Embracing Holistic Well-Being During National Wellness Month

Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, 254-327-8012
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National Wellness Month in August is a time to acknowledge the importance of focusing on holistic well-being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. From outdoor recreation, exercise and nutrition to prayer and personal resilience, five Baylor University faculty experts share practical strategies for fostering stronger holistic well-being.

Get outside

Christopher Wynveen, Ph.D., professor of recreation and leisure services at Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, focuses his research on outdoor recreation and natural resource management and says simply being outside can increase overall wellness in a variety of ways. 

“We know that physical activity can lower blood pressure, help with weight control, improve your mood and much more,” Wynveen said. “The interesting fact is that being active outside in a natural environment increases the physiological benefits through cardiovascular health and sociopsychological benefits beyond physical activity alone.” 

Wynveen says that outdoor recreation can impact four areas:

• Mental restoration – through decreased stress, emotional well-being and lower levels of depression.
• Spiritual development – and sense of a connection to God while experiencing the awe of creation.
• Pro-social behavior – with empathy for others, increased sense of community and decreased social anxiety.
• Personal development – by increasing creativity, intellectual exploration and production and developing self-efficacy and self-reliance. 

Wynveen encourages people to get outside, enjoy the fresh air and feel the benefits. And it doesn’t have to be in a park. Just going into your backyard will work. 

“To quote John Muir,” Wynveen said, “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
 

Sports and exercise 

With a research focus on sports and faith, Andrew R. Meyer, Ph.D., associate professor of sport foundations in health, human performance and recreation in Baylor’s Robbins College, fully understands how playing sports and exercising can directly improve a sense of well-being and help someone grow as a person. He says sports and exercise can benefit both body and spirit in three ways:

• New challenges – Sports and exercise allow people to try new things. Even if they have spent years in a sport or engaging in exercise, there is always room to improve and seek out new challenges, pushing their own physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries.
• Physical activity – As inherently physical activities, sports and exercise have us moving our bodies through space. Over time we can gain a sense of our relationship to environments which can be humbling and confidence-building at the same time.
• Building character – We often hear that sport builds character. But this does not always mean that through our participation we are developing “good” character traits. Exercise through sport provides an opportunity to challenge what “good character” means and develop more inclusive definitions of how sport and exercise can benefit individuals and communities.

Daily nutrition

A healthy diet plays a crucial role in enhancing overall well-being by providing the body with the necessary nutrients it needs to function optimally. Baylor nutrition professor LesLee Funderburk, Ph.D., R.D., whose research based in Robbins College identifies the best practices to promote good nutrition, says eating healthy foods not only supports physical health but also contributes to mental clarity and emotional stability. Funderburk offers ideas to incorporate nutritious choices in daily meals. 

• Fruits and vegetables – Increase your fruit and vegetable intake by at least 1-2 servings per day. An easy way to do this is to make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Portion size – Be aware of portion sizes and consider using smaller serving plates/bowls to decrease your overall calorie intake. When eating out, share an entrée or take half of it home for another meal, and order a side salad or veggies instead of fries.
• Dairy – Consume 1-2 servings of dairy per day, preferably fat-free or 1% options like milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt and cheese.

Healthy prayer life

A healthy prayer life can be an essential part of wellness, says Angela Reed, Ph.D., associate dean for academic affairs, associate professor of practical theology and director of spiritual formation at Baylor’s Truett Seminary. Reed's passion for spiritual formation and church life extends beyond academics to the practical, and she offers four specific ways to find healthy prayer rooted in the love and compassion of God.

• Listening – Spend time reading scripture or a devotional book, listening to audiobooks or sermons to fully hear the message. 
• Contemplative – Spend time in silence, focusing on simply breathing and contemplating your love for God.
• Gratitude – Express your gratitude to God through prayer and service. 
• Confession – Ask for intercession recognizing God's relation to humans is not merely individual, but social.

“We know that prayer is most fruitful when it is honed by regular practice and becomes a habit of everyday life," Reed said. "In this process, we set aside the natural focus on looking for information and simply open to God's formational calling."

Personal resilience 

Jim Marsh, Ph.D., Baylor’s Dean of Student Health and Wellness, has found that building resilience – often known as “ordinary magic” – leads to stronger well-being.

“Resilience has been called ‘ordinary magic’ because it is something we all have inside of us. The good news is that we can grow and learn how to be more resilient,” Marsh said, offering four ideas for building resilience:

• Mindfulness/relaxation – Incorporate some simple relaxation practices into your life such as 4x4, sometimes referred to as box breathing – exhaling to a count of four, holding your lungs empty for a four-count, inhaling at the same pace, and holding air in your lungs for a count of four before exhaling and repeating. Practice these skills and use them before class, important meetings or starting big projects.
• Strengths – We all have strengths, things we are good at. Take a moment to identify what your strengths are. An online tool such as StrengthsFinder can help do this or visit with a good friend to ask what they see as your personal strengths. 
• Relationships – We are not meant to go through this world alone. We need the help of other people in our lives. Grit alone isn’t enough, and eventually, it can’t be sustained. During National Wellness Month, think of a friend you haven’t connected with in a while and reach out to them. 
• Joy – Identify the simple things in your life that bring you joy and help you reset. Maybe this is going for a run, walk or a bike ride. It could be listening to music or spending a little extra time with your pet who’s been missing you all day. 

Resilience, Marsh says, is a combination of “Struggle+Settle+Story+Strength.” 

“When you face a challenge, take a step back to settle yourself,” he said. “Practice relaxation or one of the things that bring joy. Next, reach out to a friend and share your story. Build support. And finally, reengage the situation by using your strengths. Lead with what you are good at.”

National Wellness Month offers a valuable opportunity to embrace a holistic approach to well-being, encompassing physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. These diverse perspectives emphasize the importance of integrating wellness practices into daily life, ultimately fostering a stronger, healthier and more fulfilling life. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.