Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of, and making choices, to live up to your potential. There are 7 pieces of wellness and they are all connected and important to your health. Your health is a puzzle and every piece needs to be in place to build a good picture. In 2010 we are “Putting it All Together.” LiveWell has always focused on improving physical activity and nutrition, which are both a part of the Physical piece of Wellness. Wellness also includes: social, intellectual, financial, environmental, occupational, and emotional/spiritual.

Click on the pieces above to learn more about each piece of wellness.

Nutrition = being nourished.

Being well nourished means making good choices about what you eat and how much you eat. These can both be affected by where and when you eat, so it’s important to be aware of yourself and your eating habits. LiveWell is focusing on the following 6 small changes to improve your diet in 2010:

1) Eat Breakfast.

It kick-starts your metabolism, provides fuel for your body & mind & cuts down on snacking or big meals later in the day.
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/healthy-breakfast-ideas-and-recipes
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=273
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_breakfast_recipes
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=60651

2) Replace an unhealthy choice with a healthy one.

Be aware of your food choices & identify one that you can improve. For example: water instead of soda, a healthier snack, a smaller portion, or whole grain instead of white.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00585
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/tips_healthy_subs.html

3) Eat lean protein.

Be sure to eat protein, but avoid those that come with unhealthy fats.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/meat_tips.html

4) Eat (3+, 5+, 7+) fruits & veggies.

The evidence is growing, there’s no denying that they are good for you for a lot of reasons. Add more color throughout your day by eating a variety of fruits & veggies.
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

5) Be aware of the foods you choose.

Food is fuel, so if you want your body to run well; be aware of what you put in it. Use the new Go, Slow, Whoa (pdf) method for choosing foods that make you feel good.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/eat-right/choosing-foods.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/go_slow_whoa.html
http://www.usnh.edu/hr/health-wellness/pdf/welcoa_200807_focus-on-food.pdf

6) Plan and prepare your meals.

One of the key ingredients to having a healthy diet over a lifetime is meal planning. It makes healthy choices easier, reduces stress, saves money & improves nutrition.
http://www.mealsmatter.org/

Others:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
http://www.kimbensen.com

Physical Activity = energetic action

Physical Wellness is being active, eating well, getting adequate rest, and managing stress.
There are 3 types of physical activity that are all important to physical wellness.
http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/default.aspx http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/physical_activity.html
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2155

1) Aerobic activities increase your heart rate & make you breathe harder.

You should do at least 30 minutes most days.
http://www.medicinenet.com/aerobic_exercise/article.htm

2) Muscle strengthening activities make your muscles & bones stronger.

You should aim for 8-10 exercises, with 8-12 repetitions, 2 days a week.
http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx

3) Flexibility is your joint range of motion.

Take 10 minutes each day to stretch all major muscles and tendons.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/stretching_benefits.asp http://stretchatwork.com/stretches.html

Social Wellness = Having nourishing, encouraging, & satisfying relationships Inspire kindness. The Other 6 Pieces of Wellness Include:

Being kind feels good and has significant mental and physical health benefits.

www.livewellkindness.com
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/social-support/SR00033
http://mesapartners.org/default.aspx

Intellectual Wellness = Engaging in creative and stimulating mental activities to expand your knowledge and skills.

Learn something new. Learning something new boosts your brain, boosts your confidence, and makes you feel better.
http://definitionofwellness.com/ dimensions-of-wellness/intellectual-wellness. html
http://wellness.unl.edu/intellectual.shtml
http://www.prevention.com/

Financial Wellness = How well you manage your money & belongings.

Be responsible with your finances. People with poor financial wellness experience more illness than those who are responsible with their finances. Manage your money, stay well, and have the ability to get preventative care and treatment if you need it.
http://financialplan.about.com/library/n_budget.htm
http://www.mymoney.gov/ http://www.ftc.gov/

Environmental Wellness = Realizing & accepting the impact you have on our world and doing something about it.

Be aware of your impact on the environment. The environment around you impacts how you feel and your overall health.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/ http://health.mesacounty.us/environment/air/iaq/index.cfm
http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/

Occupational Wellness = Finding rewards/enjoyment in your work.

Work with integrity. Working with integrity decreases anxiety and depression, makes you feel better and improves your health.
http://www.jmhjournal.org/article/S1875-6867(08)00062-6/abstract
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6538646&page=1 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/

Emotional/Spiritual = Feeling positive and enthusiastic about yourself and your purpose in life.

Appreciate and enjoy life. To truly live well and find peace and happiness in your life, you must appreciate it.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relief/SR00034 http://www.nationalwellness.org
http://www.hrsa.gov/womenshealth/ewtools/comguide/promote_ew.htm
http://www.wordsofwellness.com/Spiritual_Wellness.htm