When we talk about wellness, the first thing that comes to mind is physical wellness. While your physical condition is an important aspect of your overall health, it is not the only determining factor of your general well-being. To be totally healthy, other factors should also be taken into consideration. One of them is your emotional health.
Emotional Wellness
What is emotional wellness? Emotional wellness is an awareness and understanding of one’s feelings. It also encompasses the ability to face and conquer life’s challenges.
Your feelings are important because they affect your ability to carry out your day to day activities. When you feel great, it leads to increased productivity. In addition, it also affects your social wellness and how you deal with other people. Individuals who are emotionally healthy treat others well.
Being emotionally well does not necessarily mean that you always have to be happy. Everyone has to go through problems and challenges in life. To be happy all the time is impossible. Rather, it is more about how you deal with problems that come your way. It is about how you deal with pain, how you handle emotions and how you cope with stress. Your emotional wellness dictates your ability to get through the low points in your life.
Are You Emotionally Well?
So, are you emotionally well? Determine the state of your emotional well-being by self-reflecting on the following questions:
- Are you constantly worried about the future?
- Do you still worry about what happened in the past?
- Do your family and friends support you?
- Have you had a traumatic experience that has greatly affected you?
- Do you feel so alone despite the presence of family and friends around you?
- Do you beat yourself up over mistakes that you have committed?
- Are you satisfied with yourself and your accomplishments?
- Do you keep everything to yourself?
- Do you always blame others for your feelings?
- Can you still remember the wrongdoing that was done to you in detail despite the fact that it happened years ago? Do you hold grudges?
- Do you always lament on what is missing from your life?
- Are you easily irritated? Do you get all worked up over small meaningless things?
- Do you have low self-esteem?
- Are you skeptical? Do you have a hard time believing in people?
- Do you hide yourself from social situations?
- Is it difficult for you to laugh at life’s absurdities? Do you not have a sense of humor?
- Do you let your mood affect your decision-making and the way you communicate with other people?
- Are you doing things that mean a lot to you?
- Do you no longer enjoy activities that you usually enjoy?
- Do you feel tired and weak these days?
If you answered YES to more than ten questions, then that is a sign that you are emotionally exhausted. It is possible that you are going through a rough patch in life. These are also warning signs that you need to take some time off to heal your emotional wounds. Remember that you are strong. Stay positive. Start a gratitude journal. Believe in yourself. It is the only way for you to rise above the storm. You will be emotionally well in due time.
Edited Version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 06.30.2019 Are you wondering how you can stay healthy this holiday season? It’s that time of year again when we are hunting for gifts and looking forward to receiving them. We are busy planning on what treats to cook up for the Christmas and New Year celebration. This is a time where we can indulge our cravings for our favorite foods; while bonding with our loved ones and close friends. This is also the time of year when most people tend to throw out any diet plans. We cross our fingers and just promise ourselves to start over again in the new year. But indulging in the holidays doesn’t mean you should forget about your health. Here are some tips that you can follow to keep you healthy during the holidays. This way, you don’t need to work too hard on your health resolutions for the new year. We know you won’t be able to say no to most party invites. This is a time to catch up with friends and family after all. You can still keep up your exercise routine beforehand or after. You can at least offset all the sitting that you have to do during long, family meals. Is there cooking involved? Volunteer to do the shopping so you don’t have to spend the whole day just sitting. You will just end up being tempted to keep eating afterwards. You can also play some music and do some dancing to encourage other people to keep moving as well. This is one way to keep yourself, and your loved ones, healthy this holiday season. This applies to your grocery shopping for the whole year. But this is even more critical during the holiday season. This is the time when all the good-looking and special food treats are out for display. Make sure to eat your meal or get a snack first before going to the grocery store. This prevents you from the temptation to buy more than what you need to. A grocery list is always handy. With a list, you are not tempted to wander the isles looking for what you might need. This also means that you can keep to your healthy choices and stay on budget. Stick to your healthy choices to ensure that you eat delicious but still healthy food. Stock up on healthy alternatives and your favorite spices to make your cooking experience a fun one. This means less worries on digestive issues and weight issues in the coming new year. Check out this guide on how to stretch your food budget for tips on healthier alternatives to some food items. Being mindful of what you put into your body helps ensure that you can stay healthy this holiday season. To be able to stick to your healthy routine, you need to be ready at all times. Be sure to keep only healthy snacks around the house so you won’t be tempted to indulge in unhealthy treats. For example, if you love snacking on chocolate; then keep chocolate around but be