Being physically well is important for optimal health and functionality. Physical wellness reduces your risk of chronic disease and boosts productivity. You spend your entire life inside your body so taking care of it is the key to overall health. The four primary aspects of physical wellness are proper nutrition, physical activity, rest, and genetics. Finding ways to move that are exhilarating and fun makes life so much more empowering but it is equally important to nourish your body through food and rest.

Being in tune with your body and being able to recognize when the physical body is under too much stress is crucial to well-being. When people think of health and wellness, they generally jump to this dimension because it has a direct impact on our quality of life. Physical wellness is the easiest dimension to recognize within ourselves and it has the most immediate effect on how we feel.

Nutrition

People say that the way our body looks and feels is 80% based on what we eat. I think it’s a little more complicated than that, but it goes to show how important a balanced diet really is. Proper nutrition allows our bodies to grow, function, and reproduce. It’s all about balance when it comes to nutrition. I am a huge advocate for enjoying and indulging from time to time, but it’s crucial to have balance in your overall diet. Don’t deprive and don’t over-indulge. There should always be a happy medium.

Water is a HUGE component to nutrition that so many people neglect. Our bodies need water to survive. On a technical basis, you can survive about 3 weeks with no food but your body can’t even survive a full week without water. That’s crazy. Of course, this varies depending on the person and situation, but still. Water is crucial to all life forms for survival. It regulates body temperature. lubricates joints for proper movement, helps release waste, keeps organs functions, and so much more. Try to drink your body weight in water ounces every single day for optimal hydration.

Physical Activity

I titled this section “Physical Activity” for a reason. There is a huge misconception that you have to exercise, you have to hit the gym, you have to be athletic, etc. to be healthy and well. I am here to tell you that that is total crap. I’m serious. Get that out of your head. You literally never even have to step foot into a gym to be physically well. Physical activity is so important for bone health and muscle strength, delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues, improves the cardiovascular system to promote oxygen movement, increases energy, the list really goes on and on.

I hate the term “exercise” because that doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle and that’s okay. Physical activity comes in a variety of forms including walking, swimming, dancing, sports, yoga, playing with a pet outside, yard work, fitness classes, hiking, climbing, taking the stairs, etc. I could easily come up with a list of over 100 things that count as physical activity to keep your body healthy and strong. This doesn’t have to be a traditional hour-long workout routine every single day. Getting at least 20-minutes of movement every day is a great goal for improving your physical wellness.

Rest

You can eat well and hit the gym every single day and it won’t matter much if you aren’t sleeping well…or enough. Sleep increases productivity heals the body, lowers the risk of heart disease and obesity, reduces mental illness, and more. Having a sleep routine helps the body’s internal clock which in turn will make falling asleep and waking up easier. This will allow for the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep to occur easier. There are 4 main stages of sleep and actual rejuvenation doesn’t occur until the 3rd and 4th stage. During these stages your muscles relax, blood supply increases to muscles, tissue repair and growth occurs, energy restores in the brain and body, growth hormones release, among many other things. Without hitting these main stages of sleep, the mind and body are at serious risk for exhaustion.

Getting the proper amount and quality of sleep is crucial but it’s also important to just allow yourself to rest from time to time. Again, this is all about moderation and you should still be productive throughout your days but it’s important to give yourself some rest from time to time. Take 15-minute breaks at work, sit and watch an episode of your favorite TV show, relax by the pool, get a massage, etc. Give yourself time to relax and renew instead of being go-go-go all of the time.

Genetics

Most people don’t think about genetics impacting their physical health and wellness until it actually occurs. Sometimes it takes being diagnosed with cancer or diabetes for that realization to take place and then it’s too late. When thinking about physical wellness, genetics should constantly play a role in decision making. Having an understanding of your lineage and family health history can help prevent early-onset of disorders and diseases.

Knowing your family genes can often help you understand your metabolic processing. It will also help you identify healthy lifestyle choices to reduce your risk of developing diseases and/or unhealthy habits. A lot of our physicality is correlated to culture, ethnicity, and genetics. Understanding those who have come before you can help you make healthy decisions to either follow in their footsteps or create a healthier lifestyle and improved quality of life.