What Does Wellness Mean? Wellness Lifestyle Guide
If you’ve heard the word wellness thrown around lately in the health industry, join the party! The focus has shifted from health to the more holistic term wellness, and for good reason.
The more and more we heard the word wellness in our ears, we realized we needed some clarification on exactly what it means, and how we can harness its power to live our most beautiful, vibrant lives.
Well, reader, we have some great news! Here at Cosmos Vita we’ve figured out what exactly wellness is, and we’re excited to share our findings with you. We’re feeling pretty inspired, and we have a feeling that soon, you’ll be feeling it too.
What is Wellness?
You’ve probably heard the saying “surviving but not thriving.” Well, it’s time to throw that outdated motif to the curb. There’s way more to life than simply surviving -- and that belief is the cornerstone of wellness.
Wellness is the act of incorporating healthful habits into your daily routine to obtain better mental and physical health outcomes. The focus shifts from simply surviving to thriving. You’re taking care of yourself on a physical and spiritual level. Wellness truly is a beautiful thing.
You might be wondering how that is different from health. While health is considered by the World Health Organization to be a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellness (not just the absence of illness), wellness has more facets to it. That also can mean that it takes longer to achieve, but it’s undoubtedly possible to reach it.
If you’re confused as to where to start on your wellness journey, start small with something manageable. (Can we humbly suggest you begin by taking ownership of your health by filling those pesky nutrient gaps that arise from not having enough vitamins?)
If you start small, you won’t lose steam to keep going right away, and you won’t feel as overwhelmed. Because wellness refers to a complete synthesis or beautification of your life, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s going to take a while. Rome wasn’t built in a day, remember! But we promise it will be worth it, and the little steps you take each day toward your goal will inspire your next iteration of your wellness journey.
The Dimensions of Wellness
There’s a bit of debate surrounding how many “dimensions” of wellness there are, but in the spirit of keeping things manageable, we’re going to hone in on six commonly recognized ones.
By focusing on these six facets of your life, you’re going to be able to witness a complete wellness transformation. We’re excited. Are you?
Social Wellness
The first facet to wellness is social connection. Because human beings are social creatures, we derive a lot of importance from our relationships. After all, the relationships we have help us create our own worldview, and impact how we move through the world.
In the past, maybe you’ve heard one of your favorite celebrities gush about how strong and amazing their support system is. But guess what? Celebrities aren’t the only ones who have support systems. The people who you can count on -- your friends, family, colleagues, and beyond -- are your real life support system.
In times of hardship and wonderful, uplifting times alike, your support system is there for you to share your life with. Having a strong support system can help improve your overall well-being because of humans’ nature as social creatures. You’d be shocked how transformative penciling in 15 minutes to talk to your best friend during your lunch break could be.
When you interact with other people, you’re reminded that no man (or woman!) is an island. We’re all part of this big, beautiful human family, and we rely on each other. That’s what life is all about, isn’t it? Wellness recognizes the way that the bonds we’ve formed with other humans impact us, and how essential they are.
Some ways to improve this include building new connections, maintaining old ones, getting active with people you care about, and having heart-to-heart conversations.
Physical Wellness
One might say that physical wellness is the cornerstone of all wellness, and we’d agree with that. Watching what you’re putting into your body is important for so many reasons.
For one, ensuring that you’re getting enough nutrients to nourish your body is essential, and if you’re not, you can take steps to rectify that with vitamins.
In addition to this, getting a little pep in your step and including a sufficient amount of activity into your daily routine can make a huge, positive impact.
These positive physical habits can help you reduce stress, lower the risk of some diseases, and even increase the amount of energy that you have to go about the rest of your day.
Some ways that you can build a healthy physical wellness routine include by getting physical activity regularly and for a decent amount of time per day, keeping your metabolism in mind, and building healthy habits with people you love.
Another important way you can help bolster your body on the physical level is by ensuring that you have enough vitamins and minerals. Sometimes, it can be difficult to obtain enough vitamins through simple foods and there’s a so-called “nutrient gap.” Bridge this gap by incorporating supplements in your wellness routine, and you can help support a variety of bodily functions.
