By this time, almost everyone knows about the benefits of wellness. Most folks have read at least one article or a book or have seen a documentary or two about the benefits of prevention and Wellness Based Medicine. Most people are aware of the importance of regular cardiovascular & weight-bearing exercise, eating clean and nutritious foods, taking the right supplements at the right time, and sleeping well. However. our body is also brilliant when it comes to adaptability when accommodating our unhealthy lifestyles and habits. We can get by, by utilizing whatever is eatable as food, regardless of its nutritional value. We continue to grow and move through life with very little or no physical activities. And poor sleeping habits are pretty much the reality for most adults, at least in the United States. But, our ability to heal fast and bounce back from injuries and our endless energy supply pretty much ends after our twenties. It becomes essential to have a wellness plan if we want to stay active and enjoy life as we are maturing (not aging). I used to run Marathons and ½ Marathons a few years back and had no problem running 10/12 miles on training days, working an entire shift after that, and still having the energy to go out for dinner without thinking about it much. Well, these days, I need to have a plan from the moment I open my eyes to the moment I close them if I want to be able to exercise, work, and enjoy life as well.

You see, like most things in life, the key is to feel empowered and in control with an execution plan when it comes to your wellness. Unfortunately, I see many patients who feel powerless when it comes to their wellness plans, and that usually translates to other things in their lives as well. I know it sounds cliche, but it's so true; you will feel better about everything in your life when you feel good! We usually take our wellness for granted because our bodies are amazing when it comes to adapting to what we subject them to. Our bodies would compensate and modify their processes to accommodate no exercise. To deal with our bad diet, it will work double time to generate about a mile of new vessels, capillaries, and other tissue to accommodate for every 10 extra pounds we gain. It adjusts all our hormones to keep us functional for years with bad sleeping habits etc, etc. The human body is unbelievably adaptable and ready to do whatever it needs to do to “manage” our decisions. But that doesn't mean it's not suffering with long-term (or sometimes, short-term) consequences. It is paramount for the human body to have a comprehensive plan of action in order to function properly. Although regular exercise and proper nutrition are critical elements for health, we need a comprehensive plan that has components to address all our needs. Thus, I refer to it as a Global Wellness Plan (GWP). The main point of GWP is to have an ongoing program that covers several areas on a regular basis.

A proper GWP starts with nutrition in front & center as a solid foundation. In addition to eating whole, nutritious foods at the proper time of the day, we should educate ourselves about the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and other supplements added to our daily diet. Movement would be the second most important component. We now have enough research pointing to the direct benefits of a regular exercise habit. In fact, there is a recent study that compared folks who exercised but also smoked with people who didn’t smoke but also didn’t exercise. The results surprisingly showed the folks who exercised and smoked had better biomarkers and overall better test results compared to the ones who didn’t smoke but also were not physically active. Sleep is the next important pillar that is holding the ceiling of your health & wellness sanctuary. Sleep hygiene (environment), quality (depth), and duration are all essential aspects of a well-functioning system. However, there is another very important component that is usually overlooked which is our emotional and mental balance and wellbeing. If food, movement, and sleep are the three main pillars that are holding the ceiling of our wellness sanctuary, the emotional and mental balance would be the fourth one!

Some of you have probably heard of the Blue Zone. Simply put, blue zones refer to some regions in the world where people tend to live healthier and longer lives compared to the rest. But the interesting marker that is pretty much universal in all of them is not eating the same type of foods, or doing similar activities, or sleeping the same number of hours, but it is the way they all live within a closed-net community. Having a healthy communal life is shown to be the common bond between all these areas within various cultures and in different geographical parts of the world. Humans who coalesce around the same beliefs and live in harmony with each other tend to live happier, healthier, and even longer lives, regardless of their wealth, culture, or socioeconomic position.

One of the most rewarding experiences of working with people toward a better life balance is how I have a vantage point for witnessing their transformation. I have seen time after time when someone who might be a bit out of their element, carrying a few extra pounds and a small bag of prescription medications at their first visit goes through a complete transformation within a few short months. The key component in all those cases was how the shift from un-well to well in terms of their health also changed other aspects of their lives! For example, I witnessed how many people removed themselves from unhealthy relationships and easily stopped unhealthy habits when they became empowered with better health and wellness. The sense of helplessness, weakness, and loss replaced themselves with confidence and power.

The main takeaway from this piece is that when we take charge of our health and well-being, it affects all other aspects of our lives. The sense of power we gain from having more control over our physiology translates into better life balance and healthier forecasts for everything we do. Also, we should not overlook the importance of the positive effects that living within a healthy community has on our well-being and physiology. We should be mindful of not only eating right, incorporating regular exercise, and making sure to have good sleep hygiene but also surrounding ourselves with other sound-minded and balanced humans.

Be well,
Siamak