The Key Pillars of Health and Wellness

Back in January 2016, at 32 years of age, I found myself in a cardiologist office waiting for the results of my first echocardiogram. I’ll never forget when the doctor came into the room and the first words out of his mouth were “well this is more interesting than I thought it would be”…not exactly what you want to hear during your first visit to a cardiologist haha. Fast forward 1.5 years and I had open heart surgery to replace a leaky bicuspid aortic valve and to repair an aortic root aneurysm. Fortunately the surgeon did a great job, my recovery was quick, and I’ve been feeling great ever since.

I share this story because it was a humbling reminder to me of something I already knew but it made all the more real, and that is that without our good health it’s difficult if not impossible to experience and appreciate the many other wonderful parts of life. This is also a timely topic in the middle of a global pandemic where many things are outside of our control, but we can certainly influence or our health and wellness.

There are certainly varying levels to health and wellness and one’s starting position and personal goals/priorities play a big parts in the tactics. That being said I think there are 4 key elements that should generally be a part of anyone’s health/wellness game plan. These are…

· Diet/Nutrition

· Exercise

· Sleep

· Mindset and Emotional Wellbeing

Between now and the end of 2020 I’ll write a more detailed post on each of these key elements of health. I’ll share some of what’s worked well for me but admittedly, I do better in some of these areas than others so like everything I write, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback as I truly believe health is foundational to other areas of life, and being in good health enhances our ability to make a positive impact in life and simply to enjoy the journey!