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WELLBEING
The term wellbeing is something we all seem to aspire to these days; but what does it actually mean? We can define it as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being which goes beyond mere freedom from disease. We can also view it as an experience or an exploration of what makes you feel good. Either way, it’s a virtuous circle - when we look after our wellbeing we feel good about ourselves, we live our lives fully; we become positive about life and this reflects on our friends and family.
What does it mean in terms of how we look and feel? If we’re well we have a consistent, clear, high level of energy, emotional balance, a sharp mind, a desire to maintain physical fitness and a direct awareness of what suits our bodies, what enhances our health, and what our needs are in any given moment. As a result the ageing process is slowed down and we can live a long and healthy life.
Best news of all; there’s a surprisingly simple three step formula to improving our wellbeing:
1. Nutrition: eating healthy, unprocessed foods
2. Exercise: at least 20 minutes a day
3. Yoga: adding five minutes of meditation and 10 minutes of postures a day
We all understand without proper fuel our bodies will not have the energy to function well. Without exercise our bodies become weaker and less active. The journey through yoga encompasses so much more than the ‘asanas’ or the poses. It enables us to handle and explore our attitudes towards the world, ourselves, our concentration and helps us to meditate. It helps us to understand why we resist and teaches us how to overcome our weaknesses. It’s the combination of all three which creates the magic. No need for complicated, expensive regimes or fad diets.
Trust this formula and you will notice a huge difference in your wellbeing.
RESOURCES FOR CHANGE
NUTRITION
Get real about eating
Being more mindful about what we put into our mouths is crucial. We need to think about where our food has come from, also, question what is in it. Generally, the more packaging, the less nutritious it is. There are no strict diets or rules here, just simple advice on how to eat the most nutritious, delicious food every day.
YOGA
Soothing mind and body
Yoga has become the watch word in wellness these days, however we don’t have to be bendy Instagram-yogis in fancy leggings. Here you’ll find simple postures rooted in tried and trusted ancient techniques we can all practice to improve flexibility, increase energy, expand our breath and relax.
EXERCISE
Get moving, feel great
We now have many scientific studies which show that sitting for long periods is seriously detrimental to our health - both physically and mentally. Our bodies and minds respond to movement, we simply have to find something we enjoy - going to the gym, swimming, walking or cycling. Find some incentive here.
Modern science and medicine has brought us so much in terms of eradication of disease and extension of life, yet the way we are living our lives is increasingly making us ill. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes are on the increase throughout the world, and these are known as ‘lifestyle’ illnesses we can do something about via the way we take care of ourselves. So, let’s do the best we can to eat well, exercise and manage stress - the good news is it doesn’t have to be anything complicated or expensive. All it takes is an informed, holistic and most importantly, realistic approach.