

What is Wellness?

101 Questions People Ask About

Health and Wellness –

and for which You've Gotta Have Answers!

Published by Rickey Nguyen at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Rickey Nguyen

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

001: What is wellness?

002: What is the meaning of well-being?

003: What is the meaning of 'quality of life'?

004: Who coined the term 'wellness'?

005: How is wellness present in history?

006: What are the four major dimensions of wellness?

007: What are the different dimensions of wellness?

008: How is wellness related to alternative medicine?

009: How is wellness related to illness?

010: How is wellness related to prevention?

011: How is wellness related to stress?

012: What is a wellness wheel?

013 What is a Wellness Program?

014: What are the different types of wellness programs?

015: What are the different types of wellness?

016: Is it possible to practice wellness on my own? How?

017: How important is it to set wellness goals?

018: How to create wellness goals?

019: I have created my wellness goals, what's next?

020: Why shift one's focus to wellness?

021: What is physical wellness?

022: What is fitness?

023: What is an exercise?

024: Are there simple physical activities for time-conscious individuals?

025: Is it important to stretch before and after a work-out/exercise?

026: How can one stick to a fitness program?

027: What is a balanced meal?

028: What are the benefits of eating a balanced meal?

029: Is there an easier way to plan a healthy diet?

030: How many times a day should I eat?

031: What is a BMI?

032: Why is smoking cigarette bad for the physical well-being?

033: Why is drinking alcoholic beverages harmful to the body?

034: What are the effects of a sedentary or inactive lifestyle?

035: What is sleep?

036: What are the benefits of sleep?

037: Is lack of sleep harmful to the body?

038: What are some techniques in achieving a quality sleep?

039: What is insomnia?

040: Are there ways on how to relieve stress in the body?

041: What is mental wellness?

042: What can one improve mental wellness?

043: What can be a barrier in achieving mental wellness?

044: What triggers mental illness?

045: What is a depression?

046: What are the types of depression?

047: What is an anxiety?

048: What are the types of an anxiety disorder?

049: How can one exercise the brain?

050: How can one relax the mind?

051: What is mental wellness?

052: How to improve one's emotional wellness?

053: How can one identify an emotionally unwell person?

054: What is an anger management?

055: How to control anger?

056: What is an emotional IQ?

057: How can one improve one's emotional intelligence?

058: What does self-esteem mean?

059: What is a relationship and how is it related to emotional wellness?

060: How to maintain a healthy relationship?

061: What is spiritual wellness?

062: How can one improve one's spirituality?

063: What are the barriers in improving one's spirituality?

064: What is a meditation?

065: What are the different types of meditation?

066: What are the things one should avoid during meditation?

067: Is it possible to have spiritual life without a specific religion or God?

068: What is yoga?

069: What are the six branches of yoga?

070: What are the misconceptions about yoga?

071: What is social wellness?

072: How to improve social wellness?

073: What are the signs of a socially ill person?

074: What is a social norm?

075: How to communicate effectively?

076: How to start a relationship?

077: What should one expect from a relationship?

078: What to do when conflicts arise?

079: What is friendship and how important is it in one's life?

080: Why is it important to join an organization or a club?

081: What is an occupational wellness?

082: How to improve one's occupational wellness?

083: How to find a career that suits an individual?

084: How to deal with co-workers and superiors well?

085: How to lessen stress at work?

086: What is workaholism?

087: How to improve work habits?

088: What is time and task management?

089: What is a workplace wellness program?

090: How to stay motivated inside the office cubicle?

091: What is an environmental wellness?

092: How to improve one's environmental wellness?

093: What are the simple ways to protect the environment?

094: What is pollution?

095: What is recycling?

096: How to make the home an environmentally-friendly home?

097: How to organize and de-clutter the bedroom?

098: How can wall colors improve one's environmental wellness?

099: What are the ways to appreciate nature?

100: What is qigong and how does it contribute to one's environmental wellness?

101: What is the importance if involving one's self to environmental activities?

#  INTRODUCTION

Wellness speaks of one's summary of life. In order for a person to say that he/she is living a full life, means he/she is able to enjoy it without stressors, illnesses and challenges.

But in order to make sure that one lives this so-called full life, he/she must learn what wellness is really about, its dimensions and how it can be applied to everyday life. It is actually one thing to learn wellness but it is another to live a well-balanced life.

In this Wellness e-book, one can learn the meaning of wellness and its dimensions. It is also a place where one can fish out simple tips on how to improve one's well-being without giving much effort. The idea of this book is to deliver wellness concepts and practices in a simpler way to make it more accessible for everyone. It wouldn't take much; just a mere sense of interest and drive to live a balanced life. It wouldn't even be costly as most of the advices that this book will share will be something that is already in one's life, all it really asks for are little changes in perspective. Remember, change is good as long as it is for the better.

This book is also an easy read; it asks for general questions and answered in two ways: short answers are provided for people who are in hurry and long answers for in-depth learning. Although, such questions are written in a way to catch one's curiosity and interest; it may be hard to just stick with the short answers and one may end up reading the entire book and asking for more.

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#  001: What is Wellness?

Short Answer: Wellness simply means the process of seeking for a superior quality of life with a balanced lifestyle.

Long Answer: In reaching this superior quality of life, a balanced lifestyle must have a healthy body, sound mind and a rich spirit, although, these three are considered to be general dimensions of wellness. Other dimensions include social, emotional, environmental and occupational wellness. These dimensions are crucial in achieving a healthy sense of well-being; having a good quality of life. Being healthy, though, in this sense doesn't mean a life free of illnesses and stress; it simply means a positive sense of living despite all the challenges.

Nevertheless, wellness has been constantly associated with medicine; which is partly sensible since medicine takes care of the physical body, a part of the wellness process. However, wellness also focuses on other components that heal a person like its emotional state and social relations. Wellness also regards prevention of stress and illnesses as a key part of the process.

There are also other definitions of wellness. Some say that wellness pertains to a process of constantly seeking for improvement towards a more successful life. There are also other definition that says wellness is acceptance and satisfaction. These two definitions seem to contradict each other though; one that seems to very active and the other seems too passive.

However, it always boils down to one general fact that wellness is aiming for a sensible and positive existence. Whether the individual seeks to gain and improve or just be happy with the way things are.

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#  002: What is the meaning of well-being?

Short Answer: Well-being is the state of being well physically, financially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially. It is closely associated with the term, "quality of life".

Long Answer: Well-being in a broader light is the state of being happy with one's existence. Happiness that comes from a good physical condition, a sound mind, a pleasant emotional state, a stable financial status, good relationships to a superior being and to other people.

But the definition of well-being really changes based on usage and context. For instance, if well-being is defined as a state of being well, how can one know that a person is living well? If the term is also defined as a state of having a good life, then what comprises a 'good life'?

These are some of the conflicts of the definition of well-being. It changes based on individual judgment. But usually this term is used in medicine, social context and wellness. However, in the framework of wellness, well-being does not go alone, it is usually accompanied by the word 'balanced'.

Now, if one speaks of a "balanced well-being" then its definition may change. Since at this point, one is speaking of 'balance'. A balanced well-being can be measured abstractly based on one's allocation of time and efforts towards his/her body, mind, spirit, finances, emotions, relationships and other dimensions of existence. There may not be a standard measure on how to gauge the balance of these different dimensions but at least, there is a sense of solidity on the definition of well-being.

The key is to associate the term 'well-being' with another term to grasp a more concrete meaning of the word. But on its own, the term well-being is very fluid and may even be confusing if one will not consider reviewing its usage and context.

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#  003: What is the meaning of 'quality of life'?

Short Answer: Quality of life is a measure of happiness. In measuring happiness, it is important to check one's physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and finances.

Long Answer: Quality of life is subjective and objective in nature. It becomes subjective, when one feels good about one's situation in general. It becomes objective on the other hand, when one feels good whenever there is something gained; whether it is good health, new friends or wealth.

But frequently, 'quality of life' is solely allied with standard of living. But in reality, happiness is not solely based on one's financial privileges or capacity. Different studies had already been conducted that proves happiness is not solely influenced by finances alone. Happiness is influenced by many other factors, and not just the amount of money that one has.

In the medical field, 'quality of life' pertains to one's ability to live a normal and able life. For instance, a vehicular accident patient that needed an arm surgery may not be able to use his/her arm the way he/she used it prior to the accident. This affects his/her 'quality of life'. It may be expressed as a decrease in 'quality of life' since the patient may not be able to function as normally as he/she would like to.

In the field of wellness, the meaning of 'quality of life' becomes more intangible since measuring one's level of happiness may be affected by more than one aspect of existence which is called the dimensions of wellness.

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#  004: Who coined the term 'wellness'?

Short Answer: It is hard to pinpoint who is responsible for the existence of the term 'wellness' but based on history, the very first person who publicly used the term was Dr. Halbert L. Dunn in the 1950's.

Long Answer: Dr. Halbert L. Dunn was a prominent figure in his field. He established the national vital statistics system in the United States of America and considered to be the 'father of wellness movement'. Dr. Dunn was the first to use the term wellness (high level wellness) in a series of lectures that he designed and created. These lectures were given at the Unitarian Church in Arlington County, Virginia in the late 1950's.

Soon, the lecture inspired a few individuals that later on turned it into a book called 'High Level Wellness' which was published in 1961. Although, the book did not became an instant hit and very few copies were sold at that time. But the few books that were sold eventually landed in the hands of professionals and well-respected individuals. After a few years, in the 1970's, few inspired individuals made movements that became the foundation of the wellness concept.

Don Ardell is a known wellness advocate, writer and public speaker. He wrote the book entitled, High Level Wellness: An Alternative to Doctors, Drugs and Disease, a best seller at his time and purely inspired by Dr. Dunn's book.

