Welcome to Wellness

Wellness is a “buzzword” that is often used without consideration to its true meaning. You may be curious about wellness and how you can achieve it. You could even be wondering if wellness is possible, or if it is overrated, since the medical fraternity teaches that after age fifty our bodies are supposed to fall apart. I am here to challenge that assumption, because wellness is possible for you and for anyone who seeks to attain it. In the coming issues I will share with you how you can live a wellness-centered life and add years to your life and life to your years.

So, what is wellness?

Wellness can be defined as a state where your mind, body and social awareness are in balance. Unlike health, wellness goes beyond the absence of disease. With the amount of emphasis placed on disease management, you may be tempted to think that wellness is impossible, but I know that wellness is possible for you, regardless of your age or current situation.

I have seen it many times, where people associate aches and pain with “getting old”, but I refuse to believe that pain and bodily dysfunction are caused by simply aging. I have come to prove that you can, and should age gracefully from the inside out. Aging gracefully begins with having the right state of mind and creating the right conditions for healing and wellbeing to take place in your body.

Where do I begin?

First, I would say lose the stress. I know that you are going to say that I do not know about your life and what you are going through. I get that, because even though I know how to be well, I have to constantly remind myself to breathe and let go of the stress.

Stress tends to be a major factor in our lives and can lead to a host of health problems. Stress is anything that triggers a negative response from us, and can be caused by simply paying the bills, getting through the workday or dealing with Atlanta, L.A or New York traffic. Stress is ultimately something that we can learn to cope with; however, it is responsible for 80% of all illness and disease. I think you might agree that if we could find a way to cope with the stress in our lives, that we would be able to have a greater control over how we live and age. You will not be able to control things like the traffic, but you can change how you react to it.

We all deserve to live an abundant and fulfilling life and age gracefully. I invite you to take the first step. Look at your current habits, and list a few things you will do to increase your wellbeing. I also want to challenge you to make them a priority in your life.

I am giving you my top 5 ways to begin your wellness journey. My hope is that you will use the ones that appeal to you and implement others as well. You can begin with as little as 10-15 minutes a day. Over time, even the smallest change can make a great difference. Here’s how I recommend that you get started on your wellness journey:

Take frequent breaks to unwind. Taking a break can be as simple as taking the time to read a book, listen to music or meditate. All three things have been proven to change your mood, thus lowering your stress hormones, quieting your mind and improving your focus. I would also recommend taking a long weekend once every quarter and escape to somewhere you love. It may not always be easy to get on a plane and escape for a few days, however, there are many beautiful places to escape right around you. You can take a stay-cation at a local hotel. If that is not possible, how about taking the time to get pampered. Many people believe that they do not have the time to take a break, but taking a break can actually increase your productivity and improve the way that you feel.

Take deep conscious breaths. Breathing seems so simple, yet so many of us just do not do it properly or frequently. Proper breathing starts by using the diaphragm and pulling your breath in from the belly button. This allows us to take in more air and fill the lungs with oxygen---the vital life force.

Practice self-love. When things get challenging, it may help to take a moment to reconnect with who we are and the reason that we are doing what we do. Many times we make work and others a priority and in the end we have nothing left for ourselves. If you do not practice self-love, you will not be able to fully express your love to others.

Strengthen your relationships. We live in a society where we work so hard and usually have a million things to do. Strengthening your relationships can actually reduce your stress levels, as well as theirs. Take the time to be with your loved ones and remind them that you care about them.

Practice gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we focus on what we have and not what we don’t have. Practicing gratitude has been shown to relieve stress, and ultimately improve relationships and health.

I often take a few minutes to remind myself of why I charted this course in life. I aspire to help as many people as I can to live to their fullest potential. To walk through life with passion and purpose and to influence as many people as I can to take life by the reins and in doing so, I wish to inspire others.

Now that you have a list of things that you can do to begin your wellness journey, I encourage you to get started now. I am grateful to share this journey with you and I would love to hear about the efforts you’re making to live well or answer any questions that you may have. Please email me at drk@vivicarechiropractic.com. Wishing you much success.

Dr. K

Coming next time, 7 Steps to Wellness in Just 15 Minutes Per Day