By Dr. Amy L. McLaughlin

Let's get to the basics. What is wellness? Everyone has an idea of what wellness is, but the word is tossed around so much that the meaning gets convoluted. So for the sake of clarity let me give you a definition.

Wellness is an optimal state of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, not only an absence of disease.

What does that mean? It means that you can have a disease, like cancer, diabetes etc and still have wellness. It also means that if you have no disease and are “healthy” you may not have wellness, you may not have a sense of well-being.

The new year is upon us. A time to look back on 2006 and acknowledge the individual growth had, the lessons learned, and to celebrate the successes. What kind of year will 2007 be for you? We are all creators of our experience. Now is the perfect time to consciously sit down and think what we want to be, do, or have in the new year.

Today people want more out of life and they are seeking different ways to do things. The times have changed, especially in the area of health and wellness.10 + years ago the word wellness was hardly ever used. Today it is everywhere you look, on water bottles, spas, fitness studios, even candy bars are trying to jump in on the wellness revolution. Yes, that is what it is: A wellness revolution. People are sick and tired of being sick and tired and are realizing that the old ways aren't working anymore. That having a magic pill as a band-aid for every little thing isn't the smartest way, or the most empowering way. People are taking back their health and putting it into their own hands. The question becomes, how do I empower myself and truly become “well”.

Understand that it is a combination of 4 different aspects that lead to wellness. Let's go over them one by one.

Physical well being : the ability to deal with and manage physical stresses that happen in life with greater ease. An example of a physical stress would be trips and falls, presence of physical pain, headaches even allergies. The body recognizes all of this as stress. Being aware of what your body needs is crucial to physical well-being. Fitness, proper nutrition, restful sleep all are important factors.

Emotional well being : the ability to express a full range of emotion that is situation appropriate. Often when our emotional state is not in a space of well being, we react to a situation calling on past memories or habits without seeing the bigger picture of the situation at hand and noting what is necessary for the moment and what will be the most appropriate response. When there is emotional well being there is a greater balance of being able to feel all of the emotions from depression to bliss, anger to joy. Recognizing and being aware of the flow of emotion, because all Emotion is, is Energy in Motion.

Mental well being : The ability to have clarity, focus, follow through, sparked creativity. The thoughts that occupy your mind most of the time: What are you focusing on in life? What is going wrong or what is going right? Thoughts that increase mental well-being are positivism, optimism, and gratitude.

Spiritual well being: The knowing of why you are here and that there is a purpose for you being here on this planet. When there is no spiritual well-being there is a sense of unease and dissatisfaction of not knowing your purpose, or maybe feeling like there isn't a purpose. Some steps to increase well-being in this area is meditation, uplifting books, Dr. Wayne Dyer is one of my favorite authors in this field.

As you reflect on these aspects of your life how do you rate in wellness? How well are you being?

The wellness revolution isn't a passing fad, rather a call for personal empowerment and accountability.

With the revolutionary wellness protocols of Network Spinal Analysis and Somato Respiratory Integration it has been shown to have increases well-being in each of the states discussed above, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Allow us to help you take the next step on your wellness journey and usher in the new year with ease and grace. Call for an appointment today.