Many people today have concerns about the modern lifestyle affecting health. Today, people are less active. Foods are more processed, and stress levels are on the rise. To strive to make lifestyle changes and improve their health, many people turn to health and wellness products. While these health and lifestyle products can be beneficial, it's important to understand what health and wellness are to make the most of them.

Wellness Versus Health: What's the Difference?

Many people use health and wellness as synonyms, but the words have slightly different meanings. Health is the term for your current physical, mental, and social states. It includes things like if you have any diseases or illnesses, if you are at risk of developing a disease, or recovering from an injury. Wellness is the optimal state of health for a person or a group of people. It encompasses the steps that you take in your everyday lifestyle to promote good health.

Understanding the Dimensions of Wellness

Just as there are a variety of health disciplines, there are six dimensions to wellness:

1. Physical wellness, which includes things like getting regular exercise and eating well.

2. Intellectual wellness, which includes exercising the brain through learning, problem-solving and creative activities.

3. Emotional wellness, which includes stress management and fostering self-esteem.

4. Environmental wellness, which includes taking steps to protect the environment (in order) to make it a safer, healthier place for everyone to live.

5. Social wellness, which includes developing and maintaining supportive, positive social networks.

6. Spiritual wellness, which includes searching for purpose in everyday life through religion, meditation, volunteering, and other activities.

Tips for Your Health and Wellness Lifestyle

While some aspects of your health are beyond your control, wellness is about taking the steps that you can to reduce your risk of developing diseases and falling ill. The effects of lifestyle on health are well documented through scientific research. Following these lifestyle health tips can help you on your wellness journey:

1. Eat a Well-Balanced Diet.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and a diet rich in whole grains, nuts, and legumes. Keeping to this kind of diet plan can help to ensure that your body has the nutrients it needs to thrive and minimize the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

2. Watch Salt and Sugar.

Modern diets often contain too much sugar and salt. Pay attention to the amount of sodium and sugar in the processed foods that you eat and avoid adding both to your food as much as possible.

3. Choose Healthy Fats.

Experts generally recommend that fats be no more than 30 percent of your daily calorie intake. It's vital to choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats like those found in avocado and olive oil over saturated fats like butter and trans fats found in fried and processed foods.

4. Avoid Common Vices.

If you smoke, taking steps to quit is one of the best things that you can do for your health and well-being. Although there is evidence to suggest that one glass of red wine per day may have heart health benefits, it is best to drink only in moderation.

5. Exercise Regularly.

Exercise is important to good health and a lifestyle that emphasizes wellness. Even walking just 30 minutes per day at a brisk pace can go a long way to supporting cardiovascular health and to helping you maintain stronger bones and muscles.

6. Get Checkups.

Seeing your doctor for wellness checkups periodically is incredibly important. Many medical conditions are easier to treat if they are caught in their early stages, and your doctor may spot warning signs of an illness or disease that can be entirely prevented with the right treatment plan. Your doctor will also monitor your blood pressure, conduct routine bloodwork and recommend tests for specific diseases that you could be at risk for. In addition, your health care provider can recommend necessary vaccinations and give you, even more, health and wellness tips.

7. Don't Forget About Hygiene.

Washing your hands frequently and bathing regularly can lower the likelihood of certain illnesses. It's also important to fight germs in your home by disinfecting surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom frequently.

Natural Health Products

Natural wellness products can work in conjunction with the tips above to help you change your lifestyle and promote good health. Supplementing with them fills gaps in your diet and provides the body the nutrition it needs to function at a high level. When looking at natural health products, quality is key. It's important to read product descriptions and ingredient lists carefully. Ensure that you’re getting the nutrients and compounds your body needs for health without any unnecessary fillers that your body doesn’t need. Also look for products that are free of common allergens, vegan, and non-GMO. This goes a long way towards reassuring you that the company is serious about providing quality nutrients in the cleanest form possible. Also, if you're considering taking new supplements to improve your health and lifestyle, consider consulting your medical provider first to ensure that you're selecting products that are likely to be safe and effective for you.

References:

https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/20-health-tips-for-2020

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_health_and_wellness/article.htm