Wellness An Introduction - NHL

To better understand the term ‘wellness’ lets compare Health vs. Wellness Health is generally limited to absence of physical disease Wellness is the state of being in good health AND is associated with quality of life (QOL) Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence. Most people want to continually improve their QOL as they grow and mature

The Wellness Continuum: You can use a continuum to define your personal state of wellness. Premature death is at one end and optimum health at the other. Premature death – occurs due to lifestyle behaviours that lead to a fatal accident or the formation of an avoidable disease. Optimum health – state of wellness characterized by peak physical, mental and social well-being

Wellness Continuum: Premature Death Optimum Health Low Energy ModerateHigh Energy Frequent IllnessInfrequent Illness Quick Recovery Inferior Stress MgmtSuperior Stress SkillsMgmt Skills Poor Social RelationshipsExcellent Social Relationships

Chronic Illness CHRONIC DISEASES have emerged as the major threat to health Examples? Best Treatment for chronic disease is PREVENTION BUT… Only 2% of Canada’s health care budget is actually spent on prevention, the other 98% is mostly spent on immediate/acute healthcare issues…DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM HERE??

Preventable Risk Factors Controlled By You! 1.Physical Inactivity 2.Unhealthy Eating These risk factors are growing and are a key contributor to the four chronic diseases that claim over 75% of Canadians every year and they are: Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and Respiratory Disease

The 6 Dimensions of Wellness… What do each of these mean to YOU?! 1.Physical Wellness 2.Emotional Wellness 3.Intellectual/Mental Wellness 4.Spiritual Wellness 5.Interpersonal/Social Wellness 6.Environmental/Occupational Wellness

The Wellness Wheel We can represent the dimensions of wellness using a wheel…

Interpersonal/Social Wellness Relationships, respect, community interaction. This dimension considers how we relate to others. How we connect, communicate and get along with the people we are surrounded by.

Spiritual Wellness Meaning, values. This dimension helps to establish peace and harmony in our lives. It is the ability to discover meaning and purpose in life.

Emotional/Psychological Wellness Feelings, emotions, reactions, cognition. This is the dimension where you are in touch with your feelings and emotions of sorrow, joy, love, etc. This dimension helps us to cope with the emotional challenges of life.

Occupational Wellness: This dimension involves finding fulfillment in your job and knowing that it has meaning. It is also the ability to establish balance between work and leisure time. Environmental Wellness: Leading a lifestyle that is respectful to our environment and minimizes any harm done to it. Ex: air pollution, ultraviolet radiation in the sunlight, chemicals, noise, water pollution, and second-hand smoke

Mental/Intellectual Wellness: Critical thinking, creativity, curiosity. This dimension considers the desire to be a lifelong learner. It’s the ability to be open to new experiences and ideas in order to continue growing.

Physical Wellness It is the ability to take charge of your health by making conscious decisions to be healthy. Includes knowing important health numbers, physical exams, avoiding drugs, sleep, healthy eating, exercise.

LET’S SEE HOW YOUR WHEEL WOULD ROLL?!