How Better Questions Lead to Better Health

Do you want to feel healthy, or do you want to actually be healthy?

At first glance, those may sound like the same thing, but I do not believe they are. It is entirely possible to feel relatively healthy, meaning free of obvious symptoms, while still living in a way that slowly moves the body toward dysfunction and disease. One of the challenges within the modern healthcare system is that it is often heavily focused on symptom management. And in many situations, that system will suppress symptoms and help someone feel better temporarily without truly improving the underlying health of the individual.

There is absolutely value in reducing suffering and helping people feel better in the short term. But if we stop there, we miss the larger opportunity. Real health is not simply the absence of symptoms. Real health is created through daily choices, supportive habits, quality nutrition, movement, restorative sleep, stress management, meaningful relationships, and a lifestyle that works with the needs of the human body instead of against them.

This is why I believe questioning our health and our choices is so important. If we truly want to become healthier, we must be willing to challenge our routines, assumptions, and behaviors. We have to become curious enough to ask whether the choices we are making are actually helping us move toward greater vitality or simply helping us temporarily avoid discomfort.

This approach becomes especially important within families. If you want to help your children or partner make healthier choices, the way you communicate matters tremendously. Too often we approach health conversations in a way that immediately shuts people down. We ask questions that invite resistance instead of engagement.

For example, when talking with children about nutrition, asking, “Do you want salad with dinner?” creates a dead-end conversation because the answer can simply be “no.” Instead, it is often more effective to invite them into the discussion with open-ended questions that encourage thought and participation.

You might say something like, “I was thinking about making either a salad or a vegetable stir fry with dinner tonight. Which do you think would taste better with the steaks?” Now the child is participating in the process rather than simply resisting it. You can continue the conversation by asking how they would prepare it or what vegetables they think should be included. The overall objective remains the same, but now the conversation feels collaborative instead of controlling.

The same principle applies to movement and exercise. Instead of asking your partner if they want to go to the gym when you already know they dislike the gym environment, try approaching the conversation differently. You might say, “I have been sitting all day and my body is craving movement. I would love to spend some time together too. What sounds enjoyable to you?” That question creates space for connection and creativity while still supporting the larger goal of becoming more active.

Open-ended questions create engagement. They encourage people to think, participate, and feel ownership over the process. This is empowering, and empowerment is one of the most important components of lasting change.

Ultimately, improving our health is not about perfection. It is about becoming more aware and more intentional. It is about learning to ask better questions of ourselves and the people we care about. Are our choices moving us toward greater health, energy, resilience, and vitality? Or are we simply staying comfortable while slowly drifting away from the health we truly want?

The truth is, meaningful transformation often begins with curiosity. When we question our habits, our routines, and our lifestyle choices honestly and compassionately, we create the opportunity for growth and change. And that is where real health begins. ~Dr. Swanz