In the culture of medicine, many operate from a problem-based approach. Most people don’t go to see their doctor until they have a problem. Most people really won’t see a counselor until they have a problem. There is a focus on going to a clinic to receive care but primarily when there is something wrong, not to prevent things from going wrong or to stay well. So, for a moment, I’d like to focus on ways to stay well rather than ways to address a problem once it exists.
Dr. Pamela Fullerton developed an easy acronym to help us remember our wellness: SEEDS. Sleep, Eating, Exercise, Doctors orders, and Self-care. Let’s review each item.
- Sleep
The number of recommended hours varies depending on age. For adults, doctors recommend at least 7 hours of sleep per night. There are many ways to improve sleep hygiene and to get good sleep such as setting a bedtime routine, limiting screen time before bed, and practicing relaxation techniques.
- Eating (Diet)
While there are a great variety of diets for proper nutrition and one should consult with their doctor or a nutritionist for more information, there are some general guidelines for a healthy diet. Four overarching guidelines from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include: following a healthy dietary pattern at every stage of life; customizing a nutrient dense food and beverage basis to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, budgetary considerations; focusing on meeting food group needs with nutrient dense foods and beverages to staying within calorie limits; and to limit food and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fats, sodium, and alcohol content.
- Exercise
Exercise is the third important part of SEEDS. The American Heart Association recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to intense aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity. The American Heart Association also recommends adding moderate to high intensity muscle strengthening exercise at least two days per week. Spending less time sitting – even doing light-intensity activities – can offset some risks of being sedentary. In short, move more with higher intensity and sit less.
- Doctor’s orders
While there are general recommendations for all parts of wellness, it is important that you consult your healthcare provider to develop a plan that works for you and any unique parts of your health and lifestyle. Sticking to the plan you develop in conjunction with your provider is important to ongoing wellness.
- Self-care
Lastly, self-care. This one can be tricky and there are many different interpretations of self-care that can make it difficult to understand and practice. WHO’s current working definition of self-care is: “The ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider”. The Global Self-care Federation outlines a few steps including making healthy lifestyle choices, avoiding unhealthy lifestyle habits, making responsible use of prescription and non-prescription medicines, self-recognition of symptoms, self-monitoring, and self-management.
This is a great working definition of self-care and is an important part of wellness. I’d like to add one more aspect that goes hand in hand but is often forgotten: community care.
Community care recognizes that we cannot fully care for ourselves in isolation and that when people act in community with one another, the entire community can help heal each other and become stronger. Self-care is often seen as selfish. However, when it is utilized properly, self-care is a very important part of community care. When each of us is better cared for, we can better care for each other. With this in mind, here are some questions you might ask yourself to understand what self-care and community care may look like in your life:
- What are my needs?
- What are my unique strengths that I can offer?
- How much time and energy do I have?
When considering your answers to these questions, you might also consider if any of these options feel appropriate to you:
- Checking in with loved ones
- Seeking out and building safe spaces
- Sharing your talents and skills
- Celebrating in community
- Advocating for collective change
Each of us may resonate differently with these considerations and it is important that you find what works for you. To recap, focusing on SEEDS(C)—Sleep, Eating, Exercise, Doctors Orders, and Self/Community Care—can help you improve your overall wellness, prevent disease, and stay well.
– Julia Phelps is a Licensed Professional Counselor for Health West. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of Idaho and her Master of Counseling degree from Idaho State University. She speaks both English and Spanish and is particularly passionate about mental health in rural and underserved communities.
