The Health and Fitness industry has muddled what it means to be healthy. Title articles talking about all the ways you can slim down, crazy diets that leave people starving and go back to how they were eating before, and reality TV shows putting people through experiences that are surrounded by toxic environments and practices. Because of these aspects of the industry, the general population think they need to go through these punishment-like regiments to be healthy. And that's completely false and potentially more damaging to someone's health. The play on everyone's desire of quick fixes and promote unsupported and unsustainable advice. So, how do we know what information is based on good stance? And, how do you achieve good health and wellness outside of physical health?
Everywhere the signs
For someone who hasn't had education on what is factual evidence for healthy living, all the information out in the world can be overwhelming and difficult to determine what is truth and what is just something to sell a product. So what are the signs of bad information?
Articles without resources: This is a very tell tale sign for online or any information based content. Information without sources or articles not providing credible aspects (individual they are interviewing, etc.) into the article. The articles and information should always have a way for you to check out the information they used to be able to come into your own interpretation. Yes, articles that do not provide their resources can be factual, but it is just a warning sign of a possibly bad article/information.
Promises of quick results: This should also put a big question mark above your head when you see it. Whether it's weight loss, body composition, feeling better, it is a winding road and journey of what happens. What these articles are doing is preying on people who have tried and tried to get a result and have failed in the past.
'Easy' Steps: Sometimes looking for easy steps is a great way to get started, however, the road to optimal health and wellness can be difficult and complicated. Everyone needs a different plan and it can become difficult and frustrating to figure out what works best for you.
Flip-Flopping Advice: Again, yes, people learn new things and can change their original advice. That is not what we are talking about here. Sometimes it is in the same article or it seems like every other article they are promoting conflicting information. This is an attempt to please as many people as possible instead of providing forward facts and advice.
How To Work On Your Health & Wellness
As we quickly mentioned, everyone needs to do something individual to them to find their optimal health and wellness for their life. It's a journey, with a possible phase of trial and error that could last 6 months or longer to find what works for you. However, there are health and wellness things that everyone can usually benefit from.
Always consider seeing a professional: Even if it is once a month, seeing a psychotherapist, psychologist, wellness coach, nutritionist/dietician. Whoever it may be, consider it as a part of your health and wellness practices. These types of professionals are not only for individuals that have underlying conditions or with referrals. These individuals are trained in helping everyone, not just the extremes of their practice.
The first resource below provides you with information on different type of mental health professionals. The second resource is the link to the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association. The third is the Canadian Psychological Association.
Do what makes you happy: If you don't want to go to that get together, don't feel like you have to go. If you have friends that are pressuring you into doing things that you don't feel like doing, if they are your friends you should be able to feel comfortable saying you don't want to go.
Examine your relationships: There are relationships with people you have that there are things that can be forgotten, forgiven, and moved from but at other times, relationships need to be stopped. There is normally disagreements, but if these topics are core values to you that you can't get by and keeps you awake a night, that is not normal.
Healthy eating and sleep isn't only for physical health: Good nutrition and sleep is an important aspect to assist with mental health and mental performance. They are usually some of the last things people try and change when they look at their current life. However, these are the most important things because they directly effect everything. If you do not have good nutrition or sleep, mood can decline. Mental health can decline. Mental performance can decline.
These are just common areas that people can work on, however, you don't have to work on the same things as others in your social circle. Maybe you want to focus on educating yourself on things before working on sleep. Maybe you want to work on nutrition before looking to seeing a counsellor. Whatever it is, do you. Do what makes you happy and fulfilled and don't let anyone tell you that you should be working on something else otherwise.
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