Joanna Adduci
Editor of Features
It’s time to get off the couch and get active. Wellness Week 2012, March 19-25 encourages healthy habits through the offering of half price specials on health and nutrition related specials throughout the country. Local gyms, spas and restaurants join together to promote and celebrate good health lead by renowned health advocate, Mariel Hemingway.
Wellness Week events include free fitness classes, discounted spa services, skin analysis and nutritional guidance. The national initiative is broken down into various outlets: spas, wellness lifestyle, healthy eating, travel and numerous local events correlated to wellness week including a destress guide, the importance of H20 and natural healing.
Take a break and meditate. Spas throughout the five boroughs are offering unbelievable deals on various treatments such as laser treatments and hot stone massages. With 50 percent off of the original price, many of the stress-buster deals are under $30. Many students are unaware of the benefits wellness-inspired deals have in increasing the quality of life. Craniosacral therapy explores the importance of stimulation of the scalp and upper spine, increasing overall circulation. Aromatherapy can aid digestion and decrease stress within the body. Exercise can battle anxiety and depression, boost morale and even help while quitting smoking.
Put down the burger and eat something colorful. Incorporate vegetables and fruits into your day and you’ll overall health and focus will improve greatly. The Chicago Health and Aging Project suggests that eating three or more servings of green, leafy, cruciferous and yellow vegetables could improve mental performance. Kale, beets, romaine lettuce, yellow and red peppers are a few great examples of vegetables to incorporate into your diet. Food can be delicious and healthy, try to find snacks with under 200 calories and low fat and sugar content. Common ingredients such as cinnamon and dark chocolate are also significantly important to overall health, delivering antioxidants and regulating blood sugar.
Go online and find ways to de-stress, meditate and tons of yummy recipes. The Web-site, spafinder.com/wellnessweek is the perfect platform to begin your healthy initiative by pledging and committing to a week of wellness. Multimedia including video and connections to various social networking is available and should be utilized, as they are great resources for a healthy lifestyle. A large portion of the movement is founded on a healthy breakfast, including foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, seeds, nuts and whole-grain cereals. As the website explains, breakfast = weight loss. Not only does breakfast aid with potential weight loss but also decreases the risk of obesity and diabetes.
Pledge to Wellness Week 2012 and choose to eat a healthy breakfast, move, hydrate, connect with nature, make sleep a priority, embrace the power of touch and honor the gift of silence. The movement recommends 10 minutes a day “unplugged,” in which all electronic devices be shut off. Over stimulation is a major problem in our society, and just 10 minutes of downtime is to the brain what “sleep is to the body,” says Dr. Michael Rich of Harvard University.
Wellness Week 2012 works to connect the individual to him/herself as well as nature. The power of touch, in the form of massage, can significantly reduce stress hormones and boost immunity. According to the Web-site, stress is responsible for 75 percent of all doctor visits. The importance of sleep is critical to overall health, as deprivation of sleep can lead to serious chronic diseases, shorten lifespan and increase the risk of obesity. Incorporating outdoor activity into daily tasks is stressed and critical- reducing stress, improving mood and leading to an overall increase in psychological and physical well-being.
St. John’s students can take advantage of the gym on campus or take simple steps such as using the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther from campus, focus on protein and vegetables for meals and take 10 minutes a day to observe and appreciate the silence. To pledge to Wellness Week 2012 and find events, deals and local classes visit their website and commit to a healthier lifestyle.