In 1975, the very first wellness center opened thanks to Dr. John Travis. He was a popular face of the wellness movement developing also the first wellness assessment called Wellness Inventory.

Also during the same decade, Elizabeth Neilson, a famous educator founded Health Values: Achieving High Level Wellness, a journal on wellness wherein she served as its editor-in-chief. The same journal was renamed in 1996 as the American Journal of Health Promotion.

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#  005: How is wellness present in history?

Short Answer: It is believed that wellness was present in the early times dated back to ancient civilizations. It is present in the popular ancient civilizations like the Egyptian, Chinese and Greeks.

Long Answer: A famous philosopher named Hippocrates in 370 BC spoke of wellness as:

"All parts of the body which have a function, if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become healthy and well developed and age slowly. But if unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth and age quickly."

The Egyptian civilization, known for their great healers follows a method as described in an ancient manuscript (1600 BC) which follows observational skills, familiarity with the human anatomy and with a mix of superstition and magic. These are solid evidences that spirituality (through magic and superstition) is able to help heal an injured/ill individual.

The Chinese civilization; however is less mythical but more inclined to harmony or balance, which is also important in wellness. Chinese believed strongly in the relationship of human being with its environment, which is a part of the modern wellness that is known today.

Hebrews and Moslems also practiced wellness concepts of today like proper hygienic rituals and diet as part of their religious beliefs. These are manifestation of today's wellness: balance of mind, body and spirit.

There are other civilizations like the Romans, Greeks and Indians, all of which have different processes of healing and maintaining long life through methods that involved the physical, mental, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational and emotional dimensions of wellness.

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#  006: What are the four major dimensions of wellness?

Short Answer: Wellness has four major dimensions: Physical, Mental, Social and Spiritual.

Long Answer: Physical Wellness is the process of achieving a healthy body. It does not necessarily equate to losing weight but a weight that is proportion to the height and a body that is strong enough to match the individual's daily routine. Physical wellness involves different physical activities, nutritional diet and healthy habits.

Mental Wellness pertains to the active pursuit of gaining new knowledge and skills. With every new skill, new knowledge, new hobby that one develops, its mental wellness improves in the process.

Social Wellness means the individual's ability to relate to another. How one treats another being is part of social wellness. It is about exploring new relationships and ability to keep it to have a support system when the going gets tough.

Spiritual Wellness is another dimension that is believed to have helped many individuals throughout time. It is the active pursuit to search for the real meaning of existence, whether it is because of a higher power or not. It is searching and believing that one's existence has a purpose and not pointed aimlessly to nothing.

These four major dimensions must equally be given time and effort to reach a balanced well-being. To deeply understand how a balanced lifestyle means, imagine a tire divided into four major parts, inflating too much of one part will cause the tire to wiggle and lose stability. But an equally inflated tire will be able to move smoothly against any pavement. This model is called the Wellness Wheel.

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#  007: What are the different dimensions of wellness?

Short Answer: Wellness is made up of different dimensions: Physical, Mental, Social, Spiritual, Emotional, Occupational and Environmental.

Long Answer: Physical Wellness pertains to the process of achieving a healthy state of the body. Proper hygiene, exercises, diet and habits are activities that are most important to achieve optimal physical well-being.

Mental Wellness pertains to the drive of an individual to learn new things, develop skills and explore new hobbies for general improvement. Reading, taking up lessons, listening to lectures, attending seminars and researching are just some of the activities that are inclined to mental wellness.

Social Wellness pertains to relating and communicating to another being and building ties with another. The ability and process of making friends and attending social gatherings are just some of the activities involved with social wellness.

Spiritual Wellness pertains to one's search for the meaning and real purpose of one's existence. It may or may not involved religious beliefs or higher power. Spiritual wellness is associated with values that a person believes in like selflessness, non-judgment and discipline.

Emotional Wellness pertains to the process of one's ability to handle life. Any reaction against stress, problems and changes may be associated with emotional wellness. It is said that this dimension is the heart of wellness since it involves how one feels towards a certain something or a given situation.

Occupational Wellness pertains to the search of an individual for his calling. Generally involves work or profession, but deeply associated with how one fits to a certain work he/she is involved with. It is believed that a person in an unhealthy work environment or is unhappy with what he/she does is less productive compared to his co-workers.

Environmental Wellness pertains to how an individual connects, empathize and show concern towards his/her surroundings. It does not generally mean how one connects with plants, trees or animals but it is more of how one takes care of the environment and his/her possessions like his car or his house.

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#  008: How is wellness related to alternative medicine?

Short Answer: Wellness is the pursuit of a person to achieve a balanced well-being. And alternative medicine is actually a wellness program that can help achieve this balanced state. But it is only a part of wellness programs; conventional medicine is also a part of it depending on the need of a situation.

Long Answer: Alternative medicine is actually a program inclined to one's healing of the body. But unlike the conventional healing process that involves synthetic drugs, alternative medicine focuses on natural remedies like herbal medicines, acupuncture, massages, among others.

Alternative medicine is also known as complementary medicine; this is because it is often practiced to complement conventional healing processes. Although, its efficacy is somehow questionable since the alternative medicines are based on cultural or historical beliefs and methods rather than scientific studies and tests.

The orientation of this type of healing is individualized. The healing procedures are based on the individual's spiritual beliefs, motivation, and it promotes self-care. It is somehow very different from the conventional way, since the latter relies on scientific studies based on majority and it is dependent on drugs, physician's judgment and laboratory tests which are measurable.

On the other hand, alternative and conventional medicine also has similarities. Both are inclined in promoting fitness regimens, good nutrition and preventive practices.

But despite the lack of scientific evidences to prove the effectiveness of alternative medicine, its fan base is continuously spreading because of individual testimonials.

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#  009: How is wellness related to illness?

Short Answer: Wellness or more specifically physical wellness pertains to the process of having a healthy body. And illness is one determinant that a body is not physically well.

Long Answer: Going back to the core of physical wellness, it is the process of having a healthy body. To achieve this, different activities like eating balanced diet, exercises, involvement to sports, staying away from smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, having enough sleep, among others are just some ways to protect the body against illnesses.

Illnesses represent the body's inability to perform well due to unhealthy lifestyle. But that does not mean that if one is sick, he/she is automatically unwell. There are other dimensions of wellness that must be considered: how well an ill person faces his physical challenge (illness) is a part of the wellness process.

In ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, illnesses or body conditions are a gauge on how well the person is. There are four bodily fluids that the ancient civilization uses as a basis of one's health and character: yellow bile, black bile, blood and phlegm. An imbalance with these fluids was believed to be illnesses that affect not just the health but a man's character as well. And the ancient method to heal it was to induce vomiting, expel phlegm, bloodletting, among others.

This is partly true. Since, illnesses are results of one's inability to properly take care of his/her body. This represents an individual's failure to discipline one's self. But of course, at present, there are several other healing methods already available to treat illnesses.

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#  010: How is wellness related to prevention?

Short Answer: Wellness is the process of living life to the fullest but it does not mean that one can do anything he/she wants as part living if it generally affects one's well-being. Prevention is the key in order to make sure that illnesses or any other stressors be stopped before it affects the person.

Long Answer: Prevention, as a general definition is keeping something or delaying something from happening. In wellness, when one speaks of prevention, it is the process of hindering an illness, a source of stress, negativity, among others from happening and also promoting healthy habits to further impede such events.

For instance, wellness promotes socialization and enjoyable activities since these are also beneficial for one to have a better quality of life. However, too much of something is also bad. Proper scheduling and allocation of such enjoyment must also be thought of. Also, socialization should not result to staying up too late because the number of hours of sleep and rest are also important.

Such scenarios are the reason why wellness programs always include preventive measures. This way, any person who is dedicated to reach his/her wellness goals is able to meet them. It is a matter of proper allocation of time and effort towards a healthy lifestyle: and of course, in wellness lingo, healthy does not only mean vegetables and exercises. In wellness, balance is everything and improving every dimension of a person's life is the goal of wellness programs.

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#  011: How is Wellness related to stress?

Short Answer: Stress is something that affects an individual in a given situation that may frustrate or disappoint a person. As part of wellness programs, how to deal with such stress (or stressors) are a crucial part of the program since stress usually affects a person wholly that may result to illnesses.

Long Answer: As part of a wellness program, stress management is the program that helps a person deal with stressors, to lessen negative impact on a person and make use of those stress more positively; like use it as a source of motivation rather than frustration.

But why manage stress in the first place? Stress can be in many forms and results to many unwanted conditions: one of which is a weakened immune system. Several researches claim that a stressed out person develops a weak immune system, making their body prone to illnesses such as the common cold, flu or even more serious conditions like heart ailments and diabetes.

Another effect that stress can contribute to a person is bad judgment. Stressed people have the tendency to be confused and out-of-focus making them susceptible to wrong life decisions. Also, most people under stress are resorting to alcoholism, smoking, over-eating, among others, which usually affect not only their body but their mind as well.

Stress management as part of a wellness program suggests different methods on how to reduce stress like yoga, journaling and meditation. A healthy lifestyle like eating balanced meals, having enough sleep, and regular exercises also contributes to stress reduction. Having healthy relationships with family, friends or even a higher being may also help a person deal and manage stress. Lastly, staying focused and organized; knowing which are priorities and not, are important to have a clear mind and resist entertaining stressors.

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#  012: What is a Wellness Wheel?

Short Answer: A wellness wheel is a visual chart of how to allocate effort and time among the four major dimensions of wellness: physical, mental, social and spiritual wellness.

