The words Health and Wellness are used as synonyms but have different connotations. The dictionary describes Wellness as the opposite of illness. Wellness is a modern word with ancient roots. The key tenets of wellness as both preventive and holistic can be traced back to ancient civilizations from India, China, Greece and Rome. Along with Allopathy or conventional medicine, the 19th-century Europe and the United States, saw variety of intellectual, and medical movements develop. The focus was on holistic, natural, self-healing and preventive care.
Some US thinkers and physicians like Bill Hettler, Halbert Dunn and Jack Travis in 1950/60s promoted wellness as a concept through their writings. There are six elements to Wellness –Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual, Social and Environmental.
It is just not about being away from illness but to reach our optimum wellbeing. As the industry has evolved, over the decades it now promotes healthy-living, self-care, fitness, nutrition, diet, and spiritual practices. The 21st century has seen the wellness movement boom.
The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness `as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.’
Explains Geeta Rajan, Certified Wellness Trainer, “it’s an individual pursuit. We have to be responsible for our choices, behaviors and lifestyles. So, are we vegan or eat non-veg, or we prefer Jain food that will define the way we feel and experience life. We are also significantly influenced by the physical, social and cultural environments in which we live.”
The movement takes a holistic approach to everything that we consume, think or even read or listen to. Some of the important elements are mental fitness, resilience, healthy eating and even tobacco free living. Going Organic, Vegan, growing your own vegetables is some of the things which are also gaining ground.
Are you always attached to your phone and technology? Sometimes the collective mentality of people is leading us to adopt wrong habits and stress.
So, from today let’s be aware and mindful. Let us adopt wellness as a process of making the right choices that gel with our inner selves for our optimal well being.