance Workout for those who want to get their blood pumping to classic 80s music. You can dance every Sunday in the Sherman Oaks/The Valley area with this fun group workout hosted in their outdoor garden.
If you enjoy the area, but don’t want to dance, Liberate Hollywood offers an Outdoor Garden | Deep Stretch & Realignment course that could be a relaxing alternative. During class, you’ll learn to stretch the muscles, joints, and ligaments. Stretching can help you with flexibility, release tense muscles, and even physically move your body more comfortably. With a calming garden around you, this one-hour course is a great way to do self-care for your body.
In the West Covina area, you can take an introductory Reiki Circle course. It’s specifically designed for people who aren’t yet certified and has great benefits like giving and receiving healing with your circle of peers, boosting your self-esteem, and making you happier and healthier.
In the northwestern part of the U.S., Seattle has helpful courses that aren’t always offered in other areas of the country. Take a peaceful Forest Bathing Walk with UW Botanic Gardens in the Broadmoor area. Forest bathing is a popular practice in Japan for walking slowly in nature and feeling the healing power of nature. During class, led by the Botanic Gardens and Cascadia Forest Therapy, you’ll stroll through the Washington Park Arboretum. Instructors will guide you to open your senses and be in-the-moment, increasing wellbeing. There’s even scientific backing that it makes your immune system stronger.
For men looking for love, the Dating Mastery Program by Craft of Charisma is a way to improve your social wellbeing through relationships. Craft of Charisma is focused specifically on building men’s social skills through dating. According to the description, this intensive eight-week course will “change your life.” The program kicks off with learning how to start conversations and being in-the-moment, helping you to enjoy meeting others. Then, you’ll dig into anxiety about touching, rejection, and confidence topics. Finally, the program ends with creating a comforting relationship for both partners and initiating a kiss. Each week, the session has a lesson, role-playing, and practice to use your new skills.
Virtual Health Classes
If you like learning from the comfort of your own spaces, or you can’t find an in-person class that looks appealing, there are many online health classes you could look into. Learning online does have several perks:
- No traffic to make you late to class
- You can take the class anywhere that has reliable internet
- There are usually more specialty classes
- If you’re taking a physical class, you won’t have to see anyone while you’re sweaty
- You can attend with a family member or friend from a familiar place
Generally speaking, you’ll probably have to provide at least a few of your own supplies for online classes, but often the instructor will send materials to you to participate in class. You can also request a list in advance to make sure to have the right supplies ahead of time.
If you’re interested in essential oils, this Virtual Essential Oil Basics course by Linda Giammarese could be a good option. Giammarese is a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist. During the one-hour introductory class, she’ll share ideas about how you can use essential oils in your life and what several kinds of oils can do for your health. The class doesn’t require materials, but if you have a specific scent you enjoy, you always ask about it during class and learn more about it.
92nd Street Y offers a YogaProse: A Virtual Yoga & Writing Workshop that’s sure to spark your creativity. Designed for all yoga levels (including beginners), this class connects the physical body through breathwork you learn in yoga to journaling and writing creatively. The goal is to get familiar with the feelings in your body and “express those sensations through journaling.” Don’t worry, you won’t have to share your writing in this one-hour workshop.
Private Group Health Classes
Do you want to schedule a health class as a relaxing team-building event for your business or organization? CourseHorse has many private group health classes to choose from that might be perfect for your group.
Virtual Rough Day Recharge was designed for up to 100 people to participate in the calming one-hour session. During class, you’ll learn desk stretches, guided meditation, and intentionally “adorable” team trivia. The goal throughout the session is to release stress and tension. One fun perk of this group is that you can upgrade it to include gifts for each participant like fidget toys and stress balls. No materials necessary to participate in class, but the custom gift could be an excellent way to show your group you care.
If you’re looking for something a little more goal-oriented but still lighthearted, Virtual Vision Board Workshop may be the ideal solution. During this one-hour session by a professional artist, each participant (up to 100 people) will learn how to create a vision board that represents what they want in the future. The instructor will guide everyone through prompts and the “how to” part of making a vision board and participants will create their own board. Before class, each student will receive an inspirational book with images to get their creativity flowing, a cork board, and push pins to participate with in class.
Some of the best benefits of booking a group through CourseHorse include:
- Group size can be changed after you book
- No booking fees
- Confirmation of your group within 24 hours
- Multiple platforms supported for class
Interested in learning more about options for your group? All you have to do is reach out to CourseHorse through the contact form on their website.
What Will I Need to Learn Health?
Health is a great thing to learn about because it directly impacts your well-being and doesn’t generally require you to have many materials on hand. The most important items you’ll need, at least when you begin learning, are:
- An internet-enabled device like a tablet or laptop
- Access to stable internet
- Willingness to learn and take action
Many materials, like books, are available for free at your local library. There are numerous videos, podcasts, and even free workshops you can take to dip your toes into the topic before you take a paid class. Probably the most important thing you’ll need to learn about health is passion and resourcefulness. Everyone has different needs. When you understand your unique needs, you can figure out where and how to learn about them.
Is it Difficult to Learn Health?
There’s a ton of information available about health and it can be overwhelming at first. The good news is that if you take it one step at a time and focus on a topic that interests you, learning about health becomes more doable. You’ll probably even find it fun when it’s something enjoyable. It simply takes time and willingness to keep going.
Made in NYC