Long Answer: A wellness wheel is like a tire ideally divided equally into four air chambers or parts: each part represents a wellness dimension (physical, mental, social and spiritual). It is a visual representation to show the time and effort given in managing each four dimensions. A balanced wellness wheel shows a perfectly inflated tire, with four equal parts. An unbalanced wellness wheel however shows a tire with unequally inflated chambers.

In the instance that one chamber is given more attention, the part on which the most attention is given shows an over-inflated chamber. The rationale is that, a wheel/tire with the over-inflated chamber, when rolled on the ground shall result to a bumpy ride.

Applied to reality, a person with much attention to one part of the wellness dimension will not be able to function as smoothly because he or she does not live a balanced life. He/she will be vulnerable to stress that will later on result to illnesses.

It's the same when a person does not give much attention to a certain part. It will result to a deflated wheel. And the effect of this will be the same as the over-inflated wheel in the long run.

The basic principle of the wellness wheel is that a well-rounded lifestyle, meaning a person giving time and effort in improving himself in terms of every wellness dimension, shall live a smooth life. On the other hand, the person living an unbalanced lifestyle will probably face many challenges and even illnesses. Time and effort given, in a wellness wheel is represented by the air inflated into the tire.

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#  013: What is a Wellness Program?

Short Answer: Wellness programs are plans and/or methods practiced to attain wellness goals. It may consist of several therapies, practices and plans to achieve desired quality of life or a balanced well-being.

Long Answer: A wellness program consists of several types of strategies and procedures according to the different dimensions of wellness to achieve a balanced well-being. However, there are two major categories of wellness programs: Secular-based and Faith-based.

Secular-based programs are generally worldly by nature. These programs are focused on what a person needs as an individual. For instance, work wellness programs are dedicated for workers/employees. Such programs help employees achieve wellness goals such as increased productivity, morale and loyalty by means of learning how to deal with stress, learning how to prioritize, taking care of their physical body by staying away from bad habits, exercising, among others. There are also other programs dedicated for teenagers, for the aging population or for any other sectors that may need guidance towards a healthy and balanced well-being.

Faith-based programs, on the other hand, are spiritual by nature. Although, the methods may be the same like improving eating habits, creating fitness regimens and the like, the goal of faith-based programs are typically towards the individual's spiritual wholeness. These programs also are based according to one's religion or beliefs. In most cases, a certain faith-based wellness promoter selects program participants according to their religion.

But there are wellness programs supported by religious sectors that do not regard one's religion as a qualification to the program. Also, there are also secular-based programs that use faith-based methods but give more freedom to an individual to interpret one's definition of spirituality.

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#  014: What are the different types of wellness programs?

Short Answer: There are probably hundreds of wellness programs available today that tackles specific or general wellness objectives. The bottom line, however, is that these programs have one thing in common: all programs are dedicated to help attain an individual's wellness goals.

Long Answer: Although, the list of wellness programs may be endless and it continues to grow since individuals have different personalities and different goals. But some of the most popular wellness programs are stress management, fitness programs, work wellness programs, and health and nutrition programs.

Stress management programs are intended for people who need assistance finding out how to manage their stress. Stressed out people are generally out-of-focus, disorganized, without direction and have weakened body. It is because they tend to obsess over stressors: they resort to bad habits like smoking and drinking excessively; and usually they lack sleep. In such programs, participant recommends methods and procedures to help one have a clearer mind. Some meditational practices are also involved in such programs.

Fitness programs are intended to improve physical strength, agility, endurance and power. A physically fit body is less likely to be stressed out and prone to illnesses. As part of a general wellness goal, body management through sports, exercises or other routines are recommended for most to be part or their over-all wellness program.

Work wellness programs are intended to increase employee's morale, loyalty and productivity through a happier and healthier lifestyle. As part of these programs, workers are taught methods on how to manage stress at work, learning how to prioritize and organize, developing healthier eating habits, among others.

Health and Nutrition programs are intended for most individuals, this program promotes eating balanced diet at the right time and amount. As part of this program, habits like smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages and over-eating are highly discouraged as well.

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#  015: What are the different types of wellness?

Short Answer: Types on wellness depends on the individual's wellness goal, personality and background. Some popular types of wellness are geriatric wellness, teen wellness and pet wellness.

Long Answer: Although wellness approaches are generally applicable to all but there are certain situations and circumstances that a specific niche uniquely experiences. And this is why other types of wellness (including development of specifically-designed wellness programs) are available. There are several types of wellness available but some of the popular ones are intended for the aged population, teenagers and even pets.

Geriatric Wellness specializes on the aged population's wellness needs. Basic programs like health and nutrition, fitness, mind exercises and the like are still part of the whole program. But as an addition, there are other programs that help aged individuals when it comes to dealing with a loss of a loved one, declining memory, declining physical health and even accepting illness and other conditions.

Teenage Wellness specializes on the teenagers' wellness needs. Again, like the geriatric wellness, basic programs are also applied on the said type of wellness. However, there are also instances that need specialized programs like dealing with physical, emotional, and mental changes that a teenager has to go through.

Pet Wellness specializes on animal wellness and care. Although, this is totally different as compared to the previous two types, basic wellness programs and trainings are also available that focuses on the pet's physical health. Also, as a pet, these creatures need specialized attention and love from their owners; these are typically part of the program and mostly include the pet owners as well.

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#  016: Is it possible to practice wellness on my own? How?

Short Answer: Yes, although it requires more discipline and focus on your part. There are simple steps on how to improve one's own well-being without the help of wellness professionals. Although it is still recommended to consult these professionals for more complex methods/practices that one might want to try.

Long Answer: Simple steps on how to improve one's well-being are available and highly attainable without seeking guidance and help. But in order to do so, extreme focus, determination, motivation and discipline are required to be successful.

Drink plenty of water. With all the variety of beverages available, most tend to forget that water is a valuable part of a healthy diet. But if you feel that it's not appetizing to drink water, then next time, try to squeeze a hint of lemon with it. It will definitely give a little excitement to drinking water.

Give time for rest and relaxation. Yes, it is important to rest. It will give your body time to recuperate, your mind cleared up and your soul more at sync. A few hours or days of relaxing can give you time to reflect on personal wellness goals and even give you time to re-direct or re-organize your life.

Start walking. Sometimes, allocating 30 minutes to an hour of exercise seems to be hard especially for a working person. But as part of your road to an improved well-being, you will still need to exercise. So, walk. Even for a 10 to 15 minutes. Instead of driving to your meeting, park a block away and walk. Or if you have a dog, walk with your furry buddy regularly. You need to stretch your body once in a while.

Nap or if you can, sleep. Most people tend to take sleep for granted. With all the things we need to prioritize, we put sleep our last priority and this is a time bomb waiting to explode. Sleep deprivation will make a person less productive, efficient and motivated. It affects every dimensions of wellness.

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#  017: How important is it to set wellness goals?

Short Answer: It is very important to set wellness goals because it serves as the finish line. It gives direction to all the effort and time exerted in wellness programs. Without it, an individual may lose track and get lost in the process towards a healthy and balanced well-being.

Long Answer: Just imagine driving along a road without a destination. As an individual drives, he/she is exerting effort, time and fuel. If a person practices wellness methods and procedures without really knowing where to head seems like a waste of energy and time. Goals are there to give direction and focus. A goal-less wellness program is a scattered program. And eventually it will not succeed in any way possible. One cannot leave it to chance to see results, since there won't really be an anticipated result if there are no goals.

Wellness goals however must be according to one's individuality and it must be specific. For instance, a physical goal must have a definite weight loss or gain that must be specified within a given time frame; "I want to lose ten pounds in 3 months" is a good way to plot goals. Another specific goal is "I will be smoke-free starting today". This goal is time-bound and specific.

There are other kinds of wellness goals like "I will start making a daily priority list of things to do". This kind of wellness goal is to be more organized and focused. This kind is usually a part of stress management programs. Ideally, listing things-to-do is crucial to limit stress in one's life.

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#  018: How to create wellness goals?

Short Answer: Just like in creating any other goal, it is important to follow the S.M.A.R.T. rule. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.

Long Answer: In making wellness goals, the SMART way is highly recommended.

Specific. Being specific means learning about one's self and knowing what results are wanted at the end of a specific time frame. Ask question to one's self like "What do I want to attain?", "When and where should I start?", and "who should I ask for help, if I needed one?". These are good questions to start learning your specific objectives.

Measurable. This is easy especially if one of your wellness goals is inclined to one's body. "I want to lose 10 pounds" is an objective and measurable goal. "I will allot 15 minutes every day for walking" is another example. These are measurable and also specific wellness goals.

Attainable. There are specific and measurable goals that seems to be too good to be true. "I will allot 3 hours of my day to work-out and exercises to lose 30 pounds in one week", yes, it is specific and measurable. But to lose 30 pounds may not be healthy as one thinks; gradual decrease in weight is recommended or else, the body may collapse. Also, is 3 hours per day attainable? Just imagine, a regular work day consists of 8 to 9 hours in the office, at least 8 hours of sleep, allot 4 hours for meals and rest, travel time to work may consume 2 hours, and now, what's left is an hour.

Realistic. Of course, all goals must be realistic. Some might have dreamt of becoming a supermodel but let's face it, not all are blessed with height, looks and body. Goals should not be a part of wishful thinking, instead should be a part of life's plan: a concrete solid plan. And it will not be achievable unless it's realistic.

Time-bound. This is the part where one should set the clock running. Goals are made to be attained. Give deadlines to one's self. Do not be afraid, since this is the only way that goals are felt. Give specific time frame when to accomplish goals, "I will lose 10 pounds in 2 months" is highly specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound".

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#  019: I have created my wellness goals, what's next?

Short Answer: Goals are the foundation, but one needs a frame work or a structure to be able to achieve those goals. The next step after creating wellness goals is building an action plan.

