A new vision of health
Healthy environments and healthy interactions with the environment are essential for human health and wellbeing.
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Good health is a resource
The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute is dedicated to creating new knowledge about the totality of environmental conditions understood as the envirome and how the envirome shapes human health. We will use this knowledge to promote wellness and strengthen resilience.
Health is not merely the absence of disease. Nor is it the province of isolated individuals. It is a collective social phenomenon. It arises from integrated confluence of nutritional, economic, environmental, psychological, intellectual, spiritual, cultural, and physical health of individuals and their communities.
Good health is a resource derived from living in healthy, conducive and unpolluted environments.
Tenets of a new vision of health
- Health arises from positive interactions between genetic disposition and environmental conditions.
- Human health is result of complementary interactions between the genome and the envirome.
- Health pertains not only to physical health, but also to cultural, psychological, environmental, economic, nutritional, spiritual and intellectual health of individuals and the communities they live in.
- The creation of scientific knowledge requires enduring and abiding community partnerships.
- Research and education thrive in an inclusive and diverse community, and true scholarship fosters an environment of acceptance and equity.
- Scientific inquiry is most effective when supported by a robust partnership of public, philanthropic and private resources.
Circle of harmony and health
The circle of harmony and health is a tool developed by Christy Brown to help guide and empower individuals and communities to live the healthiest, most-balanced life possible, and to understand the interconnection between all forms of health.
It is made up of eight parts with each heart representing an aspect of health: nutritional, economic, environmental, psychological, intellectual, spiritual, cultural and physical. The hearts are directly connected to the others, which together make up an individual’s and a community’s holistic health. At the heart of the circle, you’ll find healthy air, water and soil. Access to those three basic elements are the critical foundation to our communal health. The systems supporting any community – corporations, philanthropy and government – must consider the health of the entire system in order to make healthy decisions.
"We can frame a new vision of health which unifies us. It can inspire healthier lives, healthier communities and a healthier world."
We're building a new downtown campus
Learn about our plans for A New Vision of Health Campus and see construction photos.