The Wellness Self Check-Up Guide

Strangely enough, one of the biggest influencers on your health and wellbeing is… YOU! Oddly enough (I am hoping you are sensing the sarcasm) the things you do, the decisions you make, how highly you rank yourself on your own list of priorities can seriously affect your overall wellness both physically and mentally.

No matter your age or your overall health, it is so important to take notice of your own mind and body and accept the fact that your own wellness, matters.

One way to start putting yourself first is by slowly instigating small changes. Make a little check list of the things that you think you could do with changing and then slowly but surely implement them so that in time they become a part of your daily routine.

Once you have adjusted your mindset to one of “my health matters” you’ll find that focusing on your wellness and keeping it on track becomes easier and natural. So, what should be on your Wellness Self-Check-Up?

· Doctor Doctor – A first port of call would be to book a check-up with your doctor. They will never mind if you book an appointment with them for an overall health check and take some advice from them on what measures you can take going forward for your own wellness. Your car has a yearly check up and it is just a machine, so why not your body?

· Eating habits – take a look at your diet and check that it is well balanced. It is not about denying yourself anything but instead having everything in moderation. If you notice a lack of iron within your diet, then look at planning some meals that are going to boost those levels.

· Get moving – I used to, shockingly, be a real gym bunny and used to love it. But post pregnancy completely lacked the time and often the inclination. However, you don’t need to go to a gym or even a local class to get those endorphins pumping. A simple 20-minute walk twice a week is better than nothing, will give you a sunlight boost and is easy to fit into a schedule. We both attend fitness and wellness classes like Pilates and Tai chi and they really do help both the mind and the body

· Sleep – Easier said than done, especially when you have little ones that are intent on denying us, but you need to try and make sleep a priority. Good sleeping habits can make you both look and feel better and also gives your body a chance to heal if it is in fact fighting anything such as an infection or ongoing illness.

· Mental Health – Despite all the awareness and the work being done, people often find it hard to recognise the importance of mental health. There is no shame in struggling, we have all been there and some never manage to fully escape, but there are ways to cope and manage if you’re willing to acknowledge the issues in the first place.

· Self-care – Take as little as five minutes each day to do something for yourself. For us it is knitting or cooking or a hot shower or for me it is 5 minutes to simply zone out and just not be present… “away with the fairies” as my Nan used to say or to simply enjoy a hot cup of coffee.

The world wellness started out as another fad or trend, but it is so much more than that. It is so important, especially as we get older to actively make choices towards a healthy and also happy life. Who doesn’t want that?