Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Is wellness getting a bad rap?

Barbara Ficarra, RN, MPA
Conditions
September 4, 2018
Share
Tweet
Share

Let’s face it, “wellness” isn’t going to go away despite some of the backlash.

In my opinion, wellness is at the intersection of science, medicine, and health.

Simply, wellness means health and happiness. No matter where you are on your health journey, you can achieve your wellness goals which can help you live a healthier life. Wellness rituals that focus on prevention and self-care can do the body, mind, and spirit good.

Merriam Webster defines wellness: the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal lifestyles that promote wellness.

I’d like to take the definition a bit further.

Wellness is about living every day well. It’s about living joyfully in sync with your innermost self. It’s about nourishing your mind, body, and soul. It’s mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being. It’s about designing a life you love with passion and purpose.

Wellness is healthy living. It’s thriving, not just surviving. It’s taking small steps every day for a healthier and happier you.

Healthy eating, fitness, socialization and relationships, all encompass wellness. Learning to stress-less and sleep better is wellness. Designing a healthy and happy home is also wellness — it’s keeping your physical living space in sync with who you are — your home is a place to nourish the soul.

Wellness is using healthy design in your home and workplace. It’s about a healthy environment. It’s healthy cities and sustainability.

Listening to music, art and travel are all tied to wellness. It’s about positive thinking and meditation, it’s about mastering the moment with wonderment and enthusiasm. It’s about appreciating nature, and getting outdoors.

It’s about disregarding self-destructive behaviors—such as smoking and illicit drugs. It’s about enjoying a glass of red wine, and drinking in moderation. It’s about gratitude and laughter, it’s about calm and bold confidence that empowers you to live well every day.

Focus on what you can do to take steps to live a healthier and happier life. Begin by creating a vision [bliss] board — one for you [life] and one for your home. Choose three goals each — life and home — ones that you want to achieve. [I’ll share more on this in upcoming posts.]

While wellness may be getting a bad rap, we need to embrace it.

ADVERTISEMENT

The caveat to wellness is when you do something you don’t want to do. Everyone is different. Don’t try to keep up with the Jones’, do what you know if best for you. There are some bizarre claims out there, be better than that, just don’t buy into them. For example, undergoing acupuncture with live bee stings instead of needles. Just because this practice is out there, it should raise a red flag.

Always, do what’s best for you, and always be a proactive health and wellness consumer. Do your homework, ask questions, and live your best well life.

Barbara Ficarra is a journalist, speaker, and founder, Healthin30.com. 

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

4 tips for starting a budget in residency

September 4, 2018 Kevin 0
…
Next

It's time for hospitalists to be engaged with opioid use disorders

September 5, 2018 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
4 tips for starting a budget in residency
Next Post >
It's time for hospitalists to be engaged with opioid use disorders

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Barbara Ficarra, RN, MPA

  • The thorny side of medical marijuana

    Barbara Ficarra, RN, MPA
  • Nancy Snyderman shows indifference for her role as a medical communicator

    Barbara Ficarra, RN, MPA
  • Sandy’s wrath is no match for nurses’ strength

    Barbara Ficarra, RN, MPA

Related Posts

  • Wellness initiatives can start in the medical library

    Sheryl Ramer
  • TikTok in the time of COVID: an unexpected wellness tool for health care workers

    Manya J. Gupta, MD
  • Shortening time in medical school is a bad idea. Or is it?

    Charles Dinerstein, MD, MBA
  • The USMLE Step 1 score reporting change looks bad. Here’s what it gets right.

    Bethany M. Erb
  • Doctors: It’s time to unionize

    Thomas D. Guastavino, MD
  • What it’s like to write about COVID-19 while it’s killing your mom

    Debra A. Shute

More in Conditions

  • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

    Carlos Nunez, MD
  • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

    C. Nicole Swiner, MD
  • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

    Sarah White, APRN
  • How deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is transforming mental health care

    Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD
  • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

    Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN
  • What if medicine had an exit interview?

    Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • When credibility is your only asset: the cautionary tale of DrKoop.com [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

      David Fischel | Conditions
    • Why gambling addiction is America’s next health crisis

      Safina Adatia, MD | Conditions
    • The man in seat 11A survived, but why don’t our patients?

      Dr. Vivek Podder | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why recovery after illness demands dignity, not suspicion

      Trisza Leann Ray, DO | Physician
    • Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • When credibility is your only asset: the cautionary tale of DrKoop.com [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

      C. Nicole Swiner, MD | Conditions
    • The food-drug interaction risks your doctor may be missing

      Frank Jumbe | Meds
    • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • The weaponization of rules: How regulatory overreach puts physicians and health care at risk

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • When credibility is your only asset: the cautionary tale of DrKoop.com [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

      David Fischel | Conditions
    • Why gambling addiction is America’s next health crisis

      Safina Adatia, MD | Conditions
    • The man in seat 11A survived, but why don’t our patients?

      Dr. Vivek Podder | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why recovery after illness demands dignity, not suspicion

      Trisza Leann Ray, DO | Physician
    • Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • When credibility is your only asset: the cautionary tale of DrKoop.com [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

      C. Nicole Swiner, MD | Conditions
    • The food-drug interaction risks your doctor may be missing

      Frank Jumbe | Meds
    • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • The weaponization of rules: How regulatory overreach puts physicians and health care at risk

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Is wellness getting a bad rap?
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...