As a Mindful Employer,Youbee Media feel strongly about the links between wellbeing, wellness, nutrition, health and productivity. This is why we look to support healthy activities, and things that look after the mind as well as the body. Earlier this year, Youbee Media held an internal challenge at our marketing consultancy, to encourage everyone to take a break from their desk at lunchtime, we hold regular Youbee Social Clubs and we promote healthy snacks in the workplace.
In June, Rachel Rowling, Founder of Rowling Nutrition visited The Hive and delivered a workshop to the time on meal planning and nutrition. We asked Rachel to share a guest blog for our website, so that we could further promote the importance of being in good health. Here's what she had to share...
Wellbeing and Wellness
Wellbeing and Wellness are two words that seem to turn up in every single article and social media post about health - but what do they really mean?
Wellness is a lifestyle built on practicing healthy habits each day, to attain better physical and mental health outcomes. Whichever way you cut it, it means thriving as opposed to just surviving.
To understand the significance of wellness, it’s important to understand how it's linked to health. The World Health Organization, define health as being “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Several key areas of your lifestyle are considered dimensions of overall wellness and include:
- social connectedness
- exercise
- nutrition
- sleep
- mindfulness
Each one impacts your physical and mental health. By making simple, healthy choices each day, you’ll be well on your way towards reducing stress, having positive social interactions, and achieving optimal wellness.
Does good health guarantee wellness and wellbeing?
Absolutely not! In clinic, we see as many ‘healthy clients’ (people who do not have a diagnosed disease/condition) as we do ‘unhealthy’ (those with a confirmed diagnosis) and guess what? Both groups are striving for the same thing – increased wellness and wellbeing. Health is often the goal arising from wellness.
We can’t choose the state of our health, but we can all consciously choose wellness by being responsible for taking steps that protect our wellbeing.
Wellbeing and wellness is ‘doable’ and does not rely on perfection, strict regimes and diets, spending money or missing out on fun. It starts with small changes, taken one day at a time.
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A few simple ways to improve wellness...
- Add olive oil to food - tastes great, healthy fats, keeps you full, reduces inflammation, vital for metabolization of vitamins
- Enjoy a glass of good red wine - it’s a fermented food and great for gut health, it’s social. Don’t like red wine? Similar benefits can be had from cheese, coffee and very dark chocolate (70%+)
- Mix it up – wherever you can, choose mixed nuts, seeds, vegetable, fruits, grains, herbs and spices. Food diversity = gut microbiome diversity = better health and immunity
- Have a nap – research shows that a 15-minute nap can improve wellness
- Practice Fika – the literal translation is ‘coffee break’. It’s a Swedish thing and ALWAYS includes cake. It’s more than that though, it’s the physical act of slowing down and taking a moment whether at home or work. Fika is a social activity and can’t truly be experienced on your own or at your desk, that would be just eating cake at your desk. What you eat or drink is not important, the important part is stopping and socialising. Volvo, the Swedish car giant practice Fika at all their plants as they know it refreshes people, strengthens teams and relationships and increases productivity
Find out more about Rachel, and what she does by visiting her website - https://rowlingnutrition.co.uk/
For social media management advice, work with Youbee Media or join one of Becky’s marketing workshops for expert consultancy support.