Long Answer: An action plan is simply a list of small basic steps towards a goal. One must also include anticipated barriers and challenges that may be present towards one's goal.

For instance, if the goal is to lose 10 pounds in 2 months, first, list down what must be done to achieve this specific goal. Cutting down on sugary foods and carbs is one. Allotting 1 hour everyday for a run or brisk walk is another. Eating salad or any fresh vegetables as snack is also a good idea. But these are perfect until certain barriers may present itself along the way. Overtime at work may mean losing that 1 hour for running. A friend's birthday party may force one to eat more than he/she should. These are called anticipated barriers and in an action plan, there must be a tactic to respond to such scenarios.

So in the case of a friend's birthday party, and one did over ate beyond her usual diet, the action plan for this is to add 30 minutes to the 1 hour of walking and replacing one whole meal with a lighter one.

These are just some of the ways on how to make an action plan with anticipated barriers. Knowing your enemy is the key in attaining wellness goals; if one knows his/her enemy he/she will know how to respond to it. And of course, discipline is also a must.

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#  020: Why shift one's focus to wellness?

Short Answer: There are several reasons why people find a wellness-driven lifestyle is more appropriate for them than the conventional. One of them is expensive health care costs, inability of conventional medicine to explain one's condition, lack of time to seek medical consultation, among others.

Long Answer: However, the main reason behind why people shift their focus to a wellness-driven lifestyle is that with wellness there is more freedom; less invasive procedures; and that the totality of a person is given focus rather than treating specific needs. It is a long-term process with continuous effort but as a result people feel happier and better at responding to any stress or illnesses.

Though, wellness procedures and methods still lack scientific evidences to prove its efficacy, still many people are more at ease with its methods. And because of this, even conventional medicine recommends some wellness methods because based on their experiences; more patients improve their quality of life when treated with a combination of wellness methods and conventional medicine. Thus, wellness methods are also called complementary medicine since more health professionals believe in its ways as well.

And lastly, since wellness is a well-rounded form of processes to increase quality of life. It is a long term process. The idea is not just to treat an illness or stress, but to improve the whole person's well-being to prevent illness, live a healthier lifestyle and have a more positive outlook. This way, a person is also learning how to respond healthily against any illness or stress that he/she may encounter in life.

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#  021: What is Physical Wellness?

Short Answer: Physical wellness is the process of taking care and protecting the body by means of a regular exercise, healthy and balanced diet, staying away from harmful substances such as nicotine and alcohol, having enough sleep and rest, and staying cautious over the things that may harm one's body.

Long Answer: Generally speaking, physical wellness focuses on one's body. A physical wellness program includes a regular exercise; eating healthy and balanced meals; having enough time for rest, sleep and relaxation; staying away from smoking and other unhealthy vices; and protecting one's body from risks like wearing a helmet on a motorcycle or fastening seatbelts once inside a car.

Also, improving one's physical wellness means learning one's body: to have regular check-ups and knowing when to seek professional medical help are also part of it. Learning how to check vital signs and blood pressure will also be part of the process. But it does not mean that one doesn't need to seek medical attention, medical professionals spent a lot of years studying for a reason. Wellness programs are just there to complement and help an individual maximize his/her existence.

In the process of achieving physical well-being, an individual will learn how to appreciate his/her own body, and because of this, one will be much cautious and protective of one's body. Eventually, one will learn that it is better to live with a healthy and sound body with the right exercise, right nutrition, enough time for rest, relaxation and sleep and of course, a body without illnesses or any other conditions.

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#  022: What is fitness?

Short Answer: Fitness is the process of becoming physically fit. And being physically fit means having cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, right body composition and flexibility.

Long Answer: Being physically fit means having the five components of fitness altogether equally. A person who can run 5km per hour may be fast, but it doesn't necessarily mean he/she is physically fit. Even the absence of illness guarantees that a person is fit, though he/she may be on the right track.

The five components of fitness are cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, right body composition and flexibility.

Cardio-respiratory (CR) endurance is the ability of the heart to pump and the lungs to provide oxygen during a physical activity over a length of time. Walking for a few hours without getting short of breath is a sign that you have sustained CR endurance.

Muscular strength is the muscles' ability to perform with force against a resistance. To strengthen muscles, some lift weights and even simply go up and down the stairs. The key is repetition with force: to relax and contract a muscle will eventually make it stronger.

Muscular endurance is the muscles' ability to perform over a length of time without wearing out or being sore. Improving endurance whether muscular or CR involves walking, jogging or even running over a certain period of time, increasing length of time gradually.

Body composition signifies the body's fat, lean muscle, bones and other vital parts. The ratio of fat and lean muscles signifies a body's real state. Weight does not define it all; one may have the right weight (for his/her height) but may have excessive fat in the body. To make sure that the amount of fat and muscles in the body is proportion to one's body requirement, it's best to consult an expert.

Flexibility is the body's ability to maximize joint movements without pain or discomfort. To improve one's flexibility, stretching and swimming are recommended to promote maximize body and joint movements.

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#  023: What is an exercise?

Short Answer: Exercise or specifically a physical exercise is composed of physical activities that enhance the body towards the level of becoming physically fit.

Long Answer: Although physical exercise generally is intended to make the body exert strength, power, endurance, among others towards becoming fit, many people have different reasons why they exercise. Some of the usual reasons are for athletic purposes (for a person doing sports – a sense of accomplishment comes with it), for fun, to lose weight, to socialize and even to release stress.

There are several reasons as well why people should start exercising on a regular basis. Aside from the fact that it improves one's body in a lot of ways, it can also prolong one's life making the body less prone to illnesses.

Some studies also claim that exercise improves a person's mood, eating habits and even confidence. There are also some studies that claim exercise helps smokers quit smoking because it can reduce cravings; the same apply with over-eating.

But exercises must be done in moderation, most especially if the person does not have previous recent physical activities. There are actually 3 types of exercise intensities:

Light exercises include any physical activity that enables you to do other light activities like talking, using one's mobile phones, among others. It does not require too much action pumping activities, walking or even strolling around a park are some examples of a light exercise.

Moderate exercises include any physical activity that will give you a little shortness of breath like brisk walking, going up and down the stairs and even jogging.

Vigorous exercises include physical activities that require focus, intense action and even panting because the body is pushed to perform. Some examples of this intensity are body weigh lifting, sports, and running.

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#  024: Are there simple physical activities for time-conscious individuals?

Short Answer: Yes, there are plenty of exercises available that is too simple for one to feel like it is taking much time or effort. And the good thing about it is that it can squeeze in one's regular routine like walking, taking the stairs instead of an elevator and many more.

Long Answer: The truth is people think finding the time for exercise is hard work. However, if one really is motivated, it is easy to squeeze in a little bit of physical activity without much effort.

Play a video game. No, sitting all day in front of the television holding and pressing a game pad is not a type of exercise. But you can add exercise into it if you play more actively standing up and moving while playing. You can also just get a Wii, and play interactive sports alone or with a friend, it will be much more fun and be safely indoors in the process.

Park a block away. If you're driving to work, why not park a few blocks away? It can give you time to take a walk and stretch your legs for a few minutes of sitting and driving. And you can also take a few minutes for yourself just appreciating the surroundings; the only effort is to wake up a few minutes earlier.

Ride a public transport. Let's face it, riding a public transport can be a hassle sometimes, but it surely burns a bit of calories riding here and there. But if the public transport to your destination is easy, then get off a few blocks away to give you a chance to walk.

Take the stairs. If you happen to work in a not-so high building, take the stairs. Or if it's too high, get off the elevator a few floors before and take the stairs the rest of the way. It's very effective and it will be a good exercise for your joints.

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#  025: Is it important to stretch before and after a work-out/exercise?

Short Answer: Yes, it is very important because it can prevent one from getting injured, increase flexibility and limit soreness.

Long Answer: Stretching is an important part of a work-out regimen because it can help an individual in three major ways: to prevent work-out injuries, increase flexibility and limit muscle soreness.

Ideally, 30 seconds per part of the body must be allotted for stretching both during a pre and post work-out. Body parts are categorized into calves, thighs, hips, shoulders, neck and back. Also remember that bouncing while stretching is a big NO: it can result to a more serious injury. And as much as possible, do not stretch in a hurry, stretching is intended to prep the muscles and joints gradually and not to shock it and make it tense.

Stretching prevents injuries like muscle tear and joint pains. When one stretches out each part of his/her body, certain bodily fluids are released to lubricate the joints to ease movements. This process not only helps avoid joint injuries but over-all flexibility as well.

Aside from that, stretching is the mid-process that the muscle needs from a relaxed phase towards an active phase and vice versa. This process is needed to prevent muscle tear or soreness after a work-out. It gives the muscle time to get active and relax gradually.

But remember, stretching is supposed to be done before and after a work-out: it is not an optional thing wherein one can choose to do a pre or post work-out stretching. Both are needed to ensure that the muscles and joints will be completely functional before, during and even after exercising.

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#  026: How can one stick to a fitness program?

Short Answer: There are several ways on how to remain loyal to a certain fitness program, but it requires motivation, a truckload of discipline and goals to accomplish.

Long Answer: Experts may say that motivation, discipline and goals are keys in sticking with a fitness program. But honestly, it is easier said than done. The problem lies with how to get and stay motivated throughout the whole course of a fitness program: which literally lasts a lifetime.

One way to make one's self stick with the program is to remind one's self why he/she started in the first place. Is it because of a health condition? Is it to have a better and slimmer body? Is it to finally become active and less of a couch potato? Remembering why one started is a good way to stay motivated.

Learn to love it and refrain from dragging one's self everyday out of bed just to work out. If it doesn't make one feel excited, then find other ways on how to do so. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to exercises, one doesn't need to stick with something that he/she doesn't enjoy and love. Consult health advisers and research on other methods that fit one's liking and personality.

