One thing we humans want is to be well and healthy. The definition of wellness is being in a state of good health, physically, mentally and emotionally and of being free of (and not at risk of) disease. This state of health is not something that happens without some effort though; it is a dynamic process that starts with becoming aware of, to take responsibility for, then making better choices that enhance one’s well being.
Wellness may not be a new term, but a new awareness is now dawning as people demand better products and services to improve their personal wellness. It does take an active participation to voluntarily seek out ways to make one’s life healthier, to remain strong and energetic, reduce the risk of disease and slow the aging process.
In order to move away from an expected illness and sickness lifestyle (reactive) you have to adopt a wellness orientated lifestyle (proactive) and two of the most important aspects of that is proper exercise supported by optimal nutrition.
We tend to think that if we are not sick we are well, but good health is a whole lot more than simply not being sick. What we tend to call health care is in reality ‘sickness treatment’. In other words you neglect your health, you get sick, and you trot off to the doctor with the view of him getting you better. The doctor is not taking care of your wellness he is taking care of your sickness.
Wellness is the opposite where it focuses on staying well when you are healthy. It is about building a strong disease resistant body and even if you get sick it is about finding and eliminating the cause of the disease not just managing the symptoms.
We seem to think that if we get sick it is something that has just happened to us. But in reality it is likely to have been brewing away under the surface for months (maybe years) and it is only when symptoms finally show themselves that we become aware. But by this time the disease has got a foothold on the body and getting rid of it is unlikely. Managing the symptoms is often the only hope of us living with it.
But we do not want to wait till we get to this point as there is not a doctor, drug, surgical procedure in the world that can build us a strong, healthy, disease proofed body. But we can do it ourselves, and it is not too difficult.
Firstly 2-3 sessions of proper strength training exercise each week which will keep our muscles, bones, joints and moving parts strong. When the foundations of our body are strong all the other systems and processes are stronger as well. This includes the immune system – our armor and protection against illness. This system needs strong muscles to supply it with protein components to produce disease fighting cells.
Your strength training program needs to be supported with good nutrition that includes natural whole foods that you cook from scratch and as few refined foods as possible. A 80/20 ratio of natural and processed foods is a good level to eventually aim for.
So, you can see that wellness is more than just an absence of disease. It is a worthy goal and needs a positive attitude towards preventative medicine – proper strengthening exercise and healthy eating are at the very top of the totem pole of priorities to achieve personal health.
Sickness is what happens to you whereas wellness is something you obtain. You do not want to ever be a voluntary user of the ‘sickness treatment’ system but you do want to volunteer to be wellness orientated. Choice not chance determines destiny.
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