Wellness

What is wellness? Webster’s New World College Dictionary states that wellness is the condition of being healthy or sound. Wellness is especially the result of proper diet and exercise. How well are you?

How well do you eat? Do you shop the perimeter of the store? Produce is the first department in the store I go to. In most produce departments there is usually a choice between organic and regular on a lot of variety of foods these days. If you cannot get organic, always wash the fruits and vegetables to get off the pesticides as best you can. My basket is filled predominantly from this department.

The next section is cheese. There are some healthy cheeses out there, I just have never been a big cheese eater. If you are, choose the ones with the least amount of additives, or better yet choose organic.

On to the meat counter. This is predominantly regular meats fattened in the feed lot. Try to eat organic or grass fed. If you look hard enough these preferred meats can be found in this department. Fish is always a good choice. Chicken is if it is range chicken. Keep your meats lean as possible.

Dairy is next. Again there are soy, goat, and organic choices in milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and buttermilk. You may want to limit dairy if you have sinus congestion or PMS. Not all people tolerate dairy well. Eggs are in this section as well. Free range eggs are always good.

Frozen foods are next. Since fruits and vegetables are flash frozen by companies, you may get more nutrition by purchasing these foods. The flash freezing seals in the vitamins and minerals. Other than organic ice cream, I cannot think of anything healthy in the rest of the frozen foods section of a regular grocery store.

Finally the bakery department! Look for whole grain breads without high fructose corn syrup added. It should also be unbleached and not fortified in any way. Some people cannot tolerate the gluten in store bought bread. A health food store will have gluten free breads and other food products for gluten sensitive people.

Could there be a Fountain of Youth which would promote wellness? Probably not, but there is a way of life which may produce wellness. It may mean getting back to basics and away from too much technology, for one thing. A wise person once said, everything in moderation. Have you noticed the technology overload these days?

There are many other contributing factors as well. Is exercise a part of your daily habit? Do you get enough sleep? Have you had a lot of life stressors lately? Let’s look at some of the life choices we may want to acknowledge on our path to wellness.

De-stress your life. A few years ago I bought a couple of books written by Elaine St. James. She writes about how to simplify your life. I recently started reading these books again. Living the Simple Life and Inner Simplicity are the two I have. I can relate to everything she writes about. It’s amazing how we complicate our lives and add to our stress levels. Everything from hanging onto to stuff from decades ago to overcomplicating our lives with the latest tech gadgets. I personally do not even have a cell phone. I don’t want to give up my last chance at peace, quiet and privacy.

If getting enough sleep is a problem, there are solutions. I have found several herbal combinations which help me sleep in my mature years. I take these along with a calcium-magnesium supplement. Most nights I sleep like a baby. Some people suffer with different sleep problems. Perhaps they have a sleep disorder. In this case a sleep clinic could be helpful.

What is your beverage of choice? Your body cries for water. A book was written about this years ago. Pure water is a must daily. Every cell in your body needs water. Eight to ten glasses per day is good. Green tea is also a good choice of beverage, hot or cold, as well as other teas. A cup or two of coffee is fine but make it early in the day, if at all. Stay away from all soda drinks. It has been proven you can save hundreds of calories daily plus stay healthy by avoiding sodas. You can jazz up your water with a twist of lemon or lime and stevia sweetner if you like it sweetened.

How much exercise do you get? Exercise needs to be a top priority. Not only does it burn calories, regulate the appetite and boost metabolism but it also may be a great anti-depressant. Your muscles will get toned as well. The body needs strength training exercise as well as aerobic exercise. Get forty-five minutes to an hour daily, six days out of seven. You may lose inches and pounds combined with a healthy eating program.

Do you lack energy? Nourishing foods may be the answer to power the mitochondria in your cells to provide you with the energy you need. Nutritional supplements may nourish the cells as well. Researchers experimenting with acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid found that this combination may help bring back the youthful functioning of the mitochondria. The result, more mental and physical energy. B-vitamins may give you an energy boost. Legumes, beans, whole grains, dairy products and lean meats contain B-vitamins. If you feel you are not getting enough of the B vitamins supplement with a B-complex.

Approximately thirty years ago I knew I wanted a well life. I knew I did not want to be a burden knowingly to my spouse or my children. I started my path to wellness. I didn’t acquire my knowledge overnight. I learn new things every day. I hungrily devour the latest news on the latest healthy knowledge. It may be a new product or a discovery of how the human body functions. That is one good aspect of the information generation. I am in my sixth decade of wellness as I write this article.

Do a little research of your own and find a wellness quotient that will work for you. You may want to try some of the things I have mentioned. Above all, seek health.

This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe or treat in any way. Until next time I am wishing for you - good health.

-----------------

Eva is a graduate of the American Institute of Holistic Theology and practices as a Doctor of Naturology. You may reach her at littleherbshoppe@hotmail.com

This information is not meant to diagnose, treat or prescribe in any way.