What is Wellness?

Wellness is the integration of body, mind, and spirit to produce a balanced lifestyle.¹ It promotes a sense of becoming, changing, improving, and growing. Wellness is achieved by practicing good health habits and eliminating harmful ones. It requires taking positive control of lifestyle choices you can influence.

Guidelines for Wellness

Be positive. A positive attitude can help you reduce stress, which often contributes to illness. It can also help improve personal and professional interactions, which improve other people's well-being as well. An optimistic outlook can also improve how you see yourself and how others interact with you. Your reward for focusing on the positive can be a healthier and happier life.

Break bad habits. Two of the most dangerous habits for your health are tobacco use and alcohol overuse. The abuse of alcohol or other drugs can also cause serious Family and job troubles and is a major factor in car accidents. For more help, contact the American Cancer Society, your local AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), or your health-care provider.

Connect with others. Keeping in touch with the rest of humanity, beyond your immediate Family, nourishes the spirit. This may be achieved by the work you do, by continuing or renewing your relationship with your house of worship, and/or by volunteering in your community. Hospitals, homeless shelters, and nursing homes are three possible choices for volunteer opportunities.

Do self-exams. Be alert to early warning signs of possible problems. Women 20 years or older should do a breast self-exam every month. Men should do a monthly testicular self-exam. Both genders should examine skin for spots, sores or moles that seem to change; this may indicate skin cancer. Your health-care provider can give you information on how to do self-exams.

Eat healthful foods. Eat mostly grains, fruits, and vegetables. Cut down on foods high in fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt. Read nutrition fact labels on packaged foods so you can be a wise food shopper. Eat a variety of foods: no one food or food group provides all the nutrients needed. Choose daily from the five basic food groups.

Exercise regularly. Exercise promotes physical and emotional health. It can also help control weight. Experts recommend that adults accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (such as walking, gardening, and dancing) during most days. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program and be sure to include warm-up and cool-down stretches in it.

Get Checkups. Be sure to have routine preventive health exams on schedule. Consult your health-care provider for what is best for you. Include regular dental checkups and cleanings, too. Gum disease can cause as much or more tooth loss than cavities in adults. In addition, many illnesses leave clues in the mouth that your dentist can spot.

Keep your environment healthy. Reduce your exposure to polluted air or water, and to excessive noise and dust. Avoid smoke-filled rooms; don't drink or swim in water that may be unsafe, and wear earplugs if you work around noise. If you notice signs of an allergy, examine your environment for what might be causing it, and if the signs persist, consult your health-care provider.

Learn first aid. Learn basic lifesaving techniques such as the Heimlich Maneuver, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). First aid for broken bones, burns, open wounds, and poisonings is also important. Check with your local Red Cross for classes. Keep emergency numbers by your phone.

Practice good hygiene. Help protect yourself from germs by washing hands with soap and water before and after preparing food, and after going to the bathroom, touching an animal, or being in contact with people who are ill. Shower or bathe often. Brush your teeth after meals and floss daily as well.

Protect your skin. Give your skin extra protection. Children and adults need a sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or more. Babies under six-months-old should be kept out of the sun completely. Wear long sleeves in the sun whenever possible. Protect exposed skin, eyes, and nose when working with any chemicals.

Reduce stress. Stress is a natural part of life, but too much of it can make you physically ill. Signs of stress include cold hands, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, forgetfulness, shakiness, headaches, muscle tension, and knotted stomach.

Reflect on your life. Personal introspection helps you get and keep your life in balance. Allow yourself quiet time to connect with the larger whole of your existence. Use this time to appreciate nature and/or meditate. Think about where you are in life, where you want to be, how to achieve your goals for tomorrow, and what you can be thankful for today.

Remember to rest. Adequate rest is critical for a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Too little rest can increase stress, make you less alert, and contribute to physical problems like headaches and eye strain. Medical experts typically recommend seven to eight hours of sleep a night for good health. Remember to take time to relax throughout the day as well.

Stimulate your mind. Keep your mind "in tune" by using it often. Take classes, read books and magazines, enjoy cultural events and places, play board games with your Family and friends. The more you exercise your mind, the better and longer it will serve you. Keep abreast of new wellness information to help you live a full, happy, and balanced life.

For information on Army-Well Being, visit the Well-Being section of this site or check out the H4H Newsletter: The Time is NOW - Necessities of Well-Being.

Source: ¹ Pufal, S. L. (2001). Enhancing the wellness of reserve forces: A strategic challenge. US Army War College (Ed.) Carlisle Barracks, PA.