Well-being describes our happiness, confidence, physical condition and general outlook on life. It is about feeling good and taking care of yourself; responsibilities that can often be neglected when juggling the rigorous demands of every day living in the 21st century.

Well-being and healthy living go hand-in-hand. Healthy living goes beyond eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and avoiding illness. It also reflects the mental, emotional and social aspects of an individual’s life. The key aspects of healthy living can be broken down into the following elements.

Your Body

Maintaining good health by preventing or reducing the risk of disease and by being more aware of personal safety is an important feature of well-being. Of course, many aspects of our health are beyond our control and are related to factors such as family history, genetic make-up and the natural consequences of growing old. That said, there are steps we can take to improve our health so that we lead more active and fulfilling lives and increase our chances of living longer. By avoiding activities such as smoking and excessive drinking, we can significantly reduce the risk of certain diseases (e.g. heart disease, some types of cancer and respiratory problems) and improve the quality of our lives. By getting involved in routine monitoring of cholesterol levels and blood pressure, we can also make necessary changes to our lifestyle before these potential problems become serious.

Your Diet

"You are what you eat." Adopting a balanced and varied diet is vital to a person’s well-being and can have a major impact on how we look and feel about ourselves. Many of us are fortunate enough to have a wide range of foods available and the key to a well balanced diet is selecting a combination of foods to meet our body’s nutrient needs. We are advised to maintain a healthy body weight, eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, reduce fat and salt intake and generally not over-indulge. At the same time, it is important that we enjoy our food. Eating a meal can be a social experience; a time to talk to others and relax.

Your Daily Routine

Regular physical exercise should form part of everyone’s daily routine and is particularly important for young people. Exercise helps to build up stamina and strength and manage body weight. We may even enjoy ourselves in the process! Walking, cycling, jogging and swimming are all ways of staying fit, and some people enjoy the added social benefits of team sports. Getting involved in community activities and cultural events can also be stimulating and rewarding, particularly in terms of our mental and emotional health.

Your State Of Mind

"Healthy body, healthy mind." Maintaining a positive outlook, by interacting with others and getting involved in continuous education and training, can contribute to well-being. Try to reduce the levels of stress in your life. Meditation, relaxation and effective organization at work can all help us deal with stress.

Your Environment

Whilst our financial status, employment, housing and access to health and leisure facilities are sometimes out of our control, we can take steps to make the most of what we have. It is vitally important to be aware of the impact that your environment has on you and others around you, particularly your children.

“The quality of a life is determined by its activities”

—Aristotle

By sticking to these basic principles and adopting a healthy attitude to life, we can improve our quality of living. Well-being is not just about avoiding illness and staying fit. It also depends on us making sound choices, remaining in control of our lifestyle and above all, enjoying ourselves!