Wellness

Editor-In-Chief: Prab R Tumpati, MD
Obesity, Sleep & Internal medicine
Founder, WikiMD Wellnesspedia &
W8MD medical weight loss and sleep centers

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Wellness refers to the idea of being healthy, not just abcencse of disease. Health, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The concept of wellness focuses ono by prevention, in many dimensions such as physical, emotional, social, environmental, financial, intellectual and spiritual wellbeing. The concept of wellness goes beyond the idea of abcense of disease by promoting measures that are aimed at prevention, rather than cure. While some of the concepts in wellness are considered alternative medicine, there are many measures that are evidence based and should be part of any evidence based medical practice. Wellness is an holistic concept that encompasses various aspects of physical, mental, and social well-being. It is not just the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of optimal health and vitality. In recent years, wellness has gained increasing attention as a critical aspect of overall health and well-being, and many individuals and organizations have sought to promote wellness as a way to improve quality of life and reduce healthcare costs.

Principles of wellness

One of the key aspects of wellness is physical health. This includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep. Exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits, including improving cardiovascular health, strengthening bones and muscles, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease (Lee et al, 2018). A healthy diet, on the other hand, provides the body with the necessary nutrients to function properly and can also help to prevent chronic diseases. Adequate sleep is also important for overall health and well-being, as it allows the body to repair and rejuvenate itself (Nedeltcheva et al, 2010).

Mental well-being

Another important aspect of wellness is mental health. This includes emotional well-being, cognitive functioning, and social well-being. Emotional well-being is defined as the ability to regulate emotions and to cope with stress in a healthy way. Emotional well-being can be improved by practicing mindfulness, which has been shown to improve mental health and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression (Keng et al, 2011). Cognitive functioning is important for memory, attention, and decision-making, and can be improved by engaging in activities such as reading and puzzles (Nyberg et al, 2016). Social well-being is an essential aspect of overall well-being as it refers to the ability to build and maintain relationships, which can provide emotional support, sense of belonging and psychological well-being (Baumeister and Leary, 1995).

Spiritual well-being

Another key aspect of wellness is spiritual well-being. This includes a sense of purpose, connection to something greater than oneself, and a belief in a higher power. Research has shown that spiritual well-being is positively associated with emotional well-being, improved coping skills and overall quality of life (Koenig et al, 2001).

Environmental well-being

Wellness also includes environmental well-being, which means being aware and mindful of the natural world and our impact on it. It encourages us to live in harmony with nature and make choices that are sustainable for the planet (Brosschot, 2010). This can include taking steps to reduce energy consumption, reduce waste, and preserve natural resources. Some examples of measures taken to improve health and wellbeing and promote prevention and wellness include the following:

• Vaccines &
• Immunizations
• Nutrition &
• Fitness
• Health screenings
• Mental health &
• Substance abuse
• Healthy lifestyle and
• Safe environment

Let food be medicine, and medicine be food

Some people use complementary health approaches in an effort to promote general well-being or wellness, rather than to help manage symptoms of a health problem. For example, 2012 national survey data show that people most often use yoga and dietary supplements for wellness. Wellness has several dimensions, including emotional well-being (coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships) and physical well-being (recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep).

Research sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggests that people who use complementary approaches for wellness tend to have better overall health, higher rates of physical activity, and lower rates of obesity than those who use complementary approaches to help manage a health problem.

• Nutrition & Fitness - Learn the basics of healthy eating and how to stay physically fit.
• Diet, and Nutrition - Get advice on how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases such as diabetes
• Learn about how to eat healthy.
• Find easy-to-read information on food and nutrition
• Learn about Exercise & Fitness

WikiMD's food and nutrition lab - Search any food item and find calorie & nutrition information Health benefits of losing weight

Research has shown that losing as little as 5 to 10% of your body weight can have big payoffs for your health with one study showing as much as 40% reduction in all cause mortality and morbidity with 5 pounds of weight loss in women and 48% reduction for the same weight loss in men even if you maintain the weight loss.

Holistic wellness

Wellness is a holistic concept that encompasses various aspects of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental well-being. Regular exercise, healthy eating, getting enough sleep, emotional regulation, cognitive and social activities and living in harmony with nature are key components of wellness. Moreover, studies have shown that promoting wellness can have numerous benefits, such as reducing the risk of chronic diseases, improving mental health, and increasing overall quality of life. Therefore, it is important that individuals, organizations and society in general, actively strive to promote wellness and encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles.

Wellness | health, nutrition and wellness topics

acetaminophen overdose acid reflux acne actinic keratosis adenomyosis adhd adrenal fatigue adrenal insufficiency akathisia alcohol poisoning alopecia areata altitude sickness alzheimer's amblyopia ("Lazy eye") anemia angina ankylosing spondylitis anorexia nervosa anxiety appendicitis arteriosclerosis arthritis ascites asperger's syndrome asthma astigmatism athlete's foot atrial fibrillation autism bacterial vaginosis bad breath barrett's esophagus bed bug bites bee sting behcet's disease bell's palsy binge eating bipolar disorder (manic depression) black mold exposure bladder cancer bleeding gums blepharitis bloating blood clots blood in urine (hematuria) bloody stool blurry vision body dysmorphic disorder boil bone and joint pain borderline personality disorder botulism bradycardia brain fog breast cancer breast implant illness brittle nails bronchiolitis bronchitis bruxism/teeth grinding bulimia nervosa bunion burning mouth syndrome

