What is Wellness??

Wellness [ wel-nis ] noun

- the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

- an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

Well-being [ wel-bee-ing ] noun

a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity

(taken from Dictionary.com)

According to the World Health Organisation, wellness is; a state of complete physical, mental, and social-wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.

Very simply, in order for the body to function healthily and in balance we should look at ourselves holistically (as a whole) and we need to be constantly proactive in order to maintain a satisfactory level of wellness.  The idea is not to find a cure when we become ill or out of balance, but to prevent that illness and loss of balance as much as we can to begin with.

There are many dimensions of wellness and each blend into one another but we can focus on 6 main aspects in order to enhance our quality of life and reach our full potential.

Physical

Physical wellbeing is, as it suggests, a healthy and balanced body.  The general belief is that if we diet and exercise enough we will be healthier.  This is not wholly the case, there is a little bit more to it than that.

Nutrition – “Food is medicine”.  Cut down on the unhealthy fats, processed foods, high sugar and salt foods and drinks.  Instead go for your five (or even seven, or more!) a day.  Eat whole grain and high fibre foods.  Drink plenty of clean water.  These are only a few suggestions; there is a plethora of dietary information out there in order to help you make the changes you need to your diet in order to help optimise your physical being.  It’s worth remembering here that every body is different.  What might be good and nutritious for your body may make someone else quite ill.  It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what you fuel yourself with and take note on how it affects you generally.

Sleep – Keep a good routine and maximise on sleep quality.  We spend on average 1/3 of our lives asleep but it’s not just the amount of sleep we get that matters, it’s also the quality that makes a difference.  Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, every day (including weekends!).  If something is disrupting your sleep, take note of it and try and make necessary changes.  Make sure the room you sleep in is completely dark.  Don’t eat too heavily late at night and try and avoid sugary or spicy foods.  We’re all becoming more aware of the effect of blue light on our sleep – try to minimise use of tech before bed – including TV, mobiles and the like.

The prevention and treatment of disease – optimising and supporting our immune systems through diet, exercise, taking note of and supporting our mental health etc.  Nearly all of the points covered in this article will affect our immune systems in one way or another; we need to take note of what makes a difference and stick to the good ones.  Above all, if there is a problem, get it seen to.  Ignoring it will not help.

Minimising exposure to toxins – whether that be environmental or what we put onto our skin and into our bodies.  Our bodies are not built to cope with the rate at which we are now exposing ourselves to toxins.  Some of these, at low levels, can be safely processed and excreted by the body, but more and more we are absorbing and storing dangerous chemicals which is leading to allergies, chronic illness, disrupting hormones and their function and even causing cancers.  Include things such as alcohol, drugs and nicotine as things we should be avoiding as much as possible.

Keep your eye on my blog section for an article coming soon with regards to ingredients we should be avoiding in our beauty regimes.

Movement and exercise – regular exercise will not only strengthen the bones and muscles of the body but will also improve brain health, help manage your weight, boost energy, improve your quality of sleep, support the immune system, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some cancers.  And that’s before we get onto the mental, emotional and spiritual benefits.  I think the most important thing about the type of exercise you choose is that you enjoy it.  There’s nothing worse than trying to force yourself to do something you don’t enjoy.  Find your niche, there are plenty of them out there.

Mental

Mental wellness relates to the mind;

A healthy personal philosophy – having some core values or rules to live by gives purpose, intention and direction to your life.   If you were to leave the house and embark on a journey without any directions, it can be very difficult to reach your destination.  This is not however a list of steps to achieve something but how you are going to live your life, give meaning to your life, minimise suffering in difficult times and get the most fulfilment out of life.

Learning and knowledge – We need to continually expand our knowledge, skills and understanding in order to keep our minds fit and active, to be aware, informed and empowered to make our own choices now and in the future.  And it also makes life just that little bit more interesting.

Happiness – It’s not always easy to be happy, especially if we are going through a difficult patch.  Find happiness where you can.  Look for things every day that make you smile, or even laugh.

Creativity – Being creative can be a good way of expressing your feelings whether they be positive or negative.  It can also bring feelings of achievement, satisfaction and improve self esteem.  It exercises the brain, leads to optimism and develops solution focused thinking.  Everybody has the potential to be creative, some of us just need to learn it a bit more, just as we’re not all born with the ability to fix a car, it has to be learnt.

Developing good coping skills – managing stress by developing good coping skills makes life so much easier.  Recognise when you’re feeling something, good or bad, and accept those feelings.  Find ways of working through those bad feelings – meditation, breathing exercises, tapping, talking and being mindful are just a few.  Find the ones that suit you.

Establishing good habits – we all know that most children benefit from a good daily routine.  They help them adjust better to change as they know what’s coming next which reduces stress and anxiety.  We, as adults, are no different.  If we have a good set routine this can act as an anchor, no matter what is happening for us on any set day we know that the next break will be at a certain time, the next meal will be at a certain time or the respite of bedtime will come at a certain time.  Creating predictable scenarios allows the mind to feel more in control and less stressed.

