What Is Wellness?

Wellness is a state of being well, a way of life, a choice, and a lifestyle designed to achieve a person's highest potential for well-being. It is an aspect of health cost management that focuses efforts on maximizing an employee's general health and a decision a person makes to move toward optimal health. Furthermore, the concept of wellness uses daily practices that keeps one "well" and involves maintaining good nutrition, exercise, stress control, and good personal and social relationships. In addition, it is a balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being which is a process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create a more successful and balanced lifestyle.

Emotional Wellness

• Being aware and accepting of one's feelings.
• Ability to have outlets for expressing one's emotions constructively.
• Being able to adjust to change and seek positive outcomes.
• Being happy and positive

Environmental and Occupational Wellness

• Acknowledgement and appreciation of one's interdependence with and impact on the natural environment
• Positively contributing to the protection and sustainability of our environment
• Establishing a positive physical living and working environment
• Seeking and integrating opportunities to grow professionally, be challenged and successful
• Garnering satisfaction and enrichment from one's chosen career and the professional relationships developed
• Capability to contribute positively, productively and safely to the collective whole

Intellectual Wellness

• A continuous openness to new concepts, ideas, perspectives and cultures
• An unbridled curiosity to seek new and diverse experiences/challenges
• Ability to successfully learn, apply new learning, change, and adapt

Physical Wellness

• Freedom from illness, disease and need for medications
• Ability to function and regularly participate safely in a variety of activities
• Maintaining a balanced natural diet and regular sleeping habits

Social Wellness

• Forming and contributing to positive relationships of mutual respect
• Comfortably and effectively performing a variety of social/group roles
• Seeking and fulfilling leadership roles that contribute positively to your community

Spiritual Wellness

• Seeking opportunities for self-enlightenment and liberation
• Progression toward a stronger sense of purpose, personal values and meaning of life
• A state of harmony with self and the rest of the world/universe

Anti-aging tips for women

HOW TO... ACHIEVE AGE-DEFYING BEAUTY

Though we can’t exactly escape the aging process, that doesn't mean we can’t put up a good fight. Get ready for battle with the help of these anti-aging tips that will slow down the clock no matter what your age.

Step 1: Work it out

As spa owner Lidya Wati points out, staying active is key to slowing down the clock, both physically and mentally. “Exercise to improve [your] energy level and keep the mind sharp,” she says. “’Use it or lose it’ may sound like a cliche, but it’s true in the case of the brain.”

Actress and fashion editor Margaret Luce agrees, crediting her slim shape to a regular exercise regimen including power walks, runs and Pilates. Looking for a quick and cheap face lift? Luce has a trick for that, too — simply hang upside down for about five to 10 minutes for a lifting and firming effect.

Step 2: Eat (and drink!) right

Fast food can be tempting when you’re short on time, but an unhealthy diet will only hurt your appearance in the long run. That’s why skin experts place so much importance on food consumption.

“Focus on getting more fruits and vegetables, and reduce [your] sugar intake and the amount of fat and carbohydrate consumption as you age,” Wati says. “Complement your diet with vitamins and supplements. Also, drink plenty of water. Make sure you get eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day.”

Why is hydrating so important? Licensed esthetician Rachael Pagano explains: “Skin is the first organ to give its water to other organs that need it,” she says. “So keep hydrated for your organs, but also for your skin.”

Got the munchies? Nix that candy bar for a healthier, more skin-friendly option. Certified nutritional therapy practitioner and nutritionist Margaux J. Rathbun recommends eating more raw fruits and veggies such as grapefruit, kale, strawberries, cucumbers and bananas.

“Start sprinkling chia seeds, walnuts and ground flax seed on your meals for some added Omega-3 fatty acids,” she says. “You should also make it a point to limit your alcohol and caffeine consumption, as these can dry out your skin.”

Step 3: Butt out

Another big no-no — not just when it comes to aging, but for your overall health — is to nix the nicotine. According to dermatologist surgeon Dr. W. Patrick Davey, smoking is one of the worst offenders when it comes to aging.