sure it is dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage. 60% and above is considered healthier than the usual milk chocolate which also has added sugars. Other snacks you can opt for are nuts and oatmeal bars. Carry these snacks on your purse or bag too. You will have a healthy snack ready to grab when hunger pangs come up. Have a light snack before going to a party. This ensures that you do not over eat. Plus, you can keep a good conversation going with your colleagues and friends instead. If you can’t eat a light snack beforehand; then be sure to eat mindfully and watch what and how much you eat. In a buffet, take only as much as you think you can eat. Avoid the temptation of piling up food on your plate. Get a little of everything you like and take a taste of each. You can always go back for a second helping of whatever food treat you like. Make sure that you eat different foods from these major food groups to maximize their health benefits. The holiday season is a celebration of all the blessings we have received the whole year. It should be celebrated with an attitude of gratefulness. One way to show this attitude is to eat slowly and mindfully. Learn to appreciate the food you are eating; where it came from and how it came to be on your table. Eating slowly also ensures that you are able to feel how full you already are so you do not overeat. Instead you can pay attention to the other people around your table as you enjoy your food. The holiday season may mean cold weather but that shouldn’t be an excuse to forget keeping yourself hydrated. Drink hot tea or hot chocolate if you can’t stand cold water in cold weather. Keep a thermos with you so you always have a hot drink on hand. Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy this holiday season. Another way to make sure you get your adequate intake of liquids is to have a soup with your meals. They can be warm and hearty like the comfort foods our mom cooked for us when we were younger. All the sweet treats will be out on the shelves and cooking in the kitchens this holiday season. Be sure to mind your portions and eat in moderation. Avoid over indulging in sugary treats as much as possible. Sugar is the number one cause of weight gain. You don’t want to waste all the workout you did. Go for the veggie side dishes and eat fruits for dessert instead of the cupcakes. If you have to, find a friend to eat half of it. It is said, that beer can be a healthy drink if taken once in a while. Other beverages such as sodas and wine do have a lot of sugar content in them so don’t over indulge. Sip slowly and drink double the amount of water to your booze right after. Minimizing on the booze not only means that you stay healthy. It also means you don’t suffer a hangover the morning after. You also avoid any of the unpleasant consequences you might get into when you let go of being sober. The holiday season also means lots of party invites and a lot of sleepless nights. But it doesn’t have to result in fatigue on your part. Make sure to schedule your party nights so that you can still get some rest the next day. Maybe only go to parties on a weekend. Pick the party where you will see most of your friends. You don’t need to go to all the parties that each friend invites you to. After all, you won’t be an enjoyable companion if you’re struggling to stay awake throughout a party. Having good sleep ensures that you can stay consistent with your morning routine. Don’t forget these daily healthy habits too. We hope these tips help to keep you healthy during the holidays and the coming new year. These should keep you sober enough to actually be up until midnight on Christmas and on New Year’s eve. Happy holidays! Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 12.16.2018 Featured Image: Original Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels. Health is a basic necessity if we want to achieve our goals in life. A healthy mind and body allows us to act on our goals. Most of us focus on our careers and financial goals, putting our health in the backseat for the time being. This should not be the case. Taking care of our health should come first and we should work on maintaining it while we work on our other goals. Getting optimal nutrition from the food we eat is one of the most important ways to maintain our health. By carefully choosing the food you eat, you can also boost your nutrient intake.There is no need to have a complete change in diet. You can start with baby steps to reach optimal nutrition. Eating the right foods will ensure that you can maintain a healthy body and you have the energy to move through your day. Here are some baby steps that you can integrate into your daily eating goals to achieve optimal nutrition. If your breakfast consists only of coffee, then you don’t have enough fuel for your brain for working. You may even space out while trying to concentrate on a task. Slowly introduce breakfast into your morning routine. Start by eating something with your coffee until you replace your coffee entirely with a healthier breakfast. What can you eat for breakfast? Your breakfast should include food rich in protein to keep you full until your next meal and give you energy for work. Check out the rest of the tips to guide you on what you should eat for each meal. (If you’re the type who starts the day late or just isn’t into breakfast, then just follow the tips on what to eat for your meals.) Most of us have a sweet tooth which we usually indulge in when we crave for desserts. Unfortunately, sugar is not only highly addictive; it also triggers inflammation in the body. If you have allergies, sugar can make it worse. If you can’t seem to get rid of your pimples no matter what face cream or treatment you try, sugar maybe the culprit. Take a look at the sugary items in your diet and replace them with healthier options. For example, if you usually drink soda, drink water