Guide to Physical Wellness

A healthy body. Good physical health habits. Nutrition, exercise, and appropriate health care. These make up the physical dimension of wellness. A few ways we can get there might be choosing things that make our body feel good and trimming back the things that bring us down. We can also feel better by creating a routine that balances activity with inactivity, and that is manageable within our obligations and needs. Our body is intelligent, and learning to listen to it more deeply may be very important and empowering.

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Nutrition

•Do you have access to fresh, healthy food?

• Are you in a position to eat at home so you can better track what you are putting into your body?

• Are you improving your diet by setting small goals for small changes each day, week, or month?

• Check out local food co-ops if one is in your area for good, affordable food.

• Visit USDA’s Choose My Plate or Food Pyramid.com

• Meet with dietitians and nutritionists if you need help, or try programs like Weight Watchers.

• Explore self-help support groups and organizations, like TOPS or Overeaters Anonymous.

Physical Activity

•Are you getting regular physical activity whenever you can, and making it fun?

• Have you been taking “shortcuts” to exercise, like parking further away from the store and taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator?

• Have you identified your healthy Body Mass Index and begun working toward it, one day at a time?

• Join and visit local gyms, YMCAs, and fitness clubs, or join a neighborhood pool.

• Look through fitness and other magazines for exercises you can do at home.

• Check out free resources, such as YouTube, to learn how to do yoga or other exercises.

• Search for tracking tools like My Fitness Pal that will show how far you’ve come

Sleep

•Are you getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night whenever possible?

• Are you avoiding exercise within a few hours of bedtime, as well as “screen time”?

• Are you avoiding large meals before going to bed?

• Try managing your routine to carve out time to rest and sleep, and cut back on caffeine.

• Explore the tips found on Healthy People.gov, from Mayo Clinic, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

• Have you tried tools that can help you cut down or quit using tobacco products, alcohol, or other drugs?

• Are you reaching out to family or friends instead of using substances when you are going through a tough time?

• Are you being mindful of triggers that make you want to use substances and do you have a plan that can help you avoid them?

•Find support groups and 12-step groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), in your community and attend meetings.

• Read the "9 Tools to Help You Successfully Quit Smoking" from How Stuff Works

Preventive Medicine

• Do you visit your doctor, dentist, or other health care provider for routine care and monitoring?

• Do you know how to check your blood pressure, waist circumference, and blood sugar to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes?

•Discuss preventive health care with your doctor, dentist, or other health care provider.

• Visit your local public health center and use HRSA Find A HelpCenter to find the closest location to you.

• Consider seeing a holistic health provider or attending community health fairs.

Courtesy: Department of Health & Human Services - USA