Loving the Sunshine
15th Sep

Do you want to maintain wellness to the best of your ability over your lifetime? Then you must consider every aspect of your health—body, mind and spirit—and make choices that increase your chances of wellness.

The Body

No one gets a guarantee against cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. But by taking the best possible care of your body, you can reduce the risk of some diseases and strengthen it to fight against others.  Establish regular follow-up appointments with your Primary Care Physician.

Also be sure to:

  • Eat right.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Maintain a healthy weight—Consult your doctor for your recommended weight.
  • Exercise regularly—with aerobic activity, strength training and stretching.
  • Get sufficient sleep—Most people need 6 to 8 hours each day.
  • Relax—Teach your body to breathe deeply and loosen your muscles daily.

Those are the basics, but you might also need to make some important changes such as these:

    • Limit your alcohol use.
    • Use caffeine products moderately

 

  • Quit smoking.

 

  • Give up recreational drug use.

The Mind

It’s possible to get perfect scores at the doctor’s office and strive to take good care of your body, only to feel less than well. Why is this? Perhaps you are neglecting the needs of another important health component—your mind. Is it running faster than you are or bogged down with negative attitudes? Maybe it’s overwhelmed by the amount of “no-fun” tasks you pile onto it daily, with no breaks for playing, leisure, hobbies, etc. Notice your thoughts: What is the overall tone of your thinking—is it negative or positive? Looking on the bright side improves your total health.

 

You can also nurture your mind with:

  • Stress management—Learn how to let go of worry and literally let go of excess work.
  • Continual learning—Exercise your brain by taking a new class or learning new skills or hobbies.
  • Play—Feed your mind daily doses of humor, recreation and special interests.
  • Social support—Regular time with friends is vital to your health.

If your thoughts remain negative no matter what you do or if you notice confusion, persistent memory problems or anything else that seems out of the ordinary, consult your doctor. You might need his intervention to help restore your mind’s health.

The Spirit

What does it mean to have spiritual needs? You surely recognize your desire to love and be loved.

That’s the foundation of your greatest spiritual need. You also need to feel secure, protected, hopeful and trusting—needs that inspire many to seek out a “higher being.” Whether or not you believe in such a power, you might try some of these suggestions to nurture your spirit:

  • Build a time of “stillness” into each day, free from distractions, interruptions, etc.
  • Forgive—Bitterness and resentment destroy your health.
  • Nurture your self-esteem.
  • Accept change and your inability to control all things.
  • Explore local places of worship.
  • Pray

Tina Jackson

VP of Human Resources

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