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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Keep It Strong: Mind — Body — Spirit

Wikipedia defines fitness as a general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition. To me, the achievement and sustainment of good health requires a holistic regimen because fitness is not just about keeping the body strong; it’s also about nurturing the mind and spirit.

My promotion of holistic fitness stems from a discussion I had with a high school friend. She is a licensed psychologist and has experience counseling children with a range of learning and behavior challenges. We discussed holistic treatments for children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) because my daughter was diagnosed with the disorder at age five. Following a holistic health regimen is an unending — but very worthwhile — challenge because every member of my family benefits. In addition to better managing my daughter's ADD, my husband is lean and mean. Plus, I have more energy and a number of strategies for managing stress.

Each week, look for one or two comments — from me — to feed discussion about fitness for the mind, body and spirit. Also, I will link you to relevant online resources and articles.

Mind – When my brain feels fatigued, I spend 10 minutes solving crossword or Sudoku puzzles; or I play Scramble on Facebook. What recharges you?

Body – I strive to workout at five days a week for 30 minutes each session. Sometimes, I only get in three days; especially during busy times such as the holidays. If I miss, I don’t break into a cold sweat. I just try to do better the following week. How do you feel when a workout is missed?

Spirit – Meditation/prayer is my catalyst for generating “big picture” ideas, fueling creativity and gaining clarity. How much time do you devote to spiritual development each day/week?

Helpful links…

Good Enough Just As We Are from Laura Harvey, editor of the Daily Word. I found this post to be very insightful, important and timely.

Get Some Sleep from Lisa Shives, M.D., Sleep Expert, CNN's The Chart Blog. This post brings back memories. Before children, I made numerous flights from Detroit to Las Vegas and to various cities in California to manage tradeshows. I would wake up at 4/4:30 am (I am not an early bird) so that I could manage EST action items in additon to my tradeshow responsibilities.

The information/commentary on this page is not and does not intend to convey health advice. I am a work-at-home mom with two children who have delays with fine and gross motor skills. Advocation of a consistent, balanced fitness program is a necessary component to their intervention plan; and has promoted a sustained active lifestyle in my family. It is intended to encourage discussion about timely health-related topics. For personal health advice, please consult with a physician, medical professional, personal trainer, nutritionist, or fitness expert.