“Health and wellness”. We are bombarded with news, statistics, and recommendations to improve our health. Health, as a state of being, is something we rarely think about until we have signs that we are not healthy… a cough… a lab test with high triglycerides… a persistent pain. I realized that I did not know what healthy felt like other than the absence of symptoms. So what’s a proactive person to do?
Recently I have shifted my focus to the second half of that phrase: “wellness”. I’ve heard the term often, but never really thought about what it meant and had to Google it. This is one definition that I found: Wellness is the interactive process of becoming aware of healthy choices and practicing them to create a more balanced lifestyle. Our state of being changes frequently… sometimes I wake up happy and then hear bad news that saddens me; or I will go on a long hike, only to feel a sore and tight the following day. These fluctuations in our state of being are a normal part of life, so why wouldn’t wellness be an interactive process?
Traditionally, medical doctors have been the primary line of defense for our health concerns. But why do we expect our medical doctors to know the specific benefits of meditation or yoga, when we wouldn’t expect our meditation or yoga teacher to treat our health issues?
As we shift focus towards becoming aware of healthy choices and learning how to practice them, we find ourselves supported by a team, each skilled in their own area of expertise. This is the concept of integrative wellness… a team of professionals, each of whom is trained in either conventional medicine or complementary modalities — those tools and techniques (for example, meditation, massage, and yoga) which can be safely used in conjunction with conventional treatments.
A simple concept, but a powerful one as the result is an individualized network of support tailored to your specific health concerns. A person with high blood pressure may seek support from a cardiologist and a meditation teacher, while someone overweight may seek support from a nutritionist, a personal trainer and a hypnotherapist. Shifting focus to wellness acknowledges that one symptom may have multiple aspects to it, so the quality of support we receive becomes more holistic… that we each are so much more than today’s symptom.
By now, you may be asking “So how do I begin?” First, tell your doctor “I want to be active in my wellness. Can you suggest something that I could be doing regularly?” With that suggestion in hand, check out what classes may be offered through your local hospital. Many cities and towns have healthcare districts, which are umbrella organizations that provide homes for support groups, health screenings, immunization clinics, as well as classes. Many health and wellness professionals who are new to the area offer evening workshops, so that local residents can come and get to know them. Check your local newspaper under the Events and Classes section. Be prepared that you may need to check out a few different teachers or a few different professionals before you find the one that you like. And that is okay! Remember, your goal is to create your own network of support tailored to your unique health concerns.