“Skin aging is caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors,” he explains. “Intrinsically as we age we develop fine wrinkles, thinner skin, loss of underlying fat, dry skin, inability to sweat sufficiently to cool the skin, nail thinning and hair loss. The extrinsic factors that accelerate this process are sun exposure, smoking, repetitive facial expressions, sleeping positions and gravity. Of these extrinsic factors, the two most damaging are sun exposure and smoking, both of which we can control.”

Step 4: Made in the shade

Sun damage is one of the leading causes of aging skin. “Excessive UV exposure breaks down the collagen in the skin, causing wrinkles and loss of elasticity, not to mention the risk of cancer,” Wati says.

The solution? Use sun protection daily.

Step 5: Take time for yourself

Treat your body right, and it will return the favor.

Certified makeup artist Josephine Fusco recommends starting with your skin.

“A skin care regimen is imperative,” Fusco says. “One of the best anti-aging products on the market that I always try to push for my clients to use is a serum. Serums are a fantastic way to slow down the aging process of the skin — they penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and literally turn back the hands of time on the face.”

Another key ingredient toward achieving a youthful glow throughout the decades? Get your ZZZs.

“Sleep well. Six to eight hours of sleep daily is essential to restore energy and maintain overall health,” Wati says.

Step 6: Get happy

Happiness goes a long way in terms of health and, ultimately, aging.

“The happier we are, the healthier we will be — and that will bring the glow of youth to anyone of any age,” Wati says.

Whether or not you’re religious, Wati recommends practicing some sort of spirituality to help you find that happiness.

“Spirituality, which may or may not be religion-based, helps us to let go, forgive and be adaptable. It alleviates emotional stress, which in turn promotes well-being and physical health. The connection between body, mind and spirit is undeniable. The more we are in touch with our higher self, the more fulfilling and happier we will be.”

How to Look Younger Than Your Years: 5 Anti-Aging Tips for Mens

Load Skin With Antioxidants 
Using a night cream that fights fine lines and wrinkles (a.k.a. the telltale signs of aging) is key to looking younger. Urth Skin Solutions for Men Hydratherapy is a gel formula packed with free-radical-fighting ingredients like red seaweed, white tea, and vitamins A, B5, C, D, and E. It hydrates and protects skin against environmental stress and damage that causes skin to age.

Target the Eye Area 
Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but for our purposes, they're what give away your age (or worse, what make you look older than you really are). The skin around your eyes is thinner and more delicate, rendering it more prone to wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles. So give the eye area some extra attention every morning and night. We use Kinerase Extreme Lift Eye, which delivers on its promise to reduce the appearance of crow's feet in just five minutes.

Protect Against Sun Damage
You've heard us say it time and time again, but seriously, the No. 1 cause of skin that looks old before its time is sun exposure. If you want to avoid the leather-man look in your later years, apply a daily SPF and wear sunglasses (no joke—excessive squinting creates wrinkles). We recommend Beyond Coastal Active SPF 34+ Sunscreen.

Get a Healthy Glow
As we age, our skin-cell turnover rate slows dramatically (read: your old face looks dull and lifeless), but you can polish those dead cells away to reveal the youthful glow underneath with a scrub like Billy Jealousy Liquids and Exfoliating Cleanser. The lactic acid gently removes dead skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and sun damage. Regular use of a scrub also allows moisturizers and anti-aging serums to penetrate deeper into the skin for added effectiveness.

Prevent Hair Loss 
A full head of hair is a sign of virility. If your locks aren't what they used to be, make sure you're using a high-quality shampoo designed to fight hair loss. Try Apivita Shampoo for Thinning Hair to promote the healthy, thicker hair growth of your younger days.

