Stillwater Living Magazine Volume 10 Issue 12 June 2014 | Page 31

living well

The Greatest
Wealth is Health!
PA MEL A STO KE S M SN, RN
May 31, 2014, we celebrated a
tobacco holiday called “World No
Tobacco Day.” That day we asked and
encouraged all tobacco users not to
use tobacco on that day. We are also
doing the same for Father’s Day, June
15th. Fathers, this Father’s Day give
your children a gift that will keep on
giving by deciding that June 15th will
be your last day to use tobacco! The
Payne County Breathe Easy Coalition
has taken a stand against tobacco
and provided Stillwater and the surrounding community with resources to promote tobacco cessation. As
the group builds for future initiatives, overall wellness has become a
prominent focus.
The concept of wellness is not
merely the absence of disease but
an ever-changing state of being that
encompasses many dimensions.
According to Plato, wellness is not
static, but fluid in that each individual aims for different states of
“well-being.” For one to be well or
healthy they must understand what
that encompasses. They will only
be as healthy as what they know.
Education is key. A healthy individual is not merely one who eats well
and exercises. Wellness involves a

total awareness of physical, mental,
and social well-being. Examples of
these aspects of wellness are listed
below:
• Physical Wellness
• Spiritual Wellness
• Environmental Wellness
• Occupational Wellness
• Social Wellness
• Intellectual Wellness
• Emotional Wellness
The World Health Organization
distinctly emphasizes that before
health promotion can occur, a patient
must recognize his or her aspirations, satisfy his or her needs, and
change or cope with his or her environment. Ask yourself key questions. Do I work at something that
provides me with a sense of accomplishment? Do I contribute positively to the society around me? Do I
progress with a sense of purpose
and understand others’ feelings or
needs? Each aspect of wellness can
encompass different pieces of our
lives. They all affect one another. Go
beyond eating a salad and running
a mile! Maintain a state of health
that is contagious…one that positively affects those around you. “If
you have health, you probably will

be happy, and if you have health and
happiness, you have all the wealth
you need, even if it is not all you
want.” ~Elbert Hubbard
At a local level, the Payne County
Breathe Easy Coalition works to
promote awareness of tobacco control
issues, expose the tobacco industry
tactics, and reduce the incidence of
tobacco use in Payne County, thus
enhancing the quality of life for
Payne County citizens. A key to the
success of tobacco cessation is to
bring awareness to individual communities, empowering the youth to
become our replacements and advocate for change. For more information about how you can help our
local organization, please contact the
Payne County Tobacco Prevention
Coordinator at 405-780-7309.

JUNE 2014 | STILLWATER LIVING MAGAZINE

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