Create goals that are achievable and realistic. Make short term and long term goals as well, to make one inspired as he/she accomplishes one goal after another. A sense of accomplishment gets any person motivated.

Lastly, reminisce on the past. Remember the hard work one has already exerted and spent time on. Always think, "If I stop now, then I just wasted all that time and effort". One will feel a sense of accomplishment and appreciation of the experience, and then he/she will feel bad of the possibility of throwing all that up into waste.

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#  027: What is a balanced meal?

Short Answer: A balanced meal consists of 30 to 35% protein, 30 to 35% complex carbohydrates and not more than 30 to 35% fats.

Long Answer: In reality, the body needs macronutrients like protein, fats and carbohydrates to function properly. It is just a matter of choosing the right sources to fill up one's plate. But in order to do so, one must understand what these macronutrients really are.

Protein is needed by the body to function properly. It helps build new tissues in the body as well as repair damaged ones. Good and healthy sources of protein include milk, meat, fish, vegetables and egg, but it must also be consumed in moderation and with care. For instance, instead of always eating pork meat, try to eat more fish meat. It is less fatty but of course, with the right method of cooking: choose from baked, steamed or grilled.

Complex Carbohydrates means starchy foods. Although, the word 'carbohydrates' have a bad notion into it, the truth is, carbohydrates are needed in the body because it is the source of the body's energy. Good sources of carbohydrates include beans, rice, starchy vegetables like potatoes and breads. But just like protein, with all the variety of food to choose from, get the lesser evil. Choose brown rice instead of white, its healthier. Or get the carbohydrates you need from vegetables, one can never go wrong with veggies.

Fats may seem too evil, that some would run away from it. But remember, there are two kinds of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Fats are actually essential in the body because it is the one responsible in hindering inflammation, blood clotting, brain development, and even increased absorption of vitamins especially for the skin. Saturated fats are the unnatural fats from processed foods: these are bad. But unsaturated fats come from natural sources like meat and olive oil. These are generally okay to consume but in moderation, as too much fat is also bad for the body. Good sources of fats are meat, fish and other natural oils and dairy products. But be wise to choose the right sources and never consume more than 35% of fats in one serving.

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#  028: What are the benefits of eating a balanced meal?

Short Answer: Eating a healthy balanced meal is the key in having stronger and healthier body and mind, free from illnesses and stress.

Long Answer: A meal is like a fuel, if one puts the wrong fuel to a car, the engine will definitely break down, and so will the body. It is crucial that a person knows all the risks and benefits involves in whatever they put inside their mouth. There is a saying "you are what you eat"; if one eats the bad stuff then definitely, unfavorable conditions might affect the body. If one eats the right food, then expect better results.

Aside from that, eating a healthy balanced meal reduces the risk of bone loss, kidney malfunctions, diabetes, heart diseases, stroke and even cancers. It also helps in weight maintenance, blood circulation, and proper body functions, among others.

Some people though tend to mistaken a balanced meal to popular diet regimens like low-carbohydrates diet. This type of diet regimens is actually harmful to the body. It will make the body weak since carbohydrates are the source of energy, without it, the body will grow weak and unable to function properly. The better way to go is to maintain a balanced meal with 1/3 carbohydrates, 1/3 protein and not more than 1/3 of fats and other type of food. This way, the body can get the ideal daily requirement it needs for optimal function. However, the exact allocation and measurement of these nutrients must be according to the individual's daily routine/activity. There are health and nutritional experts available for a more detailed and personalized meal plans.

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#  029: Is there an easier way to plan a healthy diet?

Short Answer: For most people, planning a balanced meal is hard work and complicated. And some, do not have all the access to maintain a healthy diet especially those who are always working and on-the go. But one can just choose to eat healthy with all the readily available options available, so yes; there is an easier path to take to make sure one is following the healthier option.

Long Answer: There are four easy ways to make sure you are on the right track towards a healthier diet. But of course, as time goes, one must learn bit by bit the ins and outs of making and preparing a healthy balanced meal.

Say no to processed food and fast food. Processed food has bad fats in it. And aside from that, it contains many harmful chemicals that the body doesn't really need. Instead of eating processed or fast food, stock up on fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries: it's the faster type of food: no need to cook.

Limit salt and sugar intake: too much of these will bring in serious illnesses like kidney malfunction and diabetes. It is okay to put in a little, but remember you can also get these naturally from the food one consumes. So take it in moderation, it's already there so why add more?

One can never go wrong with water. Water hydrates the body and is crucial in most bodily functions. Appreciate the power of water, but if the lack of taste that turns one off, squeeze in a few drops of fresh lemon juice to spice it up a little.

Eat the right way. Sometimes, it is not just a matter of picking the right food, how one eats it also matters. Cooking methods like baking, steaming or grilling are advisable, but frying or especially deep-frying is unhealthy. Chewing the food slowly and surely, instead of gulping everything down in a few seconds is also the right thing to do. It will also give one a chance to appreciate and savor the taste and flavor of the food.

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#  030: How many times a day should I eat?

Short Answer: In a day, an individual must have three major meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Snacks should be at least one in between breakfast and lunch; and one in between lunch and dinner.

Long Answer: Ideally, three major meals and two light snacks are recommended for any individual. But recent studies show that it is okay for a person to eat frequent meals but in small amounts rather than eat just a few times a day but with enormous servings.

Small, frequent meals are favorable since it limits the person's craving to eat more since the stomach is not exactly empty. It is also good since it doesn't over work the digestive organs to digest a lot of food all at the same time, just enough activity a couple times a day will not stress your body.

However, it is ideal that the biggest meal of the day should be breakfast. It must contain all the needed macronutrients to last a day. Lunch must also be complete but with lesser amount than breakfast and dinner must be lighter than lunch. This is because in the evening, when the body goes to sleep, this is the time to allow the body to rest and recuperate. But if one eats a lot at night time, the digestive system tends to work over time.

It is also advisable to rest after eating, but do not lie down, just sit straight and relax. Do not run the moment you're done eating. Give time for the stomach to do his part. Let it work first and don't stress it to work quicker than it should.

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#  031: What is a BMI?

Short Answer: BMI or the Body Mass Index reveals an estimate of fat based on the height and weight of an individual. It is used to initially screen whether a person is obese, overweight, underweight or average.

Long Answer: BMI is used generally by medical professionals as a screening tool, but it does not measure exactly the percentage of fat in the body. It is merely an estimate, with the help of the person's weight and height. The higher the BMI is, approximately, the higher the body fat.

The universal formula to get the individual's BMI is kg/m2 (or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters). Once an individual gets the BMI result, to find out whether he/she is overweight or underweight, he/she must refer to the BMI chart.

BMI Chart is as follows:

Severely Underweight: 16.0 and below

Underweight: 16.0 to 18.5

Average: 18.5 to 25

Overweight: 25 to 30

Obese Class I: 30 to 35

Obese Class II: 35 to 40

Obese Class III: 40 and above

Although, BMI has its limitations, like for instance, women normally have extra fats on their hips and breasts, which do not necessarily be harmful. Or there are certain individuals who weigh more because of muscle mass but these are undetected by a BMI. There are also cases of having too less fat and too many muscles that the BMI cannot measure. But on the average, BMI can more or less predict whether a person needs to lose or gain weight. And it is surely is helpful in giving a hint that there is a weight issue that must be resolved with the help of a medical professional.

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#  032: Why is smoking cigarette bad for the physical well-being?

Short Answer: Cigarette smoking is bad for so many reasons; it is harmful to the body and it is addictive. It is the major cause of heart ailments, lung diseases, and cancer, among others.

Long Answer: The answer to why it is bad may be simple; it is a self-induced poison that can kill a person little by little. As to how, the answer is also simple: its major ingredients are deadly.

Nicotine. As a major ingredient of tobacco cigarettes, nicotine is the compound to blame why smoking is a hard habit to break. It is a natural stimulant that is responsible for the smoker's high. It is the reason behind why smoking makes people feel better. But nicotine is also a poison: in fact, it is used as an effective ingredient in insecticides. And it also a fast worker, it will only take 10 seconds for the nicotine to break down (as the smoker inhales it) and travel to the brain.

Tar. Tar is the brown component that keeps the tobacco burning or else it will be gone in seconds. But as an individual inhales the cigarette, he/she inhales the tar content too. This tar reaches the lungs in time and blocks the air ways and filters found in lungs that later on will cause bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

Carbon Monoxide. It's the deadly gas that smokers inhale. It is the same gas found in a car's exhaust. It is deadly to the environment, and more to people. But as part of cigarette smoking, this gas is directly inhaled into the body. Once the carbon monoxide binds with the different cells in the body, the affected cells are unable to carry as much oxygen to the body. The oxygen supply lowers down to different organs, making them unable to function well. In the long run, these affected cells will die, and so will the organs, and this will result to different illnesses including cancer.

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#  033: Why is drinking alcoholic beverages harmful to the body?

Short Answer: Excessive intake of alcoholic beverages is harmful to the body because it may lead to alcoholism (or the addiction to alcohol), dementia, cancer, diabetes and accidents, among others. But light to moderate drinking of some types of alcoholic beverages are therapeutic in some cases.

Long Answer: Alcoholic beverages are a part of a person's life. It is generally present in social gatherings, celebrations and even as part of a health regimen. In fact, there are several studies that claim that light daily consumption of alcohol (one glass per day) may lower the risk of heart ailments, diabetes and stroke. It also has some scientific claims that a daily dose of light alcohol consumption may prolong life.

But in reality, whether it may be light, moderate or excessive drinking, alcoholic beverages are addictive, can cause major cancer and are one of the top reasons of vehicular accidents.