Healthy Living Tips

Drink and Eat Well

1.	Drink water—Drinking water will keep urine flowing normally and flush waste products from your system. Make sure to stay hydrated especially while in the sun and/or exercising, when you lose water from perspiration.
2.	Have some juice—Cranberry juice helps prevent urinary tract infections in both children and adults  And one study found that a daily glass of pomegranate juice may help prevent prostate cancer re occurrence.
3.	Reduce salt intake—Too much salt may cause you to retain water and disrupt the salt/mineral/water balance in your kidneys, which may put you at greater risk of kidney stones.
4.	Cut back on caffeine—Caffeine acts as a diuretic and may irritate your bladder.

If You Have Children

5.	Before bedtime—Limit fluids at night and ensure that your child uses the bathroom right before bed to prevent bed wetting (Urology Health extra® – Spring 2010, pg. 4).
6.	If you have daughter(s)—Teach girls to wipe from front to back. Wiping front to back will keep bacteria from entering the vagina and reduce the likelihood of urinary tract infections.
7.	If you have son(s)—A boy should begin wearing an athletic supporter or "cup" as soon as he is involved in any kind of activity that could lead to groin injury, such as playing sports.

Make Healthy Choices

8.	Don't Smoke—Smoking and prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke are among the leading causes of bladder and kidney cancer. Smoking can also contribute to erectile dysfunction (ED)
9.	Exercise regularly—Pelvic Floor Muscle, or "Kegel" exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that help hold urine inside the bladder, preventing leakage.
10.	Maintain a healthy weight—Obesity may contribute to your risk of acquiring urological diseases. Obese individuals are twice as likely to suffer from kidney stones compared to normal weight individuals and obese men are 20-30 percent more likely to die of prostate cancer than men of a healthy weight.
11.	Be proactive in your health care—Get regular check-ups and be sure to speak with your doctor regarding any questions or uncertainties you may have; communication plays a vital role in the quality of patient care that you receive.

General Healthy Eating Tips

Junk food is poor fuel for your body

About nine in 10 teenagers eat junk food every day. This might be fizzy drinks and high-kilojoule snacks like potato chips. However, your body can’t run properly on inferior fuel. 

Compared to home-cooked food, junk food (which includes fast food) is almost always:

• Higher in fat, particularly saturated fat
• Higher in salt
• Higher in sugar
• Lower in fibre
• Lower in nutrients such as calcium and iron
• Served in larger portions, which means more kilo joules.

While a mid-life heart attack might seem too far away to be real, it may surprise you to know that you could have health problems already. A poor diet can cause weight gain, high blood pressure, constipation, fatigue and concentration problems – even when you’re young.

Eating tips to improve your diet

Small changes can make a big impact. Try these tips:

• Cut back on fizzy sugary drinks. Go for sugar-free versions. Even better, drink water instead – try adding a slice of lemon, lime or orange.
• Keep a fruit bowl stocked at home for fast and low-kilojoule snacks.
• Eat breakfast every day so you’re less likely to snack on junk food at morning tea. A fortified breakfast cereal served with low-fat milk can provide plenty of vitamins, mineral and fibre. Other fast and healthy options include yoghurt or wholemeal toast.
• Don’t skip lunch or dinner either.
• Help with the cooking and think up new ways to create healthy meals. Make those old family recipes lower in fat by changing the cooking method – for example, grill, stir-fry, bake, boil or microwave instead of deep frying.
• Reduce the size of your meals.
• Don’t add salt to your food.
• Don’t eat high-fat foods every time you visit a fast food outlet with your friends. Many of the popular fast food chains now have healthier food choices on the menu.
• Change your meeting place. Rather than meeting up with your friends at the local takeaway shop, suggest a food outlet that serves healthier foods such as wholemeal rolls with vegetable fillings or sushi.

Change the way you think about food

There are lots of myths about healthy food. Don’t make food choices based on false beliefs. Suggestions include:

• Compare the prices of junk foods against the price of healthier food options to see that ‘healthy’ doesn’t have to mean ‘expensive’.
• Experiment with different foods and recipes. You’ll soon discover that a meal cooked with fresh ingredients always leaves a limp burger or soggy chips for dead.
• Try different ‘fast’ options like wholewheat breakfast cereal, muesli, wholemeal bread, wholegrain muffins, fruit, yoghurt or noodles.
• Don’t think that your diet has to be ‘all or nothing’. Eating well doesn’t mean you must be a health food freak. A good diet allows for treats occasionally.

