Improving 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 choosingthings that make our body feel good and trimmingback the thingsthat bring us down. We can also feel better by creating a routine that balances activitywith 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.
Ther are seven sub dimenstions to Physical Wellness: Physical - Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sleep, Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs, Medication Safety, Preventive Medicine
Photo credit: BragoPhoto
1. NUTRITION
Some questions to think about
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 intoyour body?
Areyouimprovingyourdietbysettingsmallgoals for small changes each day, week, ormonth?
Some resourcesRESOURCES
Check out local food co-ops if one is in your area for good, affordable food.
Visit USDA’s Choose My Plate (http://www.choosemyplate. gov) or FoodPyramid.com (http://www.foodpyramid.com).
Meet with dietitians and nutritionists if you need help,or try programs like Weight Watchers.
Explore self-help support groupsand organizations, like TOPS or Overeaters Anonymous.
2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Some questions to think about
Are you getting regularphysical 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?
Some resources
Join and visit local gyms, YMCAs, and fitness clubs, or join a neighborhood pool.
Look throughfitness 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 http://www.myfitnesspal.com that will show how far you’ve come.
3. SLEEP
Some questions to think about
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?
Some resources
Try managing your routine to carve out time to rest and sleep, and cut back on caffeine.
ExplorethetipsfoundonHealthyPeople.gov(http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=38), MayoClinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/sleep).
4. ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUGS
Some questions to think about
Have you tried tools that can help you cut down or quit using tobaccoproducts, alcohol, or other drugs?
Are you reaching out to family or friendsinstead 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?
Some resources
Find support groups and 12-step groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), in your community and attend meetings.
Consider engaging in hypnosis, acupuncture, or nicotine replacement therapy to curb the smoking habit (http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/smokingcessation/tools-to-help-successfully-quit-smoking.htm).
5. MEDICATION SAFETY
Some questions to think about
Do you wear medical alert jewelry to help others help you?
Are you storing medications properly and reviewing the expiration dates?
Do you carry a list of your medications with you in case of emergency?
Some resources
Talk to your doctor, using a process of shared decision- making when you are unsure about a prescription or need guidance. (http://media.samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/ sdm/StartHere.html)
Learn more about potential side effects from Consumer Med Safety.org (http://www.consumermedsafety.org) and Consumer Reports(http://www.consumerreports.org).
6. PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
Some questions to think about
Do you visit your doctor,dentist, or other health care provider for routine care and monitoring?
Do you know how to check your bloodpressure, waist circumference, and blood sugar to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes?
Some resources
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 (http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/) to find the closest location to you.
Consider seeing a holistic health provider or attending community health fairs.
Source: SAMHSA CREATING A HEALTHIER LIFE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO WELLNES