Some vehicular accidents are actually caused by consumption of alcohol due to its short term effects. Alcohol consumption can instantly cause intoxication and dehydration. Alcohol affects the brain causing drowsiness, delayed reaction, slurred speech and clumsiness. A driver under the influence of alcohol may not function properly; making the driver unfit to follow road rules and proper driving actions.

Another short term effect of alcohol is increased glucose metabolism that makes a person either irritated or for diabetics, it can cause instant death.

On the other hand, long term effects of alcohol consumption in any level can cause metabolic changes in liver and brain functions. Dementia, alcoholism, liver diseases and cancer are just some of the end-results of alcohol consumption.

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#  034: What are the effects of a sedentary or inactive lifestyle?

Short Answer: A person with a sedentary lifestyle, also known as a couch potato. People with the said inactive lifestyle are indirectly prone to preventable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, depression, some cancers, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, among others. Couch potatoes are also believed to have shorter life span than their active counterparts.

Long Answer: People with inactive lifestyle are directly prone to weakening of muscles, joints, and immune system which later on affects their whole body making them prone to more serious but supposedly preventable disease.

One of the major effects of a sedentary lifestyle is weight gain. A few pounds of weight gain that is not proportion with the body can cause major problems in the long run. A few extra pounds could actually give pressure to joints and muscles. The continuous pressure can lead to injuries or discomfort. It will eventually affect the body's ability to move and rest; making the body feels more stressed than it already is.

Sedentary lifestyle also promotes unwanted fats stored in our body. Fats and calories that are not burnt up by exercise can mean health problems. Some fats can stay around a person's organs, making it hard to move and function. Some fats can also stay in the person's blood vessels that can eventually block it.

Also, since inactive people are more prone to weakened muscles and joints, they usually have problems with flexibility which will eventually make them prone to injuries.

The body is designed to move, and without movement, the body becomes disabled. In fact, sedentary lifestyle is among the top three causes of deaths since it contributes to major illnesses all over the world.

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#  035: What is sleep?

Short Answer: Sleep is a type of resting where the person has reduced awareness (to the point of totally being unaware of his/her surroundings), decreased voluntary muscle activity and drop in temperature. Although, physically, the body has reduced activity, sleep increases brain activity as a contrast.

Long Answer: While it is believed that sleep is a type of rest than enables the human body to regain its strength; some studies even claim that sleeping promotes healing of wounds and other injuries. It is also the time wherein the brain has intense activity than most of the person's waking moments. This theory is called "restorative". It is believed that sleep is needed to restore, re-energize and rejuvenate the body for it to function well.

Another theory as to why a person needs to sleep is called "adaptive". It is believed that people who are highly productive during the day may contribute its productiveness to the quality and quantity of sleep he/she had. And so, people sleep to function better: people may need to sleep well as a preparation for the next day's activity.

Although, more studies are required to further analyze why sleep is needed and as to why it is happening. But it is a given fact that without sleep, a person will definitely be disoriented and unable to function.

Lack of sleep or sleep deprivation causes inability to focus, irritability, mood swings, slow reflexes, decreased alertness and drowsiness. Extreme sleep deprivation can cause serious conditions such unpredictable behavior, extreme mood swings, psychological problems and even death.

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#  036: What are the benefits of sleep?

Short Answer: Sleep may seem like a state of inactivity. But in reality, during sleep the body is actively functioning most especially the brain, to do different restorative and detoxification for a healthier body and improved performance as one wakes up.

Long Answer: During sleep, there are several things that are happening within our body that is driven by the brain. It may not seem obvious but each part of the body may be having an activity despite the physical inactivity and consciousness.

Although, the brain is active during sleep, commanding each part of the body to do their own restoration and detoxification while the person is asleep, there is a stage of sleep called the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) wherein the brain becomes highly active. This is the time where the brain consolidates the person's memory and emotions. This may be responsible as to why a person who had a good sleep tends to think things more clearly and more reasonably.

Also when the person is asleep, the body shifts to its anabolic stage where the hormones called the Human Growth Hormones (HGH) is secreted by the body. HGH repairs and maintains body tissues and muscles faster as compared to any waking hours.

The body's immune system is also working overtime during sleep. According to studies, it is when the person is asleep that the body's defense against infections increases. That is why people in recovery from illnesses are encouraged to sleep more to aid the process. There is also a study that says lack of sleep affects the number of cells containing TNF (tumor necrosis factor) which is a cancer killer by nature.

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#  037: Is lack of sleep harmful to the body?

Short Answer: Yes, lack of sleep is harmful to the body for many reasons; one is it may hinder all the benefits gained by the body during sleep, and it may trigger serious illnesses, mental problems and even death, at extreme cases of sleep deprivation.

Long Answer: Sleep is actually as important as exercises and eating a balanced meal. It is crucial for maintaining a healthy body and mind. It affects not only the body, but the whole person most especially if extreme cases of deprivation occur.

Some of the typical direct effects of sleep deprivation are onset of diabetes, weight gain (that can lead to obesity), carbohydrate cravings, destabilized immune system, decreased focus, depression and hardened arteries.

Lack of sleep tends to make the central nervous system hyper active. And this state usually makes the pancreas unable to produce insulin that's needed to break down glucose. When the body's glucose level goes up due to lack of insulin, the body will develop diabetes. And studies prove that lack of sleep is actually one of the reasons of diabetes.

Another effect of sleep deprivation is weight gain due to lack or limited growth hormone in the body. Growth hormones are produced during sleep and lack of it (most especially at a young age) will stimulate the "fat-gaining process".

Another effect is to crave for carbohydrates. The body produces a hormone called Leptin. Leptin is responsible in giving a sensation that the stomach is full. Without it, the stomach will not be able to signal the brain that it's full making the person seek more food, mostly in the form of carbohydrates. Lack of sleep decreases leptin production, thus the carbohydrates craving and eventually weight gain.

Lack of sleep also reduces the production of white blood cells; the cells that fight infections. As a result, the body's immune system becomes weak and prone to infections.

Another harmful effect of sleep deprivation is the stimulation of cortisol production in the body. Cortisol is actually the reason behind why the body reacts negatively to lack of sleep. It is the cause of weakened immune system; under production of insulin, leptin and growth hormone; irritability and depression; stimulates fat-gaining process; loss of muscle and bone mass; and hardened arteries.

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#  038: What are some techniques in achieving a quality sleep?

Short Answer: Having a quality sleep means good mood, better performance and sharper mind. But having a good night's sleep does not come naturally. It needs a specific regimen to follow to be sound asleep.

Long Answer: There are several ways or techniques to follow, it's up to the person what works best or choose a combination. But for a more successful try of getting that good night's sleep, try to include all techniques to one's routine:

Define own body clock. Every person has their own body clock, but sometimes, it the same person who violates their own clocks. Try to sleep at the same time everyday as possible. Understand that the body follows a certain schedule, by disrupting it; one may end up waking up late for work, or worse, with insomnia.

Exercise, even for a few minutes per day. Exercise keeps the body alive at a certain period but it also uses up the energy allotted for the day. Exercising for a few minutes can use up the extra energy, so your body will have too little left at night. Once the body is running on empty, it will surely seek for a good night's sleep.

Associate a certain relaxing activity with sleep, this way; once the body recognizes a feeling or sensation of a certain activity like reading or a bubble bath, it will start preparing itself to sleep. Because it can anticipate that next to that certain activity will be dozing off.

If all else fails, don't lie in bed awake with nothing to do. Lying awake will give pressure to one's self to sleep. The anxiety will only make it worse; the body will be stressed too much that may result to insomnia. Instead of just lying awake, try to read a book or watch something laid back on the television, it may use up the energy left in your body until one is tired enough to sleep.

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#  039: What is insomnia?

Short Answer: Insomnia is a condition wherein a person experiences a difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. Insomnia can be a condition on its own, or a symptom of other more serious condition or illness.

Long Answer: Insomnia is a serious condition that if untreated will affect the body negatively just like a simple sleep deprivation. But unlike sleep deprivation, insomnia is beyond a person's control. Even with all the time and opportunity to sleep, an insomniac (a person suffering from insomnia) is unable to sleep or to stay asleep.

There are several reasons why a person may develop insomnia: smoking; alcohol intoxication or withdrawal; caffeine intake before sleeping; physical disturbances like excessive noise, cold temperature, hot temperature, uncomfortable bed, among others; stressful life events like weddings, divorce, examinations, job interviews, among others; irregular working hours and the like. These factors may affect a person and develop insomnia. However, by changing or modifying certain habits can cure this type of insomnia.

But there are several other factors that may affect a person and eventually develop insomnia. These are often caused by medications or a certain medical condition. Some common medical conditions that result to insomnia are breathing problems associated with heart or lung diseases, obesity, hyperthyroidism, acid reflex, urinary diseases, dementia, among others. This type of insomnia shall be treated along with the medical condition since the medication must work well with other medications or programs intended for the primary condition.

There are also psychiatric conditions that results to insomnia like depression, psychoses, anxiety, mania or posttraumatic stress disorder.

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#  040: Are there ways on how to relieve stress in the body?

Short Answer: There are several ways how to reduce stress in the body, moreover, the methods may not only reduce stress in the body alone, it affects the person as a whole since in reality, stress affects the person wholly.

Long Answer: As the body is exposed to many stressors, the body is not the only one who suffers; stress affects the person as a whole. That is why it is important to learn some practices that limit the stress in one's life.

One way to relieve stress is to breathe. No, it is not merely inhaling and exhaling. It is more of breathing in patterns; experts suggest doing proper deep breathing in a comfortable sitting position, with eyes closed to block off distractions and focus more on the breathing. First step is to inhale slowly and deeply counting 1 to 4 in your mind, then exhale or release the air slowly as one counts 4 to 1 in his/her mind again. Proper breathing can result to acquiring more oxygen in the body that can help reduce stress.

