We all strive to be happy, and happiness is said to begin with a positive approach to health and personal wellness.  So…you may be asking yourself, “how do I achieve personal wellness (PW)?”  It all begins with awareness…awareness of the 7 dimensions that make up our PW; physical (e.g. being active and eating right), mental (e.g. life-long learning), social (e.g. a good support system), spiritual (e.g. belief in a higher power, good morals and values), environmental (e.g. recycling and reusing), emotional (e.g. compassion and empathy for others), and occupational (e.g. an enjoyable career path).  The more aware we are of how these 7 dimensions support one another and work together, and the more we strive to make each one count, the more empowered we become. 

Often times when thinking of making improvements we think right away of physical wellness, which is a great place to start as long as we don’t lose sight of our other 6 dimensions.  Althought all 7 are essential…without physical health we have little opportunity to achieve the rest.  The following 10 tips, from various health professionals, are a great place to start:

1.      Listen to your body.  Our bodies always communicate with us, and it is vital that we listen.  In order to stay healthy we must recognize unexplained changes and address them with a health care professional when necessary.

2.      Get back to the basics.  Focus on small, everyday actions that play such a large role in overall health and wellness (e.g. wearing sun screen to ↓ risk of skin cancer, brushing / flossing teeth 2X/day to ↓ risk of heart disease and managing stress for ˄ immunity).

3.      Get regular health screenings.  Regular check-ups are essential, serving to identify and address health issues before they become serious.  Check with your health care provider for a time-line specific to your age, gender and your family history.

4.      Know your family history.  Genetics play a role in many chronic illnesses.  Knowing your family history in terms of what illnesses have existed in your family (e.g. mother, father, grandparents and extended family) over the years serves to increase awareness and provides the opportunity to catch illnesses in the early stages.    

5.      Know & understand your numbers.  Having healthy HDL, LDL, triglyceride, weight and blood pressure numbers serves to assist in detection and prevention of health issues.

6.      Avoid acidosis.  The body must be Ph balanced in order to live, which requires that the body balance incoming acids and alkalines present in the foods ingested.  Most Americans simply don’t eat enough alkaline-based foods (e.g. fruits & veggies) which should ideally comprise approximately 70% of our intake.  Instead, foods high in acid (e.g. fatty meats, chips, sweets) are shown to be the norm.  We store excessive acids in our fat cells (acidosis) in an effort to remain Ph balanced.  Acidosis then surfaces in a number of health issues (e.g. unhealthy hair, skin and nails and poor immunity levels). 

7.      Avoid excess belly fat which is shown to increase risk of heart disease and diabetes 2.

8.      Make physical activity a priority understanding that a balanced regiment includes cardio, strength and flexibility.  Movement (e.g. walking, dancing or bicycling for cardio…doing some weight training for strength and simple stretches each day for flexibility) is fundamental to good health and personal wellness.

9.      Think positive.  A positive attitude in all we do makes all the difference.  If we say we can…we will.  If we say we can’t…we probably won’t.  We must believe to achieve.

10.  See the big picture!  Take a close look at each dimension of your personal wellness, deciding for yourself where some tweaking may be needed.  Remember…there’s always room for improvement, and it all starts with awareness and a desire to make a change.     

Efforts made related to striving for higher levels of personal wellness do involve a certain level of time, effort and commitment…but such preventative measures are sources of empowerment that have proven time-and-time again to enhance existing levels of PW.  They have also been reported to increase energy levels and vibrancy.  Even if health issues are not obvious at this point…good lifestyle practices and choices are vital.  Poor choices can, and will, add up at a cellular level… eventually resulting in unpleasant health issues that may or may not be reversible and/or serious.  If you are an older adult wanting to take action to improve your lifestyle…call your local community center or a local health & wellness-type facility to see what may be available in your area.  You’ll never know until you make the call.  J   Until next time, be healthy…be happy!

THE FOLLOWING INFO IS FOR THOSE PAPERS IN-AND-AROUND CEDAR FALLS:  

“Are you wanting to make a change?”  You may be in luck! 
Consider participating in The Cedar Valley’s First Annual Wellness Challenge. 

What is it?  A 10-week challenge that can be modified to fit the needs of almost anyone.

When is it?  The kick-off is on Saturday, June 5^th at Overman Park.

Who is sponsoring it?  Agape Therapy

What does it include?  A host of holistic ideas for improved health & wellness (e.g. wellness assessments, custom menus and fitness planning, weekly wellness insights, weekly coaching sessions and classes, a personal wellness quotient, wellness article library and newsletter, dining out guides AND MUCH MORE!

Want to know more?  To learn more go to the Agape website; www.agapetherapy.com or call Agape Therapy; 319-277-3166.

Agape is partnering up with several other Cedar Valley area professionals to bring information and fitness opportunities to participants every Saturday morning during the 10-week challenge.  I am planning to participate, with FitXpress being the Wellness Challenge kick-off partner!!  I, Nikki Carrion, will be there at Overman Park on the morning of the 5^th to provide participants with key information regarding proper execution of the Pilates principle.  Just like each of the other Saturday mornings to follow…the info segment will be followed by 45-60 minutes of exercise instruction!  In my case, execution of a series of Pilates exercises.  That’s only the beginning, so don’t delay…sign up today!  On another note…Agape Therapy has also jumped on the community-based wellness wagon in terms of promoting the FitXpress chair exercise DVD line.  These DVDs are designed specifically for those who may have limitations (e.g. those in rehab).  Stop by the Agape office for your FREE FitXpress sample promo DVD.  Until next time, be healthy…be happy!