UNION COUNTY VOICE, 2004

Wellness Lies with Family Ties

As a nation, “we are overweight, overscheduled and overstressed,” says Virginia Clark Johnson, PhD, Dean of the College of Human Development and Education at North Dakota State University. “Statistics show that Americans need help with wellness. Obesity is at an all time high, especially among children, and family concerns are increasing due to divorce and single parenthood. Having a support network and positive role models, as well as participating in family-oriented activities, are vital to emotional and physical well-being and to success in life.”
        Undoubtedly, wellness has become a critical issue in today’s society, with costs for physical and mental health care continually on the rise, and mounting problems surfacing at both home and in the workplace. Still, experts remain optimistic about our state of wellness and point to the family unit as a highly effective tool to prevent and overcome many obstacles and achieve overall wellness. 
        “The family can be viewed as a system that promotes wellness through interaction and support. This system can include grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc.,” notes Lanie Kessler David, a licensed clinical social worker and a partner of the Mind Body Wellness Center in Summit, New Jersey. “A lot of stress comes from uncertainty. With appropriate planning, however, the family can foster a sense of stability and serenity.”
        So, in these hectic times, how can you and your family acquire and maintain emotional, physical and spiritual wellness? There are a variety of ways, and all they require are a little organizing and prioritizing. As Dr. Johnson points out, cultivating wellness should be a part of everyone’s schedule.

The Importance of Ritual
Beneficial to family as well as individual wellness, ritual encourages bonding and belonging and provides a structure for optimal mental health. Aside from traditional holiday get-togethers, rituals can include daily dog walks, regular family dinners or weekly bicycle rides. “Rituals can be small in scope,” says David. “What is important is that they be done consistently and that they give family members the opportunity to connect with one another.” Research has shown that in families that frequently eat supper together, children perform better in school and exhibit emotional well-being.    
 
Finding Balance
Extracurricular activities make for well-rounded individuals, but overscheduling can stress children and parents alike and negatively impact a family’s state of wellness. Both David and Dr. Johnson agree that balance is essential to wellness and that after-school activities should be limited and carefully planned.  “A child who is booked every afternoon has a lot of extra responsibility, and mom gets tired from shuttling all over town, ” David offers. “Kids need free time to just play and create their own fun. A  large part of wellness springs from creativity.” In discussing your calendar of events, get every member’s input as to how each activity would affect the family, and consider family finances as well.

Nutrition, Fitness and Recreation
We all know that eating right and exercising regularly contribute to physical wellness. Although many of the fad diets can enhance weight loss, they do not represent a lifelong manner of eating. Following the food pyramid, with the correct balance of proteins and carbohydrates, and drinking a lot of water remain the mainstays for good nutrition. In families, parents serve as the primary role models for their children and can guide them in living a healthy lifestyle. “Basically, it’s a practice what you preach mentality,” Dr. Johnson says.
        So, too, is the case with fitness. And a simple activity such as hiking not only engages family members in exercise, but also puts them in touch with nature, which is fundamental to the mind-body connection. Family fitness does not have to be elaborate; it merely requires a little imagination, planning and exertion.
        A growing movement toward yoga for school-age children has provided another way for parents and kids to bond, while learning to cope with stress and improve mobility. Yoga, along with other complementary practices such as massage and self-hypnosis, have proven advantageous for the younger set — particularly children with chronic asthma, for whom these therapies may help limit attacks and ease anxiety.
        Family vacations also play a part in wellness. “Being away from it all gives us a panoramic view of life and a perspective on what is really important. We return home reconnected, at peace and with more gratitude,” says David. Vacations need not be long or cost a lot of money; camping, for example, is inexpensive and a perfect weekend getaway.               

Stimulating Your Spiritual Side   
Connecting with oneself and family is the crux of spiritual wellness. Perhaps one of the best strategies for doing so is through hobbies or interests, which can satisfy intellectual, creative and social needs. “Hobbies are one more ‘ball’ in the balancing act, but they are important to have for wellness,” offers David. “Often, pastimes that are started in childhood are continued through adulthood. Parents should introduce their children to different things and even hand down their own interests. Hobbies are a good way for families to interact on a spiritual level.”

“Everything we experience affects us physically and mentally, so our whole bodies need to be nourished,” David adds. “Wellness just doesn’t come, however. It involves educating ourselves, sitting down as a family to look at all these different aspects of wellness and planning activities accordingly — and if necessary, seeking help from a professional.”