Change your eating environment

Suggestions include:

• Lobby your school canteen for healthier food choices.
• Ask your school canteen to include a range of low-price healthy food choices.
• Help with the grocery shopping and choose fewer processed foods.
• Get involved in cooking at home. The Better Health Channel recipe finder may provide inspiration.

Teens Health

5 Ways to Get Your 5 a Day

You may have heard that you should eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day — which works out to a total of about 2½ cups. But experts actually recommend getting even more than that amount.

There are no limits on the quantities of tasty fruits and veggies you can enjoy — unless, of course, you load 'em up with butter or dressing, or deep-fry them! But many of us still find it hard to fit fruit and veggies into our meals.

Here are some ideas to help you get into the 5-a-day (or more!) habit:

1. Start with the first meal of the day. Plan to eat a serving or two of fruit with breakfast every day. Mix it up so you don't get bored. Half a grapefruit, an apple, or a handful of berries on your cereal are all good choices. Continue this pattern by eating vegetables at lunch and at dinner.
2. Get extra energy from fruit or vegetable snacks. The carbohydrates in fruit and vegetables are great sources of energy. Combine them with a serving of protein — such as a piece of cheese, a cup of yogurt, or a tablespoon of peanut butter, and you get staying power too. Ants on a log, anyone?
3. Double up on fruit and veggie servings. Recommended servings of fruit and veggies can be small. Unlike other foods, it's OK to double the serving size of fruit or vegetables. Serve yourself a 1-cup portion of broccoli or tomatoes instead of the standard serving of ½ cup.
4. Use fruit and vegetables as ingredients. Enjoy bread? Bake up a batch of zucchini bread and get your veggies along with your grains! Use applesauce instead of oil in your baked goods. Chop up veggies (peppers, carrots, celery) and toss them into your favorite chili recipe. If you don't like vegetables much, sneak them into foods you do enjoy (like grating carrots into tomato sauce or, again, zucchini into bread). It's a great way to get your veggies without having to taste them!
5. Try a new fruit, vegetable, or recipe each week. Our bodies like variety. So set a goal to try something different each week. You may find a new favorite. One good way to get variety is to eat the fruit and veggies that are in season in your area. They usually taste better than the bland fruit salad or shriveled apples you're used to seeing in the cafeteria!

Children's health

Here are 10 key rules to live by:

1. Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them. Though kids will pester their parents for less nutritious foods, adults should be in charge when deciding which foods are regularly stocked in the house. Kids won't go hungry. They'll eat what's available in the cupboard and fridge at home. If their favorite snack isn't all that nutritious, you can still buy it once in a while so they don't feel deprived.
2. From the foods you offer, kids get to choose what they will eat or whether to eat at all. Kids need to have some say in the matter. Schedule regular meal and snack times. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they want. This may seem like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve.
3. Quit the "clean-plate club." Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough. Lots of parents grew up under the clean-plate rule, but that approach doesn't help kids listen to their own bodies when they feel full. When kids notice and respond to feelings of fullness, they're less likely to overeat.
4. Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may need to serve a new food on several different occasions for a child to accept it. Don't force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try one bite.
5. Rewrite the kids' menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese? When eating out, let your kids try new foods and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. You can start by letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer for them to try.
6. Drink calories count. Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for kids. Juice is fine when it's 100%, but kids don't need much of it — 4 to 6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
7. Put sweets in their place. Occasional sweets are fine, but don't turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner. When dessert is the prize for eating dinner, kids naturally place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay neutral about foods.
8. Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you." When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions. Offer hugs, praise, and attention instead of food treats.
9. Kids do as you do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. When trying to teach good eating habits, try to set the best example possible. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and don't skip meals.
10. Limit TV and computer time. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacking and encourage activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat. When TV and computer time are limited, they'll find more active things to do. And limiting "screen time" means you'll have more time to be active together.