The mind is a powerful tool, most especially when relaxing. Most people tend to stress out as they think about situations that worries them. Use that same imagination but this time by thinking about relaxing and calming situations or scenarios. As the mind visualizes positive and calming scenarios, the body relaxes with it.

A person who is stressed tends to think about so many negative thoughts that worry them or make then anxious. When experiencing such moments, a thought stopping method can effectively reduce stress. Thoughts stopping methods may be in the form of yelling the word "stop" to one's self or slamming a surface to create a sudden sound that can signify stop. As one makes the effort of ending a series of negative thoughts, stress can also get distracted through thought stopping methods and one can shift to visualizing positive thoughts instead.

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#  041: What is Mental Wellness?

Short Answer: Mental Wellness, in general, is the absence of mental illness and the ability to acquire new knowledge and learn new skills.

Long Answer: The mind is complex by nature, therefore how to be mentally well means being able to deal with its complexities. It is more than being free of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety and psychoses, among others. It is also one's ability to gain new knowledge and learn new skills.

But to process new information and skills require more than just having interest, motivation and/or open-mindedness. It is also about being able to cope with the stress and challenges that the new concept will bring along with it.

Mental wellness also involves one's capacity to process problems, conceptualize a solution and implement it. These are one of the mind's responsibilities and reason behind why a mind should need to learn and explore new things.

There are however, simple ways how to exercise the mind like puzzles and other mental games. These are tools to keep the mind active since an active brain can go on a momentum, learning one thing after another.

Although, it is also suggested that individuals also learn how to relax and clear the mind from stress because stress can actually break a good mind. It is actually one of the leading causes of mental illnesses.

Also, since the dimensions of wellness like mental, spiritual, physical, emotional wellness, among others are intertwined with each other, it is also recommended to be well in other dimensions of wellness to be able to achieve a well-balanced state of mind.

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#  042: What can one improve mental wellness?

Short Answer: To improve mental wellness, it requires an individual to improve all the other dimensions of wellness. It means having adequate exercise, eating balanced meal, having good relationships with the people around, among others are part of the process towards a well and healthy mind.

Long Answer: There are a few simple ways on how to achieve a sound and healthy mind that is able to learn new things, process new information and implement it to reality.

Exercise. It's actually more than physical exercise like brisk walking and swimming. Exercises can be more than physical, like playing sports. Sports are actually more than physical; it's a mental game as well. Players are encouraged to think of game plans and strategies to be able to play well. There are also mind exercises like crossword puzzles and Sudoku.

Balanced Meal. A healthy body means a healthy mind. Eating the right food can help the mind focus, absorb information and process more quickly and more rationally. Just like what a healthy diet does to the body, the mind also improves with a balanced meal.

Sleep. The body needs sleep to recuperate. Although, the brain is technically working at sleep, there is one part of the sleep cycle that lets the brain minimize its activity. At this point, the mind also is able to organize important thoughts, experiences and information that the person can use when he/she is already conscious.

Positive attitude. Having a positive attitude towards life also helps achieve a sound mind. Humor and creativity can help the mind improve function. Faith, in a spiritual sense, can also improve how the mind works as well.

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#  043: What can be a barrier in achieving mental wellness?

Short Answer: Developing a mental illness such as depression and anxiety is the ultimate barrier to achieving mental wellness. But since it is a developing process, hints and clues may be present along the way to prevent it from happening. However, there are also obstacles in detecting a soon-to-rise mental illness.

Long Answer: Mental illness is actually the result of an unhealthy mind, whether it may be due to biological (genes, physical illnesses that affect the brain, etc) or environmental (stress, economic status, losses, etc). But most of such cases are preventable with the right treatment; the important thing is early detection.

But detecting a mental illness is difficult because an individual suffering from a developing mental illness may have prepared consciously or unconsciously barriers to hinder other people to see signs and symptoms. Some barriers include:

Denial. A person who is suffering from mental illness may be in denial. It is because the person might be somewhere in between ill and not. But since his/her mind still has the capacity to think and rationalize, a part of it will deny the possibility of an illness.

Physical Illness. There are a few cases wherein a mental illness co-exists with a physical illness. Signs and symptoms may confuse and cloud the reality that is happening. Misdiagnoses do happen since some illnesses have the same signs or worse, some illnesses can even cover up the signs and symptoms associated to another illness.

Person's Attitude. People are born in different ways with different personalities. There are happy people and there are timid ones. On some cases, one's attitude covers up the signs of a mental illness. In some instances, most assume that happy people are well; therefore one's happiness can cover up symptoms. But the key is to observe more intently and look for even the littlest out-of-the ordinary behavioral changes.

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#  044: What triggers mental illness?

Short Answer: There are three things that trigger mental illnesses: a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetic factors and socio-environmental factors.

Long Answer: What triggers a mental illness is actually categorized into three: genetic, chemical imbalances in the brain and socio-environmental factors. Although, it does not need all three to trigger a mental illness (though it is possible); it's always best to be aware of what can trigger the mind to fail functioning to prevent it one way or another.

Genetic. It is a given fact that a family with a history of mental illness actually passes it on to the next generations. Although, as a fact, it does not mean that the whole family will 100% suffer from a mental illness. A family history only suggests that the members of a family may have tendencies that can develop once triggered by other factors.

Chemical Imbalance in the brain. Chemical imbalances happen when the body is changing from one phase to another like pregnancy, puberty, brain failure or even an infection. Such imbalances with hormones can actually affect the brain functions negatively. In order to limit the risks of these things from happening, it is always best to consult medical professionals on such events.

Socio-environmental factors. These are major changes in life like a loss of a loved one or sudden unemployment. It can also be a life-long trauma from abuse and violence. It can also be due to a neglected prolonged stress or lack of support from close friends and family. These are all factors that can trigger mental illness, most especially with a history of genetics and chemical imbalances.

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#

045: What is a depression?

Short Answer: Depression is a more serious form of sadness or loneliness associated with the lack of interest in the things that one previously enjoys, inability to concentrate and inability to interact and enjoy the company of others, among others.

Long Answer: Depression is more than having a bad mood or being sad. It's the type of mood that takes the person away from the life he/she once have. It affects the way he/she functions, it affects how his/her mind process information, he/she lacks focus and also, a depressed person disassociates him/her self from the world.

Several depressed people defined it as a "black hole" or a "gloomy weather" that never seems to go away. Depression at its worst is fatal; either through self-inflicted methods (suicide) or through weakening of the body because of the irregular eating habits and sleep.

Some signs and symptoms of depression include overeating or loss of appetite; insomnia or too much sleep; inability to focus and concentrate; aggression and/or irritability; engagement in hasty decisions and activities like too much alcohol consumption and even use of prohibited drugs; negative thoughts; feeling of hopelessness and helplessness and feeling that life is not worth living for, among others.

Most depressed people also suffer from unexplained body pain and aches like headache, back pains and stomach aches. The body also feels sluggish and tired for no apparent reason. These are simply how the body tells the person that something is not well and that it is time to seek help either from close friends and family (initially) and/or medical professionals (eventually).

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#  046: What are the types of depression?

Short Answer: Depression has many faces and can hide in many ways but with the help of a medical professional, one can find out which type of depression one may be suffering from: recurrent or mild depression, seasonal affective disorder, major depression or manic depression.

Long Answer: Being depressed though is not that simple; even depression is complex as the mind is. There are actually four types of depression: each with its own set of signs and symptoms and also its own treatment.

Recurrent or Minor Depression. This type of depression is usually undetected and is chronic. People suffering from this type feels like having a low mood is a part of them, and because of this, it is most of the time left untreated. Signs and symptoms of this type are timid as compared to other types of depression and it usually lasts a long time.

Seasonal Affective Disorder. There are people who literally get sad with the weather. A gloomy weather results to a gloomy mood. It is triggered by the amount of light that a person is exposed to. The more light, the brighter the mood and the lesser the light, the gloomier he/she gets. This type is more common in the younger ones.

Major Depression. This type affects the person entirely making him/her unable to function normally and enjoys the things he/she usually does. This usually lasts around 6 months, but when left untreated can develop into a worse condition. On an average, most people suffer from major depression once in a lifetime however, this type is a recurring one and it may develop again when it's triggered.

Manic Depression or Bipolar Disorder. This type is defined as extreme mood swings, a cycle of moods that shifts for a period of time (usually in weeks). A manic depression is characterized by having manic behaviors such as hyperactivity, rapid speech and little sleep that alternates with depressed behaviors.

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#  047: What is an anxiety?

Short Answer: Anxiety is associated with extreme feelings of fear, worry and nervousness. People who suffer from anxiety disorder often get agitated, restless or scared with or without a reason or a stressor. People with such disorder feel physical disturbances and pain that is caused by the out-of-proportion reaction he/she makes towards certain life's events or even the lack of it.

Long Answer: Anxiety disorder results to abnormal reactions to ordinary situations because of fear, worry and restlessness. People who suffer from this often make irrational reactions that may affect them physically in the form of stroke or heart attack, or it can affect their quality of life by disconnecting their lives from the world.

Some signs that a person may have anxiety disorders include trembling, nausea, restlessness, sweating, irritability, inability to focus, insomnia, tension, frequent urination, muscle tension, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, backache, numbness in the arms and legs, heart palpitations, among others.

Some people with anxiety disorders also have recurring nightmares, avoidance of some people or activities that causes anxiety and even paranoia.

