Creating Your Wellness Sanctuary

The 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness are the keys to a happy, healthy life. No pill, potion, product or program that excludes these values will succeed for long. Any approach to wellness that you embrace will be enhancedA and will have the greatest chance of lifelong success if it is built upon a foundation of the 10 Essentials.

The difference between wellness and illness is not so much the difference between "knowing" and "not knowing" the 10 Essentials; instead, it is the difference between "knowing" and "actually doing" the actions associated with true wellness. Do you agree? Then you will also agree that you not only need knowledge, you also need desire and a helpful setting. You need a wellness sanctuary!

Your sanctuary

What is a "wellness sanctuary"? It is a place and time where you can practice your wellness principles. It should be a stress-free zone, free from conflict. It should be a noise-free zone, where chatter and distractions are minimal or eliminated. It should be pleasant to all of your senses. Your sanctuary needs to be a place of rest and peace.

Your home or garden could be your wellness sanctuary. Or it could be a favorite room, or even a small space within a room. The idea is to make your sanctuary space a place where you can retreat from the relentless stress of the day. So you want to create an environment (big or small) that is conducive to your physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. Also remember, setting up your sanctuary and your wellness regimen is typically not achieved overnight. It could take some time to work it all out, so set SMART goals:

•Specific as to time and place
•Measurable in their application
•Achievable given the reality of your world
•Reasonable with respect to commitments you have already made
•Timely in their execution

A very useful step we can take toward creating a sanctuary is to designate a specific time and place. Some people make their bedroom their first place of refuge, and then commit to specific do not disturb times for self-care. For example, some turn off their cell phones and retreat to their sanctuary (bedroom) an hour before they actually plan to sleep. There is no computer or television in their bedroom; the light is low and the colors are soft. Many will also journal their progress in applying the 10 Essentials to their lives (they journal with pen and paper, not an electronic gizmo) and meditate on ways to better apply what they know in pursuit of their goals.

Taking time for wellness

Once you have established your sanctuary "place," it's critical to also establish your sanctuary "time." How much "me time" can you commit to on a regular basis? What time is best for you? What will you accomplish during this time?

Morning – in the morning hours, you could physically exercise and mentally prepare for your day by:

•Engaging in a minimum of 30 minutes of activity, most days of the week, to satisfy Essential #5 (note: the healthiest cultures on earth spend about 2 1/2 hours daily in physical activity).

•Planning your meals in order to get the most nutrition from them (Essential #4) and beginning your daily water intake (Essential #2).

•Thinking about how you will...give and receive love during the day (Essential #6)...focus on specific things and people for which you are grateful (Essential #8)...set your spiritual compass for the day ahead (Essential #10).
Evening – during the latter part of the day, you could commit to greater health by:

•Practicing deep breathing for 20 minutes (Essential #1).

•Quieting your mind in preparation for 7 1/2 to 9 hours of peaceful sleep (Essential #3).

*•Let go of any lingering resentments from the day (Essentials #7 & #9).
Added Support

To make the most of your "sanctuary time," it pays to be in a calmer state of body and mind. If you have trouble reaching this state, then there are two supplements in particular that could be added to your daily regimen.

•Body – to help your body reach a calmer state, you can take Adaptogen 10 Plus®. Its unique blend of ingredients is specifically targeted to help your body better adapt to and overcome all the stresses of today's hectic world.

•Mind – to help your mind reach a more calm, relaxed and focused state, you can take Sublingual B-12. Many adults have a B-12 deficiency due to aging and diet, so you definitely want to check this out and see how it could help your own situation.
In Conclusion

For complete wellness, you need to learn and live the The 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness. And to help you best incorporate the 10 Essentials, you would benefit greatly by establishing a specific sanctuary of time and space and commit to it. You can always start small, and then later expand your self-care activities as your circumstances permit. But in any case, the goal is to create your very own personal haven of wellness.

TriVita's Weekly Wellness Report [weeklywellnessreport@trivita.com]