The National Wellness Institute defines health and wellness as an active process of being aware of and making choices toward a more successful experience. The choices that we make every day help or deter us from functioning well, enjoying quality of life and contributing to the community.
We are a multi-faceted being created by God to have a body, a spirit, intellect, emotions, and a desire to live and connect with other human beings. How we take care of our body, spirit and relationships is our way of nurturing ourselves.
How do we care for our bodies? We make good food choices and maintain regular exercise. When we do this, we strengthen our bodies and help prevent diseases.
We nurture our soul by connecting with God and finding our purpose in life.
As we deepen our relationship with Him, we become more prayerful. We also become aware of our attitudes and how we respond to people and the different circumstances in our lives.
How do we keep our minds healthy? We invest in ourselves by studying, keeping abreast with the current news and latest trends. We develop and learn skills to become better at work and in life.
As social beings, we connect with the people in our circle. We become involved in their lives and develop meaningful connections with them. These connections creates a sense of work-life balance, minimizes stress and gives a positive outlook in life.
We can achieve optimum health and wellness in a perfect world. But how can we manage the demands of the times, stress and anxiety? Wellness treatments like the ones I will mention can help us manage and cope with stressful circumstances we encounter daily.
Massage therapy
Massage therapy has been used by ancient gurus to alleviate pain. Hippocrates called massage therapy as the “art of rubbing” has been practiced in China, India, Greece, Egypt and other Arab nations. Today, we still seek spas and massage centers to relieve our bodies from stress and/or work related pain. Some of the benefits of massage therapy includes:
- Eases muscle pain
- Soothes anxiety
- Relieves headache
- Improves sleep
- Relieves digestive disorders
Foot Reflexology
Foot Reflexology or Reflexology dates back to 2500 to 3000 BC when Egyptian doctors used such technique in relieving patient’s pain. It is said that there are pressure points in the foot that corresponds to the different organs and glands of the body. When pressure is applied on those points, it stimulates or relieves the target organ or gland. The benefits of foot reflexology are :
- Improves blood circulation
- Improves sleep
- Relieves aches and pains
- Fights depression
Chiropractic treatment
Chiropractic Treatment as defined by the World Federation Chiropractic is “a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal adjustment and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation.”
Patients who underwent chiropractic treatments says that it has:
- Alleviated their back pain, neck pain, and even arthritic and joint pain
- Relieved ear infections
- Regulated blood pressure
- Improved organ function
- Managed scoliosis
Acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in China where it was believed that there are patterns of energy flow in the body called (Qi) and disruptions to this energy flow causes diseases. It is said to have the ability to correct the imbalance of flow at targeted points close to the skin. It is noted to be very effective in treating various pains in the body, it is a good alternative to patients who do not respond to pain medications, and also an effective alternative for patients who want natural and drug-free pain relief.
Functional Medicine
Functional Medicine is a personalized, systems-oriented model that empowers patients and practitioners to achieve the highest expression of health by working in collaboration to address the underlying causes of disease. Functional medicine’s focus is not solely the disease and its symptoms but the whole person. Practitioners takes into consideration the patient’s medical history, lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors which will all contribute to the treatment plan catered to patient’s needs.
Intravenous Laser Therapy
Other wellness treatments available include Intravenous Laser Therapy which uses laser light that is brought directly to the blood stream targeting white blood cells;
Intravenous Nutrient Therapy which directly supplies the body of minerals, vitamins and nutrients into the bloodstream to counter nutritional deficiencies; and Energy Healing which is a form of therapy that controls the energies in the body to create balance and trigger the body’s innate healing mechanism.
and Energy Healing which is a form of therapy that controls the energies in the body to create balance and trigger the body’s innate healing mechanism.
Stay tuned for detailed blog posts on other wellness treatment procedures.
