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Community Corner

Getting Back to the Basics of Wellness

Steps you can take to keep you moving in the right direction toward improved wellness.

It seems like life has been reminding me lately to get back to the basics of health and wellness. For the past few weeks my family has passed around a cold, which has landed all of us in the doctor’s office with either ear infections or sinus infections. It’s made me appreciate my own health even more and reflect on what is really the key to maintaining health and wellness.

Remember the key difference between health and wellness is that health refers to our overall condition, genetic makeup and the absence of disease. Wellness is a more global term of which a person's health and vitality are key elements. We also can make more wellness choices, where our health sometimes is determined by the colds our kids bring home from school.

Since we can choose wellness, here are some steps to take to improve your overall wellness:

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Step 1: Get your daily allotment of exercise. Remember to get the benefits of moderate exercise you need to get an accumulation of 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. The body works at its best when it is active so keep those muscles, bones and heart working and keep your body happy.

Step 2: Actively and consciously eat a healthy diet. You can use the resource of mypyramid.gov to help you with this process or seek out a certified registered dietitian to help get you on the right track.

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Step 3: Maintain a healthy body weight. This will improve your overall health and helps to keep diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease at bay.

Step 4: Manage your stress level. Everyone has stress in their life, some more than others, but it is a choice how you deal with it. If stress is getting the best of you, consider seeking professional help to give you the tools necessary to master your stress level.

Step 5: Avoid addictive drugs and limit your alcohol consumption. If you are using substances to cope with life or stress then you may be headed in the wrong direction.

Step 6: Plan for long term wellness. This starts with your savings account and your plans for the future. It is expensive to age in this country so make your future a priority by planning for your retirement now. This will give you and your family peace of mind.

Your health and wellness decisions have a direct impact on how you view your life so keep your actions consistent with the goals that you have for a quality life.

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