Writer | Presenter | Consultant
Washing hands with soap and water began as a religious ritual and cultural habit. Much later, it was connected to the reduction of illness and infection by Ignaz Semmelweis. Today, we're well aware of the preventative capabilities of handwashing, but are we using this wellness tool as effectively as we could, and should?
Staying hydrated is a vital, but often overlooked, aspect of health and wellness. Dehydration occurs when the body is losing more fluids than it's taking in. The more active someone is, the more attentive they need to be to water (and electrolyte) consumption. Knowing the signs of dehydration offers an opportunity to hydrate, before symptoms become more severe.
When I have the slightest tingle in my throat, at the first sign of the sniffles, when I wake up with a slight headache, or pressure around my eyes, I go into defense mode. Sometimes, I start acting before the first red flag, because it's "that time of year", or I noticed the ragweed count on the rise. Below are the practices and products I've come to count on, to get me back on track when I'm starting a downhill slide.
As a blog writer, I’m also a blog consumer. I read for fun, to learn, and to see what topics are "hot". Without getting into the statistics of it, there are tons, literally tons of people who feel they've lost their joy, meaning, and passion.
One could argue that nothing we could invest in, has a greater impact on our quality of life, contentment, joy, and fulfilment than our wellness. One of the keys to achieving greater health and wellbeing, is to develop a more holistic approach to the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits. When we focus on various aspects of wellness individually, while still considering the concept more comprehensively, we'll start to feel better, inside and out.
Relaxation is an important part of self-care. We all experience stress, and need to incorporate techniques to counter its impact on our bodies into our daily routines.
One of the most important things about self-care is that it improves our mental health. When we don't take proper care of ourselves, we're much more susceptible to feeling anxious, depressed, and out of control. When we feel out of control, there's a greater chance that we'll use harmful coping mechanisms to suppress our emotions.
Taking a more proactive approach to consent requires creating relationships where open and honest communication can take place. It involves listening intently, with all of our senses, to the words, body language, tone of voice, and movements of others, as they respond to our words, actions, and movement. It requires respecting the boundaries of others, and gracefully accepting rejection, without questioning or demanding explanations.
One way to get a great night's sleep is to go to bed, and wake up, at the same time every day. Many people drastically change their sleep habits from day to day, or between weekdays and weekends. Our bodies would prefer a predictable routine.
It’s easy to get motivated by a fitness program, a new diet, or a motivational speech. The problem is that this motivation exists only in the intentional mind. It temporarily changes our intentions but fails to overcome the power of our habits. How many times have you rationalized skipping the gym, eating unhealthy food, or just reverting to your usual behaviors, only to later regret it?
Carving out time for intimacy becomes even more vital as relationships progress. Connecting as a couple is an essential component of having a healthy and satisfying long-term relationship.
Not to downplay pampering, but self-care is more than taking bubble baths and drinking hot tea. We often take a narrow view of self-care, seeing it as spoiling oneself or indulgence, perhaps even in ways that are counter to long term health.