Wellness as a Way of Life: The wellness wheel and you – physical well-being

Michelle Wilson, wellness program manager

The wellness wheel and you: physical well-being

This month we will start sharing information based on La Clinica’s wellness wheel. We use this tool to focus the work of our wellness program and support patients and staff members in taking care of their health. The wellness wheel includes seven areas of health: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, financial, and environmental. In July we will focus on ways we can support our physical well-being.

Physical well-being is about the health of our bodies. It includes moving and having the strength and energy for daily tasks. We can support physical well-being by getting enough sleep, being physically active, and eating a balanced diet.

What are you doing this month to take care of your physical health?

Here’s a checklist you can use to see if there are areas where you can make positive changes:

• Do you need to schedule an appointment to see a doctor, dentist, physical therapist, or other type of provider to take care of a health need?
• Are you getting regular exercise and staying active?
• Does your daily diet include a good range of fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, and lots of water to keep you hydrated?
• Do you have a regular evening routine to help you get enough sleep each night so you can wake up rested and ready for the day?
• Are there other things you can do to improve the way your body feels each day?

If you want to make changes in any of these areas, set a goal for yourself and ask for support from others to help you stick with it. Read our weekly blogs for tips and see if your body feels stronger and healthier when we move into August.

Tip: Choose at least one activity to focus on this month to improve your physical well-being. It may be to drink plenty of water every day, walk or do another type of exercise at least five days a week, get at least eight hours of sleep each night, or change your eating habits. Commit to yourself that you will make this one small change for a month and see how you feel. Everything we do makes a difference!