How does one achieve Wellness?
You have heard it said before, “everything in moderation.” Health and wellness are found in the in the ability to moderate all aspects of life including emotions, stress, diet, lifestyle and physical work. Finding the proverbial “middle ground,” is the key. A healthy diet low in carbohydrates, greasy fast food, sugars, and refined grains, promotes low cholesterol, normal blood pressure, and can help control diseases like Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and heart disease. Regular exercise, that is not overdone, helps to improve circulation and maintains joint integrity (especially qi gong and tai chi) controlling diseases like arthritis and heart disease. Lastly, like working on a car, general maintenance is needed keep all of the connections between the functions of the individual organs operating to their highest capacity. Acupuncture as a modality in Chinese medicine helps to do just this.
How can consumers tell their health care providers that they won’t settle for less? Communication, first and foremost, helps. Open discussions between health care providers and consumers about all symptoms, treatment needs, and what to expect is the first step toward consumer empowerment. It is also helpful to learn all you can and find a provider who not only gives you hope, but realizes that the relationship between patient and provider constitutes a team, and requires teamwork. Families are an important part of this team too, and it is important that they are educated, their needs are met, and they have support. Families should also know what helps and what hurts so they can be helpful to their family member when it is needed. Finally, peer support is essential to lasting wellness. Knowing that others have been through similar experiences can help consumers better understand and accept themselves.
To achieve wellness, a person must put equal effort into balancing and caring for each of the three aspects of ones life: mind, body and spirit. To achieve mental wellness, one must obtain presence and peace of mind while maintaining lasting, fulfilling, relationships which are free of ego and complications. To achieve physical wellness, one must take care of the body with a natural diet, exercise, prevention, natural remedies, restful sleep and relaxation. To achieve spiritual wellness, one must find a deeper connection with his or her own spirit as well as the spirits of others.