Cosmos Vita offers three gummy supplements, each designed to support a different nutritional need within your body. One-third of Americans have low levels of vitamin D, like because we spend so much time indoors, and very few foods naturally contain the “sunshine vitamin.” Our Beaming Vitamin D3 gummies are packed with high potency vitamin D3 to support your immune health, healthy bones, and teeth by aiding calcium absorption. Our Gutsy Apple Cider Vinegar gummies support your digestive and immune health, giving you all of the benefits of apple cider vinegar without having to drink it, and our Supportive Elderberry + Zinc + Vitamin C gummies provide 100 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C alongside heart-healthy antioxidants that prevent cold and flu symptoms, naturally relieve stress, and protect against inflammation. The best part is that all of our gummies are vegan, gluten-free, and sourced with love, so you can support your physical health without any artificial dyes, flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Emotional Wellness
Emotional wellness is another widely discussed topic. This refers to how you feel -- and it can have a substantial trickle-down effect. Your emotional wellness impacts a whole bunch of things, including how you carry out activities, relationships, and your overall mental well-being.
People who are considered to be emotionally well are those who are able to handle the stresses of life, adapt to difficult situations, and are aware that hardship is only temporary.
One important way that you can make a positive impact on your emotional wellness is by getting a healthy amount of sleep. Sleep can make a large impact on both physical and mental health, so ensuring you’re getting enough of it gives you a running start.
In addition, emotional wellness means taking inventory of your emotions, even the muddy, difficult ones. It also means reaching out for mental health help if you feel you need it -- for example, seeking therapy.
Spiritual Wellness
You’ve probably heard the saying that you have to “be kind to your mind,” and that is truly an understatement. Practicing mindfulness and incorporating this into your daily routine can help you create a life that is enriched by meaning and sentiment.
The more that you tap into your thoughts, you will find that you gain a greater awareness of who you are and ultimately, develop a beautiful sense of self. If you’re looking for a way to be mindful, we recommend journaling.
Journaling allows you to turn inward and introspectively evaluate where you’ve been and where you’re going. Mindfulness is all about taking those extra minutes to nourish your spiritual being. Start by setting aside just a few minutes a day to jot down some thoughts in a notebook, or begin your morning with a meditation.
Intellectual Wellness
If you’re intellectually well, you’re open-minded when it comes to hearing out new ideas. This also refers to the ability to think critically and find ways to incorporate creativity into your life. A lot of intellectual wellness refers to a sort of innate curiosity.
If you’re nourishing your intellectual wellness, that means that you try your best to challenge yourself to see multiple sides of a situation, while thinking critically.
Intellectual wellness can also refer to developing your own opinions, thoughts, and ideas, even if they’re not the most common or popular. People who are intellectually well tend to introduce themselves to new ideas, people, and beliefs that are different from what they’ve experienced in the past.
You can work on improving your intellectual well-being by reading books written from people that come from a different background than you, seeking out new ideas, and thinking critically before formulating opinions.
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness refers to -- you guessed it -- the environments that you spend time in. What surrounds you at home, at work, or even at school can make a tangible impact on your health and wellbeing. Of course, your environment is not always in your control, but if and when you can make it healthier, you should.
In a home environment, this means making sure that you don’t have products that can expose you to potentially harmful chemicals lying around. You can also reduce your allergies at home, test your living spaces for toxic gases, and work to improve your air quality.
In Summary
You might have noticed something: there’s some overlap between all of these facets of wellness! And it’s supposed to be that way because wellness is multi-dimensional and holistic. That’s just to say, there’s a lot that goes into wellness, and we’re all better for it. You can’t truly be “well” if one of these is lacking. Wellness reminds us that if one section of our life is suffering, they ultimately all do.
Taking control of your wellness journey is undoubtedly one of the most empowering things you’ll do. Take your first small steps today and watch how you begin to change your life. We’re cheering you on!
SOURCE:
https://www.nih.gov/health-information/social-wellness-toolkit
https://www.nih.gov/health-information/physical-wellness-toolkit
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195878
https://www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit
https://www.unh.edu/health/wellnessself-care/wellness-wheel/intellectual-wellness
https://www.nih.gov/health-information/environmental-wellness-toolkit