The Aspects of Purpose Driven Wellness

Improves physical and mental health

• Decreased inflammation
• Reduces muscle tension
• Moves lymphatic system- which is essential for immune system and removal of waste and excess fluid in the body
• Enhanced endorphin levels improve mood
• Antidepressant effect
• Improves cognitive functioning

23 ½ Hours by Dr Mike Evan an inspiring quick video on the  value of regular exercise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

Bringing about positive experience is one of the best ways to buffer against mental and physical disorders. M.E.P. Seligman

Positive Emotional states have been linked with:

• Reduced health risk behaviors
• Increase in health behaviors
• Greater social support
• Better coping with stress and health problems
• Attending to health risks and problems when they arise rather than ignoring them (Aspinwall& Tedeschi, 2010)

• Education in general has a positive effect on a variety of health outcomes
• People with more education are less likely to develop dementia as they age
• Continuous learning can help improve memory and has beneficial effects on the brain.
• Lifelong learning can improve self-esteem and self-efficacy which can lead to improved health behaviors and better coping.
• Lifelong learning can also instill hope and give people purpose (Hildebrand D.S., 2008).

• Food is not just calories, it is information. It talks to your DNA and tells it what to do. The most powerful tool to change your health, environment and entire world is your fork” ~ Dr. Mark Hyman
• Only 1/10 of us eat the recommended servings of vegetables, and only 1/3 of us eat the recommended servings of fruit (USDA)
• Studies consistently show that eating patterns that are high in vegetables and fruits result in:
  • Decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease
  • Decreased risk of diabetes
  • Decreased incidence of weight control issues
  • Decreased incidence of dementia
  • Decreased markers of inflammation
  • Decreased intake of sodium and added sugars

Having the skills to manage and harness the power of feelings and emotions to promote health – mentally, emotionally and physically.

• Emotionally, self-regulation is the ability to calm yourself down when you’re upset and cheer yourself up when you’re down.
• What happens when we are dysregulated- Problems with attention and concentration, rapid shifts in mood/irritability, more susceptible to stress and stress related conditions
• Research has shown that one of the main reasons people abandon efforts to create new mental and emotional habits, stick to a diet, exercise program or any new lifestyle change is the inability to manage the draining emotions and mood swings that accompany such efforts.
• The more capable we are of regulating ourselves the more choice we have in our life.

• Whatever your belief system, having a strong faith can act as a buffer against stress, give meaning, and hope to life.
• Faith can and should include having faith in yourself and your body’s own ability to heal. Those that do best in coping with chronic illness trust their own bodies ability to heal, take positive steps towards self care, and trust their own ability to cope with their condition in addition to use of conventional medicine.
• One study showed that socially support along with a strong faith made people recovering from heart surgery 7 times more likely to survive than someone who has neither of these things (T.E. Oxman, D.H. Freeman, E.D. Manheimer ,1995).
• Those who have spiritual beliefs tend to have a more positive outlook and a better quality of life, a major factor in health and wellness.

The health benefits of social support are probably not derived from a single encounter or relationship but are cumulative.

High levels of social support are associated with better health

• less psychological distress
• lower depression risk
• faster recuperation from illness
• and lower mortality (Gurung, 2006).

A study documented a relationship between number of social contacts and longevity. Adults with the fewest social contacts had 2-4 times the risk of death than those with the most social contacts. (Berkman & Syme, 1979)

• “We always have the freedom to find meaning, even in the face of unchangeable circumstances” Victor Frankl
• Purpose can and does change over the course of the lifespan.
• Often we focus on purpose as an outcome of doing and assess what we can and cannot do but if we consider purpose as a way of being, we can discover that our greatest purpose can be found in how we are not what we do.