Your Health and Wellness Triangle

In last week’s edition of Your Cup of Positivity, we talked about your Health and Wellness Triangle. There are three parts that makeup all the components of the triangle and therefore, your overall health – physical health, mental health, and social/spiritual health. Envision a triangle with each side representing a different aspect of your health.

Physical health represents the condition of your body. It takes into account how fit your body is and how it fights off disease.

The second side represents your mental health which speaks to how well you deal with everyday stress and anxiety.

The final side represents your social/spiritual health which refers to your relationships with those around you and your connection to your faith and spirituality.

When we take time to care for each area of our health it helps us lead a healthier life.

I haven’t always given my health the attention it deserves. I remember when I was first diagnosed as being diabetic. I was 29 and I thought I was invincible. I’ll tell you a secret, part of me still believes that I’m invincible. But there is another part of me that knows I must do something to keep my wellness triangle in balance.

Protect your Physical Health…

…from disease or other ills.

There are several ways to protect our bodies from physical illness and disease.

Hydrate – getting enough water aids in good digestion, healthier-looking skin, and weight loss. General guidelines are:

15.5 cups or 3.7 liters per day for men

11.5 cups or 2.7 liters per day for women

These recommendations are from the Mayo Clinic. They include all consumed fluids that come from everything you drink, as well as what you get from foods, such as watermelon and cucumbers.

As someone who doesn’t like the taste of water, I challenge myself to drink a bottle of water before I drink anything else. Yes, including coffee.

For instance, when I get up in the morning, I already have a bottle of water sitting on my bedside table. I turn it up and drink as much as I can. I keep that bottle handy while I prepare for my day. By the time I’m ready to start my day, I already have at least 16.9 ounces of water in me.

Then and only then can I have my coffee. I alternate a bottle of water with other things I prefer to drink throughout my day. By the time my day is done, I’ve gotten in my daily allotment of water.

Exercise – we all know it’s recommended that we get 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity at least four to five times per week. One of the best ways to get some exercise is to go for a walk. When you can’t get outside, go for a walk around your house. If you have stairs even better! Go up and down them a few times. Use a pedometer to track your steps; you can even download one to your smartphone.

My son and I used to turn this into a game. When we lived in a small apartment, after dinner we would see how many times we could walk the length of the apartment during commercials. Simple but effective.

Eat A Healthy Diet – limit unhealthy foods. This includes foods that are fried or processed, sodas, red meat, and sugary items such as cakes and cookies. Consume lean proteins – chicken and turkey, fruits and vegetables, nuts, and fish. Not fun but you’re trying to get healthier here. 

Sleep – a good night’s rest (7 to 9 hours each night) can boost immunity, improve concentration, and help us remain alert during waking/working hours. Getting good quality sleep also helps with weight loss. Yes, please!

Protect Your Mental Health

Our emotional and mental health is as important as our physical health. There are several things we can do to keep our mental faculties in balance.

Deep Breath – when you’re feeling anxious, before a special presentation or dealing with some issue, stop and focus on your breathing. In for a count of four and out for a count of four. Repeat. Keep up the breaths until you’re feeling calmer and ready to move forward.

I remind myself to breathe quite often. Any time I’m going to lead a group or do something that makes me nervous, I stop and take a breath before go time. 

Enjoy An Activity That Brings You Joy – do something that puts a smile on your face.  If you enjoy journaling, grab a pen and paper. If movement lights you up, turn on some music and dance, dance, dance. The objective here is to choose an activity that’s simple for you to do and that puts some fun into your life.

Protect Your Social and Spiritual Health

As humans, we are social and spiritual beings. Therefore, our social and spiritual health is equally important to keep our triangle in balance.

Invite a friend on an outing – be the first to initiate the invitation. Call up a friend or someone you’d like to be a friend with and ask them to grab a cup of coffee with you or lunch. Nothing major and no pressure.

Don’t think you can invite a friend from across the country for a cup of coffee?  Think again. The two of you could meet on Zoom while enjoying your cup of joe. My mom and her sister have coffee every morning. They live an hour from one another and neither of them drives. One calls the other when she has her coffee prepared and they share a cup while talking on the phone.

Volunteer – I have an aunt who volunteers at the local food bank, and she loves it! Watching her interact with all the individuals who come through those doors is a beautiful thing. Doing something for others gives her energy and a new zest for life.

Reconnect – with your faith-based community. Whether you believe in a higher power or just something larger than yourself, reconnecting with a community of believers helps you protect yourself spiritually.

Journal – anyone who knows me knows I couldn’t pass up a chance to throw in this one.  Journaling can help you connect with your mental space and spiritual self.

Final Thoughts

We’ve all heard much of this information before, but it bears repeating because our health really is our wealth. Without it, we are hard-pressed to do anything for anybody, including ourselves. Keeping every side of our wellness triangle steady is important to our overall well-being.

I’ve created this Wellness Triangle Checklist with these ideas and a few more to help you keep your Health & Wellness triangle in balance.