Health truly is wealth. Feeling well is the base of an enjoyable life. But sometimes it seems confusing to know what to change to feel well. After my cancer, I focused on a very strict diet and blood tests. After a bad breakup, I would focus on mental health and being social. After my ACL replacement, I focused on rehab and physical therapy. But sometimes I still didn’t feel well at all even though I did so much work on one part of my life - I was still lonely, physically tired, bored, sometimes physically sick. My wellness seemed a mystery until I learned of a better way to think about it.
Through my massage training and mentoring with health professionals, I now understand wellness from a larger perspective using Biopsychosocial Model of Wellness. Wellness, and the lack of wellness (disease and pain) are affected by many elements.
Biological factors like genetics, hormone levels; Psychology factors like strength of friendships, and personality, behavior; Social factors like strength of friendships, and family relationships. All of these diverse elements can contribute to wellness or lack of wellness. This is called the Biopsychosocial Model of Wellness, and is used by psychologist, health, human development, and pain science.
You can see this concept integrates many parts of your life - biological, psychological, and social. Only you know all the various parts of your life. A compassionate wellness professional like Kevin or myself can listen and suggest where you might adjust your life for wellness, and connect you to resources in the baja community to help with those changes.
This concept is helpful to consider when we are unwell.
Take a moment and consider which parts might be contributing to lack of wellness (dis-ease)? Which of those can be changed in your life? Some elements may be easier than others to adjust for each person - moving to a new home, changing social relationships, eating differently, exercising more, getting human touch through massage.
Keep in mind that exercise, massage, meditation, great friendships are tools to help you toward wellness -to feeling great and enjoying life. Today is a great day to take one action toward health.
Be well & travel often!