Positive and healthy thinking – if you’re sad or depressed it can have a huge impact on the quality of your life and create a never-ending vicious cycle.  Everything seems more difficult, stress is less manageable and the future looks bleak.  Try to break that cycle by looking for the good – find that silver lining in everything and strive to make things look, feel and be better.

It is a good idea to keep a track of the number of sad, depressed or unsatisfied days we have and compare those to the number of happy and satisfied days in order to assess whether the changes we are making are having a positive impact on our wellbeing.

Emotional

Emotional wellbeing means to understand and respect the feelings, values and attitudes of yourself and those of other people, managing your emotions in a constructive way and putting in place habits and procedures in order for you to feel positive and enthusiastic about your life.

Although it has been believed for centuries, modern studies are now proving that there is a strong link between mental and emotional health and their effects on our physical health.  Improving and nurturing these areas of our wellbeing is now believed to help reduce the chance of developing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Spiritual

Finding purpose, value, and meaning in your life.

Getting in touch with our spirituality can bring a greater sense of presence, awareness and connectedness to ourselves and everything around us.

Participating in activities that are consistent with your beliefs and values soothe the soul and develop innate gifts.  Use those talents in a positive way which can be tremendously positive and spiritually lifting.  It can help us cope better, not just with the little things, but the bigger things too which can only help improve mental and emotional wellness.

Social

One of the most important aspects of our wellbeing and happiness is in our relationships with others and the environment around us.  Creating and maintaining strong, healthy and positive relationships, contributing to our communities and surroundings brings an enormous sense of wellbeing.

Friends, family, co-workers, partners etc., we all have daily decisions as to which relationships to invest in and grow and which ones to minimize, avoid or end.  Since we cannot control others, we can only decide which relationships are best for us and avoid the needy destructive ones that detract from our wellness.  Surround yourself with positive people and be comfortable with who you are.  Having a strong social network gives you support in those difficult times and someone to celebrate with in the good times.

I’m sure we can all relate to this idea right now.  Due to recent events we have all felt a loss of social interaction and connection to one degree or another and have probably noticed the effects of this on our wellbeing.  Social wellness will bring feelings of connection, positivity, enjoyment, strength, love, care, sharing, intimacy, and happiness.

As well as the connection to others, our connection to our environment also has a huge impact on our wellbeing.  Mental health charity MIND have carried out studies proving the positive effects of healthy relationships with our environment.

Have you ever heard of “Sick Building Syndrome”?  This is a condition some people suffer in certain buildings which actually give them physical symptoms of illness which ease when they leave the building.  There are many causes of sick building syndrome including, poor air circulation/ventilation, off-gassing of building materials, poor lighting etc.  Obviously this is a very difficult situation to solve when you work or live in a building which makes you ill but it goes to show how even a building can have an effect on your wellness.

I decided years ago that I was not the type of person to live in the middle of a town or city.  I need to live in the countryside.  I need to be able to see trees and fields out of my windows and be able to step out of the door into fresh, open air.  Since realising this and making sure I lived out in the countryside it has helped with my general levels of happiness and helped to lift depression.

We all know that right now our planet desperately needs our help.  We all need to contribute where we can to keep the future of the earth, and ourselves safe in order that we can not only live our lives but live our lives happily and well, knowing that we have had a role in bettering, rather than destructing, the natural environment in which we live.

Lifestyle

This aspect of our wellness includes our work, finances and leisure.

“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” – Confucius.

Most of us spend more than half our lives at work so, what we do, how we do it, where we do it and what we gain from it matters immensely.  In the long run, working a job that you hate, even if it does pay all the money in the world, will take its toll on your wellbeing.  Your work should be consistent with your values, goals and lifestyle.  It should be something you enjoy and be meaningful and rewarding.

I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where our finances have been in a bad place.  If we don’t live within our means or have debts, big or small, this can take over and have a detrimental effect on our lifestyle.  Managing resources, making informed decisions, setting realistic goals, preparing for emergencies and going to the right places when you need help can all contribute to your financial wellness.

As well as work time, we need down time.  Time to relax, enjoy, play and release.  “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.  Not only will Jack be bored or even boring, Jack will eventually make himself ill.  The body and mind needs that time to switch off and do something fun.

However.  All this being said.  Don’t rush in and try and fix every aspect of your life all at once.  Baby steps is the idea.  Maybe write down a list of where you would like or need to make changes in your life and tackle them one at a time.  Give each one time to settle into your mind and body.  Building healthy routines is the best way to manage your health and wellness and we need to give those routines time in order that they become habits.

Try starting by placing a glass of water by the side of your bed before you go to sleep so that as soon as you wake in the morning, after so many hours of dehydrating the body, the first thing you do is to drink that water.  Aim to do it for three days to start with.  Then go for seven.  By the end of the month your brain should now see this as a daily habit.  Congratulate yourself.  You’ll be surprised at the difference this makes to your body and mind in the morning.  It’s where I started my journey.

Also.  It’s worth remembering that what may be good and work for one person may not be good or work for you.  Each of us are different in so many ways there is not a “one size fits all” answer.  You need to look for what works for you.