Wellness includes recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods and sleep. It also includes preventing illness, injury and managing chronic health conditions.
It also helps to improve the quality of life, reduce stress and increase self-esteem. So it’s no wonder that regular exercise is often the number one recommended wellness practice.
Strengthening your muscles
Strengthening your muscles can have a big impact on your fitness, health, and overall wellness. It helps you feel more confident, improves your ability to carry out daily tasks and sports, reduces the risk of falls, and can help to slow down the bone loss that occurs with age.
Muscle-strengthening activities include weight training (with free weights, resistance machines or your own bodyweight), balance exercises and aerobic exercise. These activities should be done two or more days a week, at least 30 minutes each.
To get the most benefits from muscle-strengthening exercises, choose a weight or resistance level that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. Start slowly and increase your resistance as you become stronger.
Boosting your mood
Mood is a big part of your overall sense of wellness, health, and happiness. It can help you cope with stress, illness, pain, and other life challenges.
If you find your mood getting down, there are a few simple things that you can do to boost it and feel better.
One of the most simple and inexpensive ways to boost your mood is to spend a few minutes a day doing something positive for someone else. These small acts of kindness, such as lending a friend a book or doing their groceries, are both beneficial to you and the recipient.
Reducing chronic pain
Pain is a signal from your body that something is wrong. It may be an ache, a sharp sting or a prick.
Chronic pain is the kind that lasts for more than 3 months or beyond the normal healing time for an illness, injury or other problem.
It can affect mood, sleep and mental health. Sometimes it leads to anxiety or depression, and can prevent people from doing the things they enjoy.
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce chronic pain naturally. This includes exercise and reducing stress.
Protecting your skin
Whether you exercise at home, in the park or on the road, it’s essential to protect your skin. The sun emits invisible UV rays that can damage skin and lead to cancer.
The good news is that you can reduce your risk of this if you take the proper precautions. Start by applying a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 every time you leave the house, regardless of the season or time of day.
A healthy diet and consistent exercise can also help to keep your skin looking its best. Eating foods rich in antioxidants, avoiding inflammatory foods and taking supplements that help to combat free radicals can all contribute to your skin’s health.
Managing chronic health conditions
If you suffer from a chronic health condition such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, obesity or heart disease it can be difficult to stay healthy. However, it is important to stay active and eat well.
Managing your health is important for you and your family and can help you live a good life. Talk to your doctor about a management plan that lists the things you need to do to manage your condition and your lifestyle.
Getting into the present moment
Living in the present moment is a crucial part of mental health and wellness. It can help you to cope with stress and anxiety and can also improve your relationships.
You can practice getting into the present moment by paying attention to your surroundings and actions. It can be a great skill to cultivate, but it takes practice and commitment.
One simple way to focus on the present moment is to breathe. The breath is cool on the inhale and warm on the exhale, which can help anchor you into the present.