WELLNESS:
My recent blogs have looked at what "wellness" means. It is not just the opposite of being "unwell", it is so much more.
There are several definitions, but the following sums it up rather neatly.
"Wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health".
This includes physical, mental, spiritual and social dimensions.
These parts all require to be nourished in order to achieve a state of wellness.
Food has figured greatly in the blogs, as our obsession with it has gathered pace since the basic "ration" days of World War 2.
FOOD OBSESSION:
Girls eating fast food
It started in the U.S. when food which was processed with enhanced flavourings could be eaten on the go,
The fashion took hold in the UK, with special restaurants opening up to cater for people looking for fast tasty food at a reasonable price. Unfortunately such food is laden with harmful trans fat and is high in carbohydrates and salt.
As the country became more affluent and individuals had more disposable income, people were able to holiday abroad and experiment with new flavours and types of food.
Eating out became a popular pass time, with restaurants representing cuisine from all around the world.
As the family dynamic changed and both parents worked outside the home, the arrival of ready meals provided enjoyable food with little or no preparation.
Take away meals have also boomed in popularity. The customer wishing to have food in the fastest time without doing any preparation, can have it delivered.
It is easy to see that not only has the choice of food become greater over the years, but it has become processed, which alters and decreases its nutritional value.
With so much food being consumed, gaining weight has become a side effect.
Not only that, but as the nation becomes more obese, health issues become more common. A strain is put on vital organs, increasing the risk of heart disease strokes and diabetes.
On going research suggests that there could also be a link with some cancers and degenerative conditions of the brain such as dementia.
There could also be a link between the gut and the brain affecting some chronic immune disorders.
DIETS:
There has of course always been an awareness of gaining excess weight, particularly amongst the female population, who have known that a slim figure was needed to wear fashionable clothes.
Over the years, many so called "fad" diets were tried.
Most worked in the short term, and weight was lost, but as they lacked balanced nutrition, they were not sustainable in the longer term.
Most of these diets consisted of very little actual food. Low in carbohydrate and sugar, the calorie count was around 1000 per day.
With a decrease in manual labour, more males are now beginning to look at ways of reducing their weight.
With the reduction of physical work in the home and at work, exercise must be increased by sporting activity, walking or visiting a gym.
BLUE ZONES:
One of the blogs looked at some alternative lifestyles such as the interesting Blue Zones, which are areas which have been recognized as having inhabitants living to a very old age,
Sardinia is used as the popular example,
What sets these individuals apart is the diet which is largely plant based, with large quantities of vegetables and fruit.
Very little meat is eaten, and moderate amounts of cheese and goats milk are consumed.
Wine is drunk fairly freely, cereal is made into bread, and olive oil is used with everything.
Exercise in the form of long hikes on steep mountainous terrain, is carried on into old age.
Social activity with the local community is important along with very strong family ties with young and old co existing and helping one another.
It gives a sense of belonging and purpose, with everyone looking after each other.
Stress levels are low, and general happiness and well being is enjoyed.
RESPONSIBILITY:
We have learned a great deal about the body and how it works.
It is the only body we have, so it is our responsibility to look after it well, and feed it with proper nourishment.
In the UK our life expectancy has increased from that of our forebears, largely due to initiatives promoting better health, immunization programmes and improved social conditions such as housing.
It is surely common sense to give the body food which will grow and repair cells and make sure it has all the nutrients it needs, rather than overload it with a rather toxic mix of too many carbohydrates, trans fats and sugars.
Simplified, that means non processed protein, vegetables and some fruit, together with some carbohydrate from organic cereal and fats in the form of olive oil.
MENTAL HEALTH:
As well as aiming for good physical health, our mental health must be fed too.
Sadly, despite our country being described as wealthy, and our lifestyle being an easy one, the rate of mental health issues has increased dramatically.
There are a number of reasons put forward for this, but it is a bit of a mystery as to why the increase should be so dramatic. Many young and very young people are trapped in this world of anxiety and depression, and seem overwhelmed by life in general.
THE LITTLE THINGS:
We are also obsessed with material things and have created a merry go round of working to earn money to buy things. This becomes hugely stressful as has so many variables attached.
Whilst it is very nice to have home comforts, nice cars and holidays abroad, sometimes a more simple approach can be less stressful.
Gardening for exercise and growing produce.
I watch a YouTube channel video following a family who have purchased a "doer upper" property.
They had given up a comfortable life in England and travelled the world in a van before starting their renovation project.
They have spent over a year in a small caravan with just the basics, and managed through a very tough winter both weather wise and financially.
It was interesting to hear that they now own very little, both in clothing and material things, but felt that although life had been incredibly tough for them, they had never been happier.
They appreciated the small things and valued their location and the friendliness, helpfulness and kindness that they found in the local community.
They run a small holding and are fairly self sufficient as have hens and a fantastic vegetable garden, so they are eating well, working physically hard doing up the house, enjoying their location and making light of their frequent financial struggles. They learn new skills as they go along, and find ways around problems, whilst retaining a sense of humour!
It has similarities to the Sardinian model, and seems to be working well for them.
From the examples mentioned, it seems like common sense to pick the positive aspects and apply them to our own life, in order to achieve a balance. In other words a state of wellness.
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