Leading a
well-balanced life

The definition of wellness is “being aware of and actively working towards better health.” This sounds easy enough, but how does one go about achieving total wellness?

The goal of creating balance in life would be to ultimately increase not only the quantity, but the quality of life. There are five main areas involved in defining wellness, and in order to create a well-balanced lifestyle, each area deserves some attention.

1. Physical: No surprise here. Most people automatically think of physical health when imagining what wellness means. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, getting enough sleep, and getting regular physicals are all part of taking care of yourself physically. By doing these things, you can greatly reduce your risk for premature illness.

2. Emotional: Emotional well-being has to do with managing the stressors in life. Identifying the causes of stress in your life and actively combating these causes is an important part of taking good care of yourself. Finding coping mechanisms that work for you is the challenge in working toward being emotionally healthy.

3. Social: Keeping close, meaningful relationships with the people in your life can greatly impact the quality of your years. Creating strong bonds and having a good social life can positively impact your health.

4. Intellectual: Exercising your mind is just as important as exercising your body in terms of overall wellness. Challenging your mind on a daily basis can make your life more fulfilling and rewarding.

5. Spiritual: Maintaining a strong spiritual connection is important for leading a “whole” and well life. No matter what your personal beliefs, there is no denying the fact that spirituality can play a very positive and helpful role in achieving balance.

It is never too late to improve the quality of your life. Focus on making the rest of your life the best of your life by working towards better health one step at a time.

Dawn Hedlund, R.D., L.D. is the Wellness Coordinator at Roseau Area Hospital and Homes. In addition to organizing and overseeing health-related events and educational activities in Roseau County, Dawn is an ongoing contributor to HealthMatters. To learn more about improved health and wellness, call her at (218) 463-2500.