c diff campylobacter cancer candida canker sore carbon monoxide poisoning cardiomyopathy carpal tunnel syndrome cat scratch fever cataracts celiac disease cellulite cellulitis cerebral palsy chagas disease charcot-marie-tooth disease cherry angioma chest pains chicken pox chicken pox treatment childhood obesity chlamydia chloasma cholangitis cholestasis chronic fatigue chronic venous insufficiency cirrhosis cloudy urine cold and flu cold sore (fever blister) colon cancer colon polyps compartment syndrome complex regional pain syndrome concussion concussion treatment conditions constipation contact dermatitis copd corneal abrasion corneal ulcer coronary artery disease costochondritis cranial arteritis crepitus crohn's disease croup cough cushing's disease cyclic vomiting syndrome cystic fibrosis

dandruff dcis deep vein thrombosis degenerative disc disease degenerative joint disease dehydration dementia depression diabetes diabetes insipidus diabetic retinopathy diaper rash diarrhea diastasis recti diverticulitis dizziness dowager's hump dry eye syndrome dry mouth dumping syndrome dupuytren's contracture dyslipidemia dysmenorrhea dyspepsia dysphagia dyspnea dysthymia dysuria e. Coli ear infection ear infection ectopic pregnancy eczema egg allergy ehlers-danlos syndrome emphysema endocarditis endometriosis enlarged spleen epilepsy epstein barr virus erectile dysfunction erythema esophagitis excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) eye strain female athlete triad fetal alcohol syndrome fever fever blister fibroadenoma fibroids fibromyalgia flatulence flu folliculitis food allergies food poisoning frequent urination

g6pd deficiency gallbladder/gallstones ganglion cyst gastritis genital herpes gerd gestational diabetes giant cell arteritis giardiasis gilbert's syndrome gingivitis gluten intolerance gonorrhea gout graves' disease guillain-barre syndrome h. Pylori infection hair loss hand, foot and mouth disease hangover hantavirus hashimoto's disease headaches heart attack heart disease heart murmur heartburn heat stroke hemophilia hemorrhoids hepatitis a hepatitis b hepatitis c herpes hiatal hernia hiccups high blood pressure hirsutism histamine intolerance hives horton disease hpv huntington's disease hydronephrosis hyperemesis gravidarum hyperlipidemia hypernatremia hyperparathyroidism hyperpigmentation hyperplasia hypoglycemia hypogonadism hyponatremia hypopituitarism hypotension hypothyroidism impetigo impotence inflammation inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) insomnia interstitial cystitis interstitial lung disease irregular periods irritable bowel syndrome (ibs) ischemic colitis

jaundice jock itch keloids keratosis pilaris keystone virus kidney failure kidney infection kidney stones kyphosis laceration lactic acidosis lactose intolerance laryngitis leaky gut syndrome legionnaire's disease leptospirosis leukemia leukopenia lice lichen planus lipoma listeria liver disease liver failure loss of appetite lou gehrig's disease low body temperature (hypothermia) low platelet count low stomach acid lupus lyme disease lymphadenitis lymphangitis lymphedema macular degeneration malabsorption syndrome male infertility marfan syndrome mastitis mci (mild cognitive impairment) melasma meniere's disease meningitis menopause mercury poisoning metabolic syndrome migraine milk allergy miscarriage mitochondrial disease molluscum contagiosum mononucleosis (mono) motion sickness mouth breather mrsa mthfr mutation multiple sclerosis mumps muscle spasms muscular dystrophy myasthenia gravis mycoplasma myocarditis myopia myositis

narcissistic personality disorder narcolepsy nasal polyps nausea necrotizing fasciitis niacin deficiency night terrors non-hodgkin's lymphoma nosebleed obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd) optic neuritis oral thrush orthopnea orthorexia nervosa osgood-schlatter disease osteogenesis imperfecta osteopenia (low bone density) osteoporosis ovarian cancer overactive bladder paget's disease painful urination pancreatitis panic attacks paresthesia parkinson's disease pcos peanut allergy pellagra pelvic inflammatory disease pelvic pain pemphigus pericarditis perimenopause period cramps periodontitis peripheral edema peripheral vascular disease peritonitis phlebitis pink eye pityriasis rosea pmdd pms pneumonia poison ivy rash poison oak rash poison sumac polymyalgia rheumatica porphyria prediabetes presbyopia prostate prostatitis pruritus psoriasis ptosis ptsd pulmonary embolism pulmonary fibrosis

raynaud's syndrome reactive arthritis receding gums rectal bleeding restless leg syndrome reye's syndrome rhabdomyolysis rheumatoid arthritis ringing in the ears ringworm rocky mountain spotted fever rosacea roseola ('sixth' disease) salmonella sarcoidosis sarcopenia scabies scad scarlet fever schizophrenia scleroderma scoliosis seasonal affective disorder seborrheic dermatitis sepsis seroma shellfish allergy shingles shortness of breath sibo sickle cell anemia silent reflux sinus infection sjogren's syndrome skin cancer skin tags sleep apnea sleep deprivation snake bite sore throat spider bite spinal stenosis spondylosis staph infection stomach flu stomach pain stomach ulcers strabismus strep throat stroke stye subluxation sun spots swimmer's ear symptoms syphilis

tachycardia tapeworm infection teething temporal arteritis tendonitis tenesmus thyroid nodules tinea capitis tinnitus tmj toenail fungus tonsil stones tourette syndrome toxic shock syndrome toxoplasmosis trichomoniasis tuberculosis (tb) ulcer ulcerative colitis urethritis/painful urination urinary tract infection (uti) uveitis vaginal bleeding vaginal burning valley fever varicose veins vasculitis vertigo vibrio vulnificus vitiligo warts white tongue whooping cough xerosis (dry skin) yeast infection zika virus

References

1. Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529.
2. Brosschot, J.F. (2010). Environmental stress and cardiovascular disease. Cardiology Clinics, 28(3), 399–407.
3. Keng, S-L, Smoski, M.J. & Robins, C.J. (2011) Effects of mindfulness on psychological health:

Complementary and alternative medicine