Introducing wellness

How do we take care of our health? We've all heard of the saying, 'prevention is better than cure' but how do we prevent an onset of an illness? Surprisingly not many of us are certain what wellness is all about, I'm included. So, let's find out together how to avoid pills and pains.
What's health care? There are three types of it,

1. Curative health care;- Medically treated after a doctor's check up, confirmed unwell.
2. Preventive heath care;- Leading a healthy lifestyle with consistent check up's with a clean bill.
3. And then, there's the total wellness health care;- 

• Early adoption of a healthy lifestyle.
• Focused with a peace of mind and faithful in God.
• Adoption of a positive attitude about life, work, health and energy.
• Emphasize on health, energy, family harmony, and empathy for others.
• Finding purpose on life.
• Selflessness, Give more and take less.
• A proper rest and relaxation.
• Moderate exercise.
• Proper nutrition.
• Financial freedom.

How to keep our body healthy? Cut down your caffeine, nicotine and alcohol intake. Increase your consumption of water and fiber. Exercise is a must. Appreciate yourself.

When we are repeatedly subjected to stress, pressure and tension, our hormones (namely adrenalin and cortisol) goes on a tantrum. This will weaken the immune system making it vulnerable to invaders and ailments, furthermore it increases the risk of blood clotting and hardening of the arteries which can lead to a heart attack, stroke or even vascular disease.

What can we do to prevent this? Laugh. Yes, it's proven that laughter is a medicine. When you laugh, hormones endorphin and enkephalin is released, and collaboration with adrenalin and non-adrenalin hormones they speed up healing processes as well as acting as a painkiller(http://www.examiner.com/science-news-in-toronto/free-natural-painkiller-laughter). Other benefits of a good laugh;

• Boosts overall body immunity.
• Reduces symptoms of rheumatism.
• Reduces heart rate and blood pressure.
• Secretes enzymes that prevent stomach ulcers.
• Reduces chronic respiratory conditions, improving ventilation.
• Decreases serum cortisol offsetting the effects of chronic stress.
• Gives abdominal muscles definition by exercising and toning them.
• Increases antibodies in saliva that can combat upper respiratory infections.

Laugh all you want, here's some more tips on staying vibrant - F.R.E.E. = Focus. Relax. Exercise. Eat.
Focusing is needed to enhance your performance. It also boosts your mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and family morale. Relax yourself with a massage , meditation , prayer or breathing to calm the nerves. A massage has psychological effects, promotes suppleness, eases muscle tensions and spasms, loosen stiff joints, improves gland functions and metabolism and eliminates the accumulation of lactic acid. Exercising is a necessity for a functional lymphatic system. It plays a role in maintaining a desired blood pressure, curbing the onset of heart diseases, develops muscle and joints, prevents obesity, stress and premature aging. Major illnesses that are related to physical inactivity- obesity, hypertension, arthritis, cancer and vascular disease. Eat, but don't overindulge nor should you diet with starvation. We must eat a balanced diet to provide our body with the basic nutrients required. Stay away from junk food and fast food, consuming these takes toll on the body. not only they're lack of nutrients, they also deteriorate the well being and functions of organs. Full of fat, highly toxic, fiber-less and makes you sloppy.

DON'T SMOKE - Smoking is probably the worst abuse made to the body. Internally and externally. The free radicals from smoking are extraordinary. They damage cells, membrane linings, activates cancer cells, retards your respiration, deprives nutrients in the body and so, so, so much more. Second hand smokers suffers even more, no fair...

Take more antioxidant rich foods (to be discussed further in another chapter). Antioxidants strengthens immunity, eradicates free radicals and slows down aging process. The most revitalizing antioxidants includes vitamins A, C and E,  zinc and selenium.

Drink water seriously. Dehydration is no small matter. The body is made up of  75% of water. It'll dry up when water is scarce and disrupt the balances in the body. A long term of  dehydration will cause malfunction of organs and even fatalities. Make sure you take enough water. Here are the signals sent by the body to alert you that its drying up;

• Excessive thirst
  
• Fatigue
  
• Headache
  
• Dry mouth
  
• Little or no urination
  
• Muscle weakness
  
• Dizziness
  
• Lightheadedness 

Dr. N.W. Walker quoted ; "water can undermine your health" . It's needed in most parts of the body, it runs the systems in the body, its a solvent, it relieves constipation, it's absolutely a vital part of our diet. I'll elaborate more on water in another chapter.  Thank you for reading.

(Adapted from; Dr. Nordin Darus's The art of total wellness)