Wellness Environments

Wow! I just returned from Florida and the Medical Fitness Association
meeting where I spoke on Health and Wellness Coaching for Chronic Disease Management and Member Retention with my colleague PJ Harder. Our talk was well received by many people interested in changing the health promotion model they use.

The interesting thing is that integrated health is really taking off nationwide. Hospitals, cities and communities are building BEAUTIFUL sites for Integrated Wellness. There were many architects at this meeting showing off the beautiful buildings they have designed. An architect told me that their company researched 'wellness' and put a definition in their business plan! Another told me that he always makes sure a building has a Tai Chi balcony! Wow this is exciting.

Wellness is hitting the mainstream.

Let's think about environment. What is your environment like? Do you have a space that you call 'home' and feel nurtured in? What are the colors you surround yourself with? Do they stimulate or relax you? What about where you live? Where you work?

Work environment (even how you set up your desk at work) effects our wellbeing. Do you have access to the outdoors? Can you see out of a window? If not do you get up and go outside during your workday? Fresh air and green spaces help change our perspective and relax us from daily stresses. Even your favorite picture of the outdoors, think wonderful vacation pictures from Hawaii or Tahiti or......just the great outdoors.

There is a worldwide movement now to protect our environment and decrease our footprint. We can all do something. The WWF

recently published an article on Environment and Wellbeing. Check it out at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/wellbeing.pdf

Be Well friends, until next time, Deborah