instead. Get wholewheat bread instead of plain, white bread. If you love white rice, try cooking with half white rice and half brown or red rice until you can fully replace white rice. This can’t be stressed enough – eat your fruits and veggies. Leafy greens are usually emphasized when eating vegetables and this is because they are not only packed with nutrients but also have fiber which aids in proper and regular digestion. However, you should try to include all types of vegetables into your meals so instead of just greens, try to eat a rainbow of vegetables. Fruits are also a good substitute for sugary snacks. Instead of fruit juices, eat the fruit. The fruit is more nutritions, has no added sugar and it has fiber to help your digestion. Many fruits are also high in vitamin C that help the absorption of other nutrients into the body and strengthen the immune system. One way to ensure that you are getting the most nutrients from the food you eat is by getting them as close to the original source as possible. Processed foods have added chemicals and preservatives that may be harmful to your health in the long run. They also have their natural nutrients stripped from them. That’s why some processed foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals but they do not give you all the nutrients from the original source. Processed foods have their day but consider them a treat instead of an everyday essential. As much as possible, get your vegetables and fruits in their original form so you also get to enjoy all the benefits. How do you make sure that you are eating everything that’s healthy for you in each of your meals? You can do this not just by watching and selecting what you eat but by controlling how much you eat. Portion control ensures that you are eating the right amount of nutritious food to satisfy you and provide you the needed energy until your next meal. If you have weight goals, these portions can be adjusted. These tips should help you on your way to gaining ideal nutrition needed by the body and enjoying better health. Don’t forget that you should also drink lots of water, engage in daily exercise and get enough sleep so your body can better process all the nutrients from the food you eat. Do it slowly. Doing baby steps on the improvement of your food intake everyday will lead to optimal nutrition in the future. Feature Image: Original Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels. Did you know that the ideal weight varies from one person to the other? It is not as simple as looking as the height and weight of an individual. It also incorporates certain factors such as gender, age and body frame. Don’t be confused with body image advertising. More often than not, advertising just creates unrealistic expectations on what a perfect body should be like to promote their products. But just the same way, you still need to maintain your ideal weight to keep yourself healthy and strong. It is important that you follow the rule in maintaining a healthy weight. What is your ideal weight? What’s your weight right now? Are you overweight or underweight? Check your ideal weight using the Ideal Weight Calculator from Calculator.net. Weight management is all about balancing the calories that you consume with those that you burn. If your food intake is greater than what you burn then you gain weight. In the same way that if what you eat is less than what you burn, you will not have enough energy to do your normal physical and even mental activities. Your body needs energy to keep moving. It gets the energy that you need from calories from food. The calories that you eat are then converted to physical energy that fuels your every movement. This why it is never a good idea to do crash diets. Although crash diets can lead to weight loss, it can also result to loss of energy and fatigue. On the other hand, those calories that were not used are stored in the body as fats. Excessive calorie intakes and physical inactivity can lead to weight gain. As a general guideline, 3,500 calories is equal to 1 pound of fat. So, if you want to lose one pound, you need to burn at least 3,500 calories. Eating junk food is not the same as eating healthy food. Although you will get the same amount of calories, you will not be getting the same potential amount of energy. Junk food also do not contain the necessary vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. Thus, choosing the right kind of food is necessary to maintain that healthy weight and body. The chart above from the United Kingdom’s Royal Society for Public Health shows how long you need to exercise when you eat certain kinds of food. The recommended daily calorie intake varies depending on a person’s age, gender, height and physical activity. The recommended calories per day is 1,600 to 2,400 for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 for adult men. In a nutshell, the rule in maintaining a healthy weight is to eat only what you can burn. It is also important to eat the right kinds of food. If you are not used to eating healthily, it is fine. You can do it slowly. Just take baby steps to optimal nutrition. Updated Version. First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 09.16.2018 Feature Image by Posted by A.L. Jonas in Physical, 0 comments
Feature Image by Posted by A.L. Jonas in Emotional, 0 comments
How to Stay Healthy This Holiday Season
1. Keep moving
2. Don’t shop when you’re hungry
3. Pick healthy substitutes
4. Keep only healthy snacks
5. Portion control
6. Eat slowly
7. Stay hydrated
8. Minimize the sugar
9. Go easy on the booze
10. Get enough sleep
Baby Steps to Optimal Nutrition
1. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
2. Lay Off the Sugar
3. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
4. Reduce Intake of Processed Foods
5. Practice Portion Control
Rule in Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Weight Management
