Why our process works! Our focus is on improving the dimensions that determine your health and wellness most. Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being. We focus on three primary dimensions of health and wellness i.e. physical health, mental/emotional health, and spiritual engagement. The first two categories can be affected in a significant way by improving your diet and exercise regimes, and as such are well suited for our online program. Integrating all three elements in a more comprehensive life change is accomplished through our 1:1 health and wellness coaching process. It is interesting to note that there are people who are very fit, but not well. People may feel they have a reasonable quality of life, but their wellness may be deficient. Wellness is not always consistent. People may do well in some dimensions, but not in others. For example, they may thrive in the physical and intellectual dimensions, but not in the spiritual or vocational realms. We focus on bringing all dimensions and elements together for you. There is strong evidence for the association between mental health, physical activity, and diet; and poor diet quality has been suggested as a modifiable risk factor for mental (not just physical) ill-health. There is much evidence that supports that improvements in the dietary, exercise, and spiritual domain have an impact on many aspects of well being. It improves health, it improves perceived health (you feel better about yourself), and it improves your ability to integrate yourself into social networks better. People who feel healthier and better about themselves are generally more fun to be around. Integration in social networks is an important part of well being!
Exercise The level of physical activity has long been identified in numerous studies to be a predictor of longevity associated with heart disease and cancer and helpful for preventing or controlling many other health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stress management, and enhanced personal image. A study performed between 2002 and 2004 showed unquestionably that an improvement in physical activity and a diet based on fruit and vegetable consumption are associated with a significant change in mental health. Smaller, but also statistically significant, changes were found in physical health. Specific dimensions of mental health which showed a large positive change in association with lifestyle change were those associated with peacefulness and happiness, and a significant reduction in nervousness, feelings of being down in the dumps, or downhearted . From those changes a wide variety of overall improvement in your wellness will flow, not just weight loss or your ability to climb stairs! Multidimensional intervention is key to our process and the integration of physical activity in your daily life is something we encourage. Source: Community-based lifestyle interventions: changing behavior and improving health - Lindsay Blank, Mike Grimsley, Elizabeth Goyder, Elizabeth Ellis, Jean Peters	Diet A study of Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients showed the unbelievable impact diet can have on your wellbeing. FSM is a decease that engulfs patients in a downward spiral of un-restorative sleep, chronic pain, fatigue, inactivity, and depression. Each symptom reinforces the others, making it difficult to break out of the cycle. A "living-foods" vegan diet was used in a 3-month non-randomized controlled study. The patients experienced significant improvements in pain scores, quality of sleep, morning stiffness, and health assessment questionnaire scores. These studies, along with anecdotal evidence gathered, indicate that a mostly raw food vegetarian diet is helpful in breaking the cycle of suffering of FMS patients. Using the SF36 survey significant improvements were observed in general health, vitality, role emotional, and mental health. Clearly diet has a wide ranging affect on your wellbeing and as such is core to our health and wellness coaching process. Source: Fibromyalgia syndrome improved using a mostly raw vegetarian diet: An observational study - Michael S Donaldson, Neal Speight, and Stephen Loomis	Social integration Our 1:1 coaching process has a strong element of helping you discover yourself. A long-standing hypothesis asserts that social integration presents one of the best opportunities for people to improve their well being. Researchers have employed a number of theories in attempts to explain the role of social integration in the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being, including social causation, symbolic interactionist, social exchange, social comparison, self-esteem and personal control theories. Several studies have shown there is a significant association between social networks and mental health. Comparing socially integrated women with socially isolated women showed a statistically significant difference in mental health scores in favor of those who are well integrated. Being socially isolated was associated with a greater reduction in vitality score than smoking more than 25 cigarettes a day. Size and range of networks will positively relate to self-esteem or self-efficacy, which in turn influences affect. Our process help you in many ways to feel better about yourself, and as a result motivate you to integrate yourself more comprehensively in much needed social networks. Source: Social networks, stress and health-related quality of life - H. Achat, I. Kawachi, S. Levine, C. Berkey, E. Coakley, and G. Colditz