So I'm taking a course in Nutrition to be certified as a Nutrition Coach. Very excited to learn more and this chapter stuck out to me. Clarifying the difference between wellness and health...It's so easy to focus on your external state and completely ignore the internal.
Health is a state of being, emphasized by the absence or presence of chronic conditions and disease. Wellness, on the other hand, exists on a more dynamic continuum.
A person’s health refers to their objective states of physical, mental, and social well-being, whereas wellness encompasses the lifestyle practices aimed to enhance those objective states. Wellness views health from a holistic perspective (mind, body, and spirit).
States of Wellness
1. Emotional wellness: sense of inner calm, relaxation, and inner strength. Staying positive, smiling, asking for help, petting a dog, learning from mistakes, understanding that life is full of peaks and valleys.
2. Occupational wellness: encourages us to carefully consider our career and employment opportunities throughout our lifetime. A sense of purpose leads to higher level of occupational wellness.
3. Physical wellness: encompasses a sense of respect and responsibility for taking care of our bodies, promoting a desired sense of optimal health and physical function across our lifespan. Overall physical wellness encourages the balance of physical activity, exercise, rest and relaxation, nutrition, mental health, and well-being.
4. Social wellness: refers to our ability to form and maintain relationships with others. Isolation can lead to negative emotions. Building healthy nurturing and supportive relationships with others leads to a high degree of social wellness. Basically, don't be a recluse.
5. Intellectual wellness: encourages people to never stop learning and engaging in creative and mentally stimulating activities across their lifespan. Participating in activities that expand knowledge and skills. Do something that challenges you every day.
6. Spiritual wellness: often one of the least understood wellness components. Having personal faith in something that deepens feelings of belonging and peace with oneself and the world. A person’s spiritual wellness can be defined in terms of religious faith, personal values, ethical/moral beliefs, or simply a general acceptance of an underlying mind-body-spirit connection. Personally, I don't know what I'd do without my faith.
Which do you feel challenged in?
Sources: NASM 2019