Having followed my sequel of articles, you should possibly have now captured the holistic approach to your health care and are now thinking “wellness” instead of medicine, nutrition, pharmacy and treatment.
By now you have stopped running to nutritionists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals to resuscitate your health when you are already sick.
You now also understand that you are in control of your well-being and can therefore take full commitment to remain well and prevent illness. You no longer formulate excuses but make informed choices daily that help you maintain not only your health but also improve your vitality.
Now, do not get me wrong; all the health professionals are so invaluable and much appreciated. But, what if we had a paradigm shift? Like this COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, how about we “flatten the curve”?
What if we capitalized heavily in prevention instead…and reduced the toll on our health care system? With each human being doing their part to remain healthy and well. What if we lowered the patient – practitioner ratio? Wouldn’t this give a second chance for the emergency cases to survive? As the practitioners shall have the capacity to address the reduced numbers at each given time.
I hope by following this series, you have adopted this holistic health model we are talking about.
Today, we shall briefly talk about gratitude – one of the practices which enhance wellbeing. It can be defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. This practice helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, enhance their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. This is why this practice is very important and should not be ignored.
Gratitude opens the doors to more relationships. When one is grateful, doors to connecting with valuable people are instantly flung open before them. Isn’t it easier to introduce a kind person to your friends than it is to introduce one who is mean and ungrateful?
It shall interest you that being grateful improves physical health. People who are grateful sleep better, have stronger immunity, age slower, also their bodies remain healthier and cultivate a meagerer risk of autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Being thankful augments psychological health. You will feel good and other healing neurotransmitters, viz, dopamine and serotonin are released when one practices gratitude. This discipline when given and also when received can fight depression and stress. People who are grateful tend to have a higher self-esteem, mental strength, are usually more empathetic and have lower aggression.
Here is what you can do to modify your wellness through gratitude: Meditate in your heart about the things and people you are thankful for. Make sure you start by being thankful of yourself; everything unique and even common about you.
Say, to the individuals you envisioned, what you appreciate about them. Be ready and willing to receive appreciation from the people around you. Nurture the friendships that you have. Smile more often. Tell someone you love them.
Finally, always take off time to notice the beauty in nature each day. Next we shall talk about forgiveness. Thank you.
Written by Ivan Baguma, a Nutritionist & Wellness Practitioner at Dr. Kasenene’s Wellcare Ltd
