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THE
TOP TEN WELLNESS ESSENTIALS
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
Wellness is a
state of being that begins with an increased awareness
about yourself and the status of your health. Before one
can really embark on this journey of establishing good
health or maintaining good health these following concepts
will give you some helpful guidelines. As quoted by my
friend Michael Tierra in his book The Way
Of Herbs,
“Health is reflection of the balance with the different
aspects of ourselves (body, mind, spirit) in relation to
our environment, our associations, our experiences and our
food.” This is what is referred to as a holistic viewpoint.
The realization
of the total self with all its aspects is an age-old
concept that we tend to forget about. We get caught up in
the fast paced activities of our world and we fail many
times to see the greater plan of what life has to offer.
Everything in our world revolves around duality. This means
that there is always a cause and effect relationship when
it comes to life. When relating this to health there is an
old Chinese proverb that states, “A person will get well
when they are tired of being sick.”
This brings us
to the first concept:
Take Responsibility
For Your Own Health- taking
charge of your own health is a very important part of
getting well. Realizing that you are the cause of your
condition is a good beginning. We have been conditioned to
go outside of ourselves and ask the professional what is
wrong or what do I need to do to alleviate my problems.
Conventional
medicine has fostered this approach, which takes you out of
the process. You live inside your body and what is needed
is a fostering of your own intuition in regard to your
health. This process begins with a mental understanding of
your imbalanced condition and what are the causes and how
can you begin to make daily changes in lifestyle that will
aids the bodies own healing power.
All healing
comes from within and the body heals itself is the
cornerstone of all natural healing. The next step is to
implement activity that will aid this change. This is where
complimentary therapies and self education help to guide
and direct your energies. Then you have to wait and see
what results you will experience. Getting well is a process
and patience is necessary.
Maintain A Positive Mental
Attitude- a positive outlook on life is an essential to
wellness. Even in adversity maintaining a good outlook will
help to overcome obstacles that seem to confront us.
Naturally, optimistic people are more inclines to look
after their own health. They are more likely to work out,
eat a balanced diet, and get regular medical check-ups.
They respond to
illness actively, consulting their health care practitioner
promptly and following responsible treatment plans.
Eat Wholesome And Nutritional
Foods- diet is very important in maintaining good health.
The bodies RNA and DNA are programmed for real foods (whole
grains, beans, organic fruits and vegetables and clean
water): Not the diet of the standard American diet laden
with over processed, devitalized, and chemical rich foods.
With the excesses of fat and sugar in our diet it’s no
wonder why we suffer from many degenerative diseases.
Exercise Regularly- as the old
saying goes “use it or lose it” applies aptly when dealing
with exercise. Exercise helps the body to eliminate toxins
and helps increase metabolic activity. I recommend walking
and stretching programs like tai chi or yoga.
Be
Moderate And Avoid Excesses- if
you will be moderate in your lifestyle then many disease
processes can be reversed quickly when they appear. This
applies to wrongful diet, smoking, and excessive
consumption of drugs and alcohol.
Get Adequate Rest- getting good
rest means good sleeping habits but also relates to slowing
down our lives a bit. Again we get so caught up in the
hustle and bustle of life and forget to take a break.
Learn To Deal With Stress-stress
is one of the biggest contributors to ill health. Stress
affects all parts of your body form the nervous system to
the digestive. Of course we are confronted with stress
everyday. How our bodies maintain under these stressors is
the question. Good diet, herbal remedies, and nutritional
supplements help protect us. Learn relaxation techniques to
help reduce stress.
Manage Your Time- the operative word here is to manage. We
know time is a major part of our reality but what we need
to determine is how are we going
to let time rule our lives. It is great to take your watch
off and see how many times you look at your wrist or get
nervous because you don’t know the time. Managing your time
will aid your process of getting well by reducing stress
and letting you really enjoy life activities.
Connect With Nature: Breathe Fresh Air
And Get Plenty Of Sunshine- most of us spend most of
our time indoors. Because we are part of nature when we
spend more time outdoors we get more in tune with the
natural rhythms of our planet. It helps to foster a sense
of calmness and an appreciation for life. It’s great to
take your shoes off and walk through the grass.
Spend Time With Your Loved Ones-
it is very important for good health to have healthy
relationships with your family and friends. The support
network you build has a lot to do with how you feel about
yourself. This is a give and take relationship. I always
like the statement “giving equals receiving and receiving
equals giving.” The people around you will support you in
time of need especially if there is a
open and close relationship.
These basic
guidelines have the potential for you to become whole
again. Remember that this is a process and takes time to
develop. Make your own assessments and make the commitment
to help yourself be well.
I would like to
wish you all a happy, safe and healthy holiday season.
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