East — and West — coasters are notoriously envied for their approach to work-life balance and relaxed pace of life.
While we may spend less time at the office then our envious colleagues in central Canada, we East coasters are straggling behind in measurements of our overall health. Nova Scotians are struggling to focus their time and energy on improving their own wellness, which in turn impacts the wellness of our community.
Wellness is often associated with being physically active. However, it involves much more than being fit. Wellness encompasses environmental, material, financial, occupational, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, social and cultural aspects as well. By improving our own individual wellness, we can influence family wellness and in turn improve our community wellness.
We need to all take responsibility for our own wellness, which is really about making choices. Poor choices over time result in illness – this is the way our body tells us to pay attention to it, while good choices result in vibrant health over time.
The more in control you are of your lifestyle, the better you can control your health. Despite what you might believe, good choices don’t take any more time than poor choices.
So start small: adapt one new healthy choice each week. By slowly introducing healthy choices into your life, you’ll find it easier to stick with them.
Need some ideas to start?
Drink more water. You need to consume your weight in kg x 0.033 to determine the number of litres per day you should consume. Keep in mind that coffee, juice and pop don’t count towards this goal.
Learn to let go of the things you can’t control. From traffic jams to tension with your family or coworkers, hanging on to these items can alter your hormones and lead to trouble down the road.
Get at least seven hours of sleep. You need this time to let your mind and body rest and rebuild.
Another good choice is simply taking a moment to focus on your breath each day. This allows you to free your mind of everything else while you focus on breathing. Want to learn how?
FUSION Halifax is offering you an opportunity to learn during their second annual outdoor yoga event. On Thursday, Aug. 20 at noon, on the wharf at the base of Purdy’s Office Tower II, take a break from work, breathe and practice yoga. To find out more visit fusionhalifax.ca.
Christina Biluk is Director of Engagement for FUSION Halifax. Visit FUSIONHalifax.ca to find out how to get involved in shaping our city; theurbanscrawl@gmail.com.
