Wellness comes in many shapes and forms. We have emotional, physical, social, and spiritual wellness that are the fundamentals of our wellbeing. We also list financial, environmental, intellectual and occupations wellness as forms of wellness but where do all the forms of our wellbeing start and where does it end?
Naturally it – as it always does, depend on the individual and what they deem most important and fundamental for their wellbeing to exist and function. A mother for example may feel the most important dimension of wellness is the wellbeing for her child so to her versus what may be more important for a single, no children male stockbroker.
What defines wellness is the purposeful hunt for choices, lifestyles, activities, practices, and disciplines that move in a better, healthier, more stable way forward. To me I feel that wellness has changed as we have but we have changed how we live as humans and what we think we need and want. Many feel that to be in a perfect state of wellness and wellbeing is have a lot of financial freedom, or having a perfect body, of having the perfect partner. However, where those aspects may aid and fulfil those wants, they are not needs. Meaning how can the above be of any value if diagnosed with a terminal illness? Or going through the loss of a loved one? There always seems to be a focus on and a quick fix of the wants and not the needs of what we as humans truly do need to survive in all spheres of life.
I realised early on that my focus on clinical nutrition and nutritional psychology was based on the nucleolus of what keeps us going until the day we breath our last breath – if strip away what we want and what we define as wellness and wellbeing, and this is what fuels us until our last breath – food. We can survive without the dream car, the 10/10 body or the millions in the bank account, but we cannot survive without food. No food for some weeks will lead to imminent death – less than that if you are a child. For me nutrition is the basis for wellness and here is why:
Healthy nutrition enables humans to live better. Better food and eating leads to better bodily functions and stronger immune systems. Healthy children eating healthy nutritious foods have less illnesses, learn better, grow better, and have lower risks of future illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and emotional illnesses such as depression and insomnia. They are better socially too.
The developmental, medical, social, and economic impacts an ill state is burdensome unlike healthier countries that see economic flourish, longer longevity of the elderly population and more development and economic structure.
The fundamental of good nutrition runs deeper than the first thought of healthy eating – boring, rabbit food. However, the foods you eat supply nutrition your body need to maintain brain, muscle, bone, skin, nerves, blood, and your immune system. What you eat determines if you are trapped in your body or if your body gives you the freedom and great gift of health, strength, ability, and joy. To me nutrition is the start of any form of wellness and wellbeing. Good nutrition improves mood, hormones, allows better sleep, better toilet activities, better thought processing and brain function. Sound nutrition protects you against chronic noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers (WHO). Proper nutrition helps energy levels and protects against age-related illnesses and diseases.
In closing as wellness is a constant and ever-changing journey, what moves us forward on that journey is the basis of our overall wellness and wellbeing and to me that is nutrition and the understanding of the incredible service good, healthy food does for us in our lifetime as we solider on.
EST 2010
Dr ELENIA K NUTRITIONS (PTY) LTD
2017/332711/07
ASCHP NUMBER (SA): HC21-1002
HARVARD (USA) ACCM
MEPA Saudi Arabia, UAE RESIDING MEMBER NUMBER 250
Accredited ESG (EU) & THE NARIC (UK)646
