WELLNESS NOTES
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind” John 1:4
This Lenten Season we may NOT be encouraging you to “Walk to Jerusalem” or even to ‘give up’ an unhealthy habit as we have in past years. This season, let us look at HIM as life and how Jesus giving his life allows us to make our light shine. Our light can shine more brightly if we work toward living a healthy life.
Excerpt from ‘Prayer Prescribed’ a new book by Dr. Anne Borik (author of SignChiDo) states:
…The path to preserving your health and well-being is not about the absence of anything. Health is not the absence of illness; it is being healthy mind, body and soul. Losing weight is not about the absence of food; it is eating the right foods. Life is not the absence of death; it is living with your entire being. Therefore, in order to live a healthy life, you must be alive and do the things that keep you alive–Breathe, Move, Eat, be Positive and Pray.
- BREATHE: Right now take a deep, cleansing breath. Sit or stand straight upright; Inhale through your nose while raising both arms to shoulder level in front of your body with palms turned upward. Exhale through your mouth as you turn palms downward and lower the arms together to below waist level. Practice this three or four times. This increases oxygen to your brain, decreases blood pressure, relaxes your muscles, and stretches your lung capacity.
- MOVE: Some of you will want to put on your pedometer and work toward the 10,000 steps per day that is recommended by the American Heart Association for healthy exercise. Some may just walk twice to the mailbox and back—then next week make three trips, etc. Some may prefer to sit in their chair and just do range of motion of each limb and joint of the body. JUST GET MOVING and feel the healthy benefits.
- EAT: We mentioned last month the increase of fruits and veggies. Try for putting a RAINBOW of foods in your body each day. Red berries or tomatoes, Orange carrots or peppers, Yellow tomatoes or squash, Green leafy veggies or peppers, Blue berries or grapes, Violet fruits or eggplant. Be creative and enjoy the healthy feeling.
- BE POSITIVE: Greet the day with a “What a beautiful morning” statement; tell someone you love them or write a note of a happy memory; encourage positive thoughts and counteract negatives around you. THINK HAPPY.
- PRAY: Share your day with God. Tell HIM your gratitudes, your fears, your wishes, your needs, your wants, and your feelings. Incorporate prayer in your morning, noon, & night. Find a new prayer and post it where you can see it and repeat it daily.
MARCH THROUGH LENT WITH A HEALTHY ATTITUDE
Alice Stephenson BSN,RN,PN