Spring into Wellness: Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle

 As we approach the spring season, it’s a great time to embrace a new change. A healthy lifestyle can greatly increase your quality of life and your life span significantly. A healthy body can give you optimum performance and function throughout your life. The questions many people ask is what does a healthy lifestyle look like and how do you achieve one?

What does a Healthy Lifestyle Involve?

Achieving a healthy lifestyle starts with a visit to your general practitioner. That’s the first step to writing your own healthy lifestyle guide. Talk to your doctor about your desire to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Explain your goals and be specific in your discussion. 

Start your new healthy lifestyle by “knowing your numbers.” Get your cholesterol level checked as well as your blood pressure and the performance of your organ functions. Ask your doctor what herbal supplements, vitamins and minerals are best suited for your age and bone structure. Then according to your physician’s recommendations, you should visit the health food store and purchase those suggested herbs and vitamins.

 The Importance of Eating Right

Although a nutritious diet is not the only factor necessary for a healthy lifestyle, it is an important one. When the body is fueled properly, it tends to function more efficiently.  A nutritious diet includes a balanced daily nutritional intake to include protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dairy. Make changes to your diet and consider your sugar and fat intake. Maintain a low fat, lean meat diet to help you lose weight and stay healthy.

A well-balanced, proper diet can have these benefits for those who choose to live a healthy lifestyle:

• Weight Control
• Improved immune function
• Increased energy

 Exercise is Essential

In order for the body to function as it should, it needs a good workout. According to your physician’s recommendations, you should begin an exercise program at least three times a week. If you are a beginner, you should begin your exercise regimen with low impact exercises. To make the most out of exercise, it’s important to get in cardiovascular workouts and weight training.  While exercising isn’t everyone’s favorite part of the plan to living a healthier lifestyle, it’s important nonetheless.

 Why Choose a Healthy Lifestyle? – The Benefits

Creating a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for many of us. But challenges are worth overcoming if we know the benefits will be good for us. These benefits can include: (1) the feel good factor-mental wellness, confidence, self-worth (2)the look good factor- improved physical appearance (3) Well-being and risk reduction for developing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Your healthy lifestyle guide, written by you, will be your own prescription to living better and enjoying life to its fuller extent.  

Your Life and Wellness Coach,

Delayna Keller-Watkins, RN,BSN,CWS

Relaxation Techniques for Stress Management

Relaxing in the Midst of Stress

Stress management is an important practice that most people nowadays need to learn. With a fast paced working environment, people are constantly subjected to tremendous pressure which results in unpleasant levels of stress in their lives. You need to be able to cope quickly with the amount of stress that you have to deal with since it produces several negative effects on your body and mind.

First off, stress can cause your performance to drop because of your inability to focus on the tasks at hand. Oftentimes, stress can escalate into depression or anxiety. Relaxation is one of the best techniques used to cope with and reduce the symptoms of stress. Relaxation methods have been utilized for stress management during ancient times and they prove to be as effective today. Therefore, learning how to relax in the midst of too much stress in your everyday life will mean a world of difference.

Starting a Relaxation Practice

As with anything, starting a relaxation practice is often the biggest hurdle that people are faced with. Once you begin to notice that you seem to quickly lose energy and constantly change your mood, then maybe it’s time to re-evaluate yourself because this can be caused by stress. There are several relaxation activities that help combat stress in your life whether it’s as simple as deep breathing, stretching or meditation, to more advanced relaxation methods such as yoga or tai chi.

To experience the full benefits of such relaxation methods, you need to take time each day to perform them. Only then would you be able to harness its relieving power so you can benefit from stress relief. It does not have to take so much of your time each day, maybe at least 10 minutes to as much as 20 minutes is enough for stress management.

For better success at developing this practice, take note of the following tips:

•             Determine a given schedule for each day when you can perform these relaxation exercises. If possible, schedule once or twice a day, whichever is most convenient for you. Then, make sure you follow your schedule strictly.

