ELEV8 Magazine MAR / APRIL 2016 | Page 68

GET FIT Yo u r P e r s o n a l W e l l n e s s B e g i n s w i t h “ Y O U ” Wake Up: Make YOU a Priority Embracing your personal wellness begins with YOU making your Health a personal priority. You must acknowledge that your health is a valuable asset and that YOU must commit to daily lifestyle changes to be healthy. We all have spiritual, mental and physical weaknesses. We mindlessly practice poor health habits and behaviors daily. Our mindset and attitude can affect our wellbeing, i.e. engaging in negative self-talk by telling ourselves what we can’t do. Self-Love is the love that enables you to nurture your spiritual, mental and physical health and wellness. Self-love helps you to acknowledge that choosing wellnesses, can improve your health. When you value yourself, that self-pride is the fuel, which motivates and activates your God given ability to practice daily health commitments and habits. Whether it is through daily prayer, better self-care, positive self-talk, better disease management, healthy eating, regular exercise, or more rest and relaxation, you create the “healthy balance” required for better self-care. Making steps toward better self-care empowers and better equips you to care for yourself, and others. Shape Up: Confront YOUR Weaknesses and POOR Health Habits The habit of overindulging in food, snacks and drinks, which are high in sugar, salt and fat can sabotage our health. My literature review regarding poor health practices revealed, that about half of all American adults have one or more preventable chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns and physical inactivity. These include cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and poor bone health. More than two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of children and youth are overweight or obese. Unhealthy eating habits of high fat, sugar and salty food can result in poor health outcomes i.e., unnecessary premature deaths, chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Get Busy: Develop health and wellness goals. We all want to live our life to its fullest. Yet doing so requires nurturing your “God created temple”. The human body and all that it is, and provides for us, is a miraculous gift from God. Your body and caring for it is referenced throughout the Bible (see 1Corithians). Setting simple, realistic goals that you can commit to, is the first step, to a healthier YOU. Begin with small, daily health habits by avoiding processed and “fast foods”, snacks and beverages, which can contain high amounts of fat, salt and added sugar, and eating more whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables. Along with dietary changes, incorporating 15-30 minutes of relaxation breathing, stretching, chair aerobics, line dancing, walking and/or strength training, over time can result in big health gains. I believe that with faith and commitment YOU CAN DO IT!! Remember, “YOUR LIFE and HEALTH”, depends on YOU! Next Issue: Your Personal Wellness Begins With “YOU” Part 2: Health & Wellness Tips for a Healthier YOU! About the Author: Rose Robins Troupe MPA, BSN, RN is President of RMRT. Inc., “Health Connections, her Health and Wellness Consulting firm, a community health access advocate and freelance writer. She has a successful career of empowering communities in large urban cities with health and wellness education, and designing and implementing health promotion initiatives and events, which improves access for communities at a greater risk for disease and health disparities. Rose hosted “Health Connections”, a live, weekly community health and wellness talk show in St. Louis, MO. on Clear Channel, now IHeart Radio, for over 15 years. Rose practices what she preaches, as she “walks the walk and talks the talk” of healthy living. She is also the President and CEO of Prevention Partners, Inc. (PPI) a non-profit 501c3, which supports her ‘passion for prevention”. PPI is her platform for community and faith-based health education, family wellness, disease management and homeless projects. Contact Information Email: [email protected] Website: www.prevventionpartnersinc.org.