Is Your Health Your Wealth?

Symptoms Of Unwellness

A general feeling of “unwellness” can mean many different things and can manifest in various ways.

It is important first of all, to identify exactly what it is you are feeling when you experience “unwellness.”

We touched on symptoms of unwellness and some basic ways to increase your overall wellness in Does Your Lifestyle Support Your Wellness?

What are your specific symptoms?

They can vary widely and from person to person: everybody is different.

Do you feel tired or lethargic all the time?

Do you suffer from aches and pains? Are they in the joints or the muscles?

Do you find that your performance in daily tasks is suffering?

Are irritated, stressed out, and annoyed much of the time?

Are you overweight?

Do you sleep well or do you find that even though you seem to sleep all night, you wake up feeling as if you've been pulled through a hedge backwards?

Is your sleep light and fitful, where you are woken up by the slightest noise? Do you find yourself waking up every night at the same time, say 3am, and then finding you cannot get back to sleep again until the wee hours?

Are you taking medications?

Have you checked the possible side effects?

Could these be contributing to your feelings of unwellness?

Possible Medical Causes

These are dependent on many factors and it is very difficult to pin down exactly what might be causing your malaise.

This section states the obvious but it is included as a vital part of looking after yourself holistically ie. the whole person.

Some common conditions that cause a feeling of general malaise include chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia; you could have anemia or low blood pressure, or, you might have a urinary tract infection.

Problems that are more serious can include HIV and AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and adrenal gland dysfunction.

If your feelings of malaise go on for more than seven days, it is wise to see a medical practitioner.

The most obvious step is to discuss your symptoms with your doctor who is going to give you a thorough check-up and an educated diagnosis.

It is important to get your health checked out to rule out the possibility of anything serious, or, if it is something serious, to catch it early and hopefully treat it successfully and prevent major problems from developing further down the line.

Your doctor will give you a physical examination and probably want you to get some blood tests or x-rays done to rule out certain problems such as thyroid disease or cardiovascular problems.

Health and Wellness means taking care of yourself holistically

Identifying Your Needs and Deficits

Optimal wellness begins when we address the whole person, also known as Holistic Wellness.

This means that we need to take care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing, along with considering our financial (the main cause of stress for many people) and occupational wellness.

In order to assess your own wellness, it’s important to take an honest and comprehensive inventory of your life and self to identify problem areas in order to begin the journey to reach an optimal level of wellbeing.

wellness strategies, holistic approach, positive mindset, mindfulness

Basic Ways You Can Improve Your Overall Wellness

Manage your sleep:

There are a number of ways to help your sleep: for instance, don't eat after 6pm.

Try to turn off your computer at least one hour before you go to sleep.

Reading is a good way to make yourself drowsy last thing at night.

Meditation or listening to a relaxation recording can be helpful.

Drinking a cup of warm milk before bedtime is soothing and helps you to settle down.

wellness strategies, sleep management,holistic approach

Eat well:

A sensible diet with plenty of leafy greens and fresh fruits and vegetables is key to feeling well.

Try to avoid too many carbohydrates as these can make you feel sleepy and light-headed.

Exercise:

Exercise in moderation is beneficial to your overall sense of well-being.

Walking for half an hour daily can help you feel better.

Start with a minimum of 3 times per week, if it is new to you.

The benefit of walking is that you get the benefit of fresh air and sunshine, which is necessary for your body's healthy functioning and feeling better.

We have a walking machine but I lack the motivation as I would rather go outside! My partner loves it so do what works for you.

When I wasn't working, I used to walk twice a day, for about 30 to 45 minutes each time.

It was easy for me as the area we lived in was beautiful, with lovely gardens that were very fragrant. That was very motivating for me.

The extra bonus was that I lost 3 kilos in two weeks, without changing my diet!

Rest and relaxation

Getting enough of both of these will ensure you feel and perform your best.

Make sure you have enough rest at night and break your workday into work and rest cycles. This ensures optimum efficiency.

I advocate the use of the Pomodor method for integrating rest periods into your workday.

It is when you break your work into cycles of 25 minutes work, followed by a short break of 5 minutes or whatever is needed to recharge your batteries.

After four of these cycles, you take a longer break e.g. half an hour.

At the end of each cycle, put a check on a sheet.

This will ultimately be your feedback as to your efficient working hours throughout the day.

This method keeps you consistently productive and the regular breaks support your motivation and creativity.

By having regular breaks and staying on tasks in work cycles, you will have improved attention span and concentration.

You need to set your alarm to notify you of the cycle's beginning and end.

Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeine

Water can help flush your body of toxins and avoiding stimulants like sugar and caffeine can help calm the nervous system.

Sometimes, our body can't tell the difference between hunger and thirst so before you reach for a snack, drink some water first.

On a more personal note, I notice that my skin looks much healthier and has a healthy glow compared to when I drink coffee.

That's when my skin is duller and my eyes look more sunken in!

Reduce Stress

Whenever possible try to eliminate stress from your life. Create a calm and welcoming home environment.

Avoid people who are negative and complaining.

Keep up away from toxic people who are drama queens.

This may be difficult if it is family but you may have to re-evaluate how much stress you can take and put some distance there for your own mental health.

Find time to have fun.

Connect with others and grow your social network. Laughter alleviates stress.

Take a stock of what interests you and pursue it actively.

Self-care

At the core of all successful wellness attempts is self-care.

This means making yourself and your wellbeing a priority, it is truly the foundation of your wellness.

My personal experience with self-care, or lack of it, when I was trying to do it all for others led me to a path of absolute exhaustion and depression.

I did not know how to ask for help or let others know how run down and terrible I felt.

I should have asked for help as you cannot gain their understanding unless others know what is going on. I

hated being a complainer and being disloyal to others and it impacted me, both physically and mentally.