•             Refrain from scheduling your relaxation practices near bedtime since you’re sleepiness could get in the way.

•             Never opt for an exercise method that could stress you out all the more. Find a level of practice that you are most comfortable and feel relaxed with.

Stress Relief Through Deep Breathing

This is one of the easiest and simplest exercise you can perform to achieve stress relief. This would allow fresh air to get into your lungs. To perform effective deep breathing, follow these methods:

•             Sit straight with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

•             Breathe through your nose, enough to make your stomach rise. Make sure that your chest produces little movement

•             Use your mouth to exhale and push the air out with as much force as possible.

•             Repeat the same process. Take note of the rise and fall of your lower abdomen.

Understanding your sources of stress and learning to respond to them appropriately will lead to a healthier lifestyle. Adopt these techniques and take stress under control!

Live Well. Be Well!

Coach Delayna

Come learn about the Total Woman Lifestyle!

When: Saturday, March 6, 2010 11:00 AM

Where:
Hogates DC (Cafe)
800 Water St., S.W.
Washington, DC 20024

The BBC will be Sponsoring This Event

Black Business Women Network has partnered with Healthy Soul to bring you a “Total Woman” Networking Brunch.

• Are your ready to live the Total Woman Lifestyle?
• Have you relinquished all your energy to other people and/or other things?
• Would you like to feel amazing?
• Want to live a healthier and more balanced life?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you DO NOT want to miss this brunch with Mrs. Delayna Keller-Watkins.

Join us as Life & Wellness Coach Delayna expounds on

• What is the Total Woman Lifestyle
• How to take back your energy
• What it takes to feel amazing
• How to live a healthier, balanced life

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/blackbusinesscafe/calendar/12726102/

Join Healthy Soul and the Total Woman Community as we participate in the National Wear Red Day on February 5, 2010. Show off your favorite red dress, shirt, or sweater in support for women and heart disease awareness.

On the first Friday in February each year, women and men across the country unite in the national movement to give women a personal and urgent wake-up call about their risk of heart disease.

The RED dress, the centerpiece of The Heart Truth®, is a red alert that inspires women to take action to protect theri heart thealth. The primary message driving The Heart Truth campaign is: “Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear- It’s the #1 Killer of Women.”

Save a life- Learn more by attending the Total Woman! Getting to the Heart of the Matter workshop.

Learn more about the Heart Truth online: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/educational/hearttruth/index.htm

With your Wellness in mind,

Delayna

As we approach the end of 2009 and embrace the possibilities of 2010, your journey toward wellness needs to shift into high gear. Your health is your responsibility and must be a continual work in progress. Following these 5 steps during the first 10 days of the New Year will position you for success regardless of where you are in your wellness journey. 

Self Awareness- In order to achieve personal wellness you must become aware of your current state of health. Understanding the dimensions of wellness and the integration of mind, body, spirit is very important.

Visualize your success- Identify what wellness looks like for YOU! Visualizing your goal(s) will make it personal and easier to pursue. Creating a vision board keeps the goal(s) alive and real.

 Make a plan- After you have identified and visualized your goal, make a plan for success. Keep it simple, realistic, and achievable. Give yourself a deadline, re-evaluate and make changes as needed.

 Be proactive about your health- Be sure to schedule your annual checkups with your Health Care Practitioner. This is another important healthy lifestyle feature as it ensures that you are on the right path of health and wellness. During your visit, discuss risk factors and preventive measures which are pertinent to your wellness journey.

 Create balance- Although you are on a wellness journey, creating a sense of balance is crucial to avoid abandonment due to frustration. Working with an accountability partner, health/wellness coach, or attending group empowerment sessions can reduce your stress level, provide feedback and identify new strategies.

 Wellness is a journey that requires a connection of two paths: knowledge and action. Both need to be present to reach your goal of optimal health and well-being. The “Healthy 10” is a starting point or a refresher for those already on the journey!

 Think healthy thoughts and Welcome in 2010!