Although, anxiety disorder must not be mistaken with a simple feeling of worrying and fear, in some cases, people worry or fear over things that are found to be stressful like an examination, a job interview or even a first date. Getting restless over such events are normal and is part of life. But when it affects one's life tremendously and the reaction gets out of proportion, it becomes a disorder that needs not only medical attention but also a support system from family and friends.

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#  048: What are the types of an anxiety disorder?

Short Answer: Anxiety disorders have different types classified based on its causes and symptoms like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Long Answer: Some of the most common types of anxiety disorder have different symptoms and causes and most of the time, it requires special treatments.

General Anxiety Disorder. People suffering from this type often feels agitated over general matters of life like work, health, family, finances, and relationships, among others. They usually feel too much worry over unrealistic expectations and anticipations which probably will not happen.

Panic Disorder. This type is characterized by a brief and sudden panic attack that makes the person sweats excessively, get short of breath, confused and nauseous. Such attacks may happen after an alarming event, prolonged stress or it can even be completely spontaneous and without a real cause. Most people suffering from this type tend to avoid causes of attacks that results to radical behavioral changes.

Phobia. This type is characterized by extreme fear over an object or situation. Phobias may seem irrational or completely senseless by most. But for the person actually suffering from it, their object-of-fear affects their lives extremely that their quality of life is greatly affected by it.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This type is characterized by a person trying to lessen the feelings of anxiety by means of repetitive, (may be) invasive and distressing (to others) actions or movements. People with OCD are aware of their unusual behavior but do it nonetheless just to alleviate the feeling of anxiety.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is characterized by a person having anxiety attacks because of a traumatic event. Most people who suffers from this disorder gets flashbacks and recurring nightmares that leads to drastic behavioral changes to keep away from such stimuli.

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#  049: How can one exercise the brain?

Short Answer: There are plenty of ways to exercise the brain, all one really needs is something to keep the brain working and challenging it in the process. Simple things like a crossword puzzle, a Sudoku or even reading news online can trigger brain activity.

Long Answer: It's really easy and simple to trigger brain activity. It is just a matter of tweaking some things one does on his/her spare time. For instance, instead of watching television, why not solve a Sudoku puzzle instead?

Memorizing is one of the best brain exercises, but one doesn't really need to memorize heavy information. It can just be something as simple as memorizing a grocery list, a favorite song or even friends' birthdays. The important thing is, the brain gets active as it memorizes.

Learn something new every day. No, it doesn't have to be a new language; it can only be just a word. Expanding one's vocabulary by learning it and using it during conversations can actually help brain function.

Reading can give additional knowledge, something to talk about and the process of reading can actually exercise the brain as it interprets the words into thoughts. One can read news online; flip through magazines and read articles; read a novel or a simple brochure. Just keep reading, it's a great brain exercise.

Practice multi-tasking. This is the best part of brain exercises, one can multi-task to exercise the brain and still enjoy some things at the same time. For instance, why not read a magazine while having coffee at breakfast. It can actually exercise the brain as it shifts from one thing to another. One's multitasking abilities can improve in the process and its applicable not only at home but also at work.

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#  050: How can one relax the mind?

Short Answer: It's a fact that the brain is active 24 hours a day and one way or another, relaxing it can help the brain improve its activity just like how the body improves when it is able to rest. Relaxing the mind includes breathing exercises; listen to relaxing music and even drawing or scribbling.

Long Answer: The brain really works in mysterious ways that even at rest, it is still working. But what's great about the brain is that it can rest and still function at the same time.

Breathing Exercises. Breathing exercises may be meditative or not. The important thing is that the person is in its most comfortable sitting position wherein the body can inhale and exhale freely. This is a good way to relax the mind as it improves blood circulation and oxygen level in the body. This exercise not only relieves the brain but the whole body as well, making the whole body more responsive and making the brain's job a lot easier.

Listening to Music. Yes, music is a good therapeutic regimen. But not all music really is helpful. Soothing music or sounds can help the brain relax. As much as possible, classical music and environmental sounds are most experts recommend. But if these are not available, just a simple music with a nice melody (a song with positive lyrics too) is a great alternative.

Drawing. No, one doesn't have to be Picasso and create a masterpiece. Just a simple drawing or scribbling of a relaxing image can help the brain relax. The happy image may be the face of a loved one or a place where one would like to go. Just let the hands do the image with much freedom. The more the hands are free to draw, the more the brain is able to relax and let go of tensions.

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#  051: What is Mental Wellness?

Short Answer: Emotional wellness is the process of identifying and acknowledging one's emotions whether it may be positive or negative. Understanding one's own feelings and learning how to manage it is also part of the emotional wellness program.

Long Answer: Although, emotional wellness simply means understanding one's emotions, the process does not really end there. Figuring out what triggers such emotions, what it brings to one's life and how it affects one's relationship with others are still a part of the program.

Another factor of emotional wellness is improving one's ability to make important decisions in life based on emotions, although not solely since other dimensions of wellness must still be considered in life's decision-making,.

An emotionally well person is someone who is able to make personal decisions based on one's emotions, reasoning and philosophies. He/she is also someone who can build and maintain relationships without being too dependent or too detached; he/she knows how to have a healthy interdependent relationship. He/she has a high self esteem, healthy emotional IQ and he/she can manage stress, challenges and anger with a clear mind and a light heart. He/she is also able to recognize what to prioritize, when to reward self and how to take responsibility of his/her actions.

Another sign that a person is emotionally well is when he/she recognizes and is aware that life has its ups and downs, and is not perfect. But despite the imperfection of life, he/she is still living a well-balanced life that he/she enjoys. Being emotionally well, in short, is being happy with what one has but still has aspirations to acquire a better life and a better self.

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#  052: How to improve one's emotional wellness?

Short Answer: There are so many ways to improve one's emotional wellness, the key is to be open-minded about it and learn how to relate and connect with other people but still maintain one's self-worth.

Long Answer: It is really about balancing being a people person and being a person with much self-worth. The main priority is to love one's self, accept own flaws and learn one's positive qualities. Knowing the self and how one can be complementary to others is the key ingredient in building a healthy relationship with others. A person who does not love one's self is unable to build healthy and lasting relationships with others. It is actually a simple thought: how can one expect others to love him if he himself doesn't love his own self?

Take care of one's self. Learn how to reward one's self for a good job. Learn how to pamper one's self when the going gets tough. It is about learning how to take care of one's self in such a way that he/she is able to feel better for being who he/she is. And this actually includes eating right, staying away from harmful vices and having enough rest. By keeping one's self in good shape and form, with a stress-free mind and a harmonious spirit, then one is able to love him/her self.

Practicing a give and take relationship builds not only mutual respect but also trust. This is the part where most people get confused with. A relationship must practice give and take. Not because you value the other person so much that you will allow to give, give and give some more. One is also valuable and worthy to take something from the relationship as well. By giving too much of one's self is unhealthy and it lessens one's self-worth. But do not also resort to taking much out of the relationship all the time, one must also value the other person and show respect. Be fair to both one's self and to the other person, this way both are given importance as a part of a relationship.

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#  053: How can one identify an emotionally unwell person?

Short Answer: One very tangible sign that a person is emotionally unwell is the presence of a mental illness. It is because an emotion is connected to mental wellness and all the other dimensions of wellness. That is probably why an emotionally unwell person may also develop a physical illness in the long run.

Long Answer: Mental illness such as anxiety disorder and depressions are a sign of an emotionally unwell person. But aside from that, a person who is unable to maintain a relationship (a love relationship, a commitment or a friendship) is also a sign that he/she is not well emotionally.

A person who cannot express his/her emotions appropriately is also a sign that he/she is not emotionally well. The person's over-reaction or the lack thereof is a sign of an unhealthy emotional state that must be taken into account.

People who easily get discouraged, uninterested, angered or stressed-out are also signs that a person may be needing help from other people. There are however, some management workshops and therapies on how to get motivated or manage anger and stress.

But of course, an emotionally unwell person may be not be able to recognize or maybe in denial of one's flaws, and seeking for outside help may be far from his/her plans. It is therefore important that people who surrounds the person is able to recognize when one is emotionally unwell. Early detection of the signs and symptoms may prevent the person from being destructive of his/her relationships, develop illnesses and live an unhappy life.

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#  054: What is an anger management?

Short Answer: An anger management is a program or a set of therapeutic sessions to help a person handle anger, identify what triggers it and express it accordingly to a situation.

Long Answer: Anger management is dedicated for people who are unable to express one's anger appropriately that it affects one's relationships, physical and mental health destructively. But having uncontrolled anger doesn't just mean being hurtful and destructive towards yourself or to others. The inability to express anger is also part of anger management. Unexpressed anger can also destroy one's self and others if not managed well.

People who are angry are believed to be those who have very low tolerance against frustrations. And as a result they become angry when something will not go their way. This is the reason behind why some people are more hot-tempered than others. But again, angry people can be too expressive or too cool about it. The problem though with expressed or suppressed anger is that it can lead to, not only failed relationships but also mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression. It can also cause hypertension, among others.

But having low tolerance to frustrations may be biological or socio-cultural in nature. It can be biological as in it's in the genes and that people are born in such way. This is mostly present during a person's early years in life. But again, this can be managed and children can be taught how to channel and manage one's anger even at tender years.

Socio-cultural factors can also affect one's anger issues. Some cultures think that expressing anger is taboo but its okay to express sadness or loneliness. It is actually wrong. It is very important that a person may be able to express his/her anger, and any other emotions he/she has. The important thing is to learn how to express it appropriately.

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#  055: How to control anger?

Short Answer: It is natural to feel frustrated or angry at certain situations in life. But the important thing is to learn how to express it without destroying a relationship or one's self in the process. There are several tips on how to control anger like breathing exercises but if some of the simple tips does not work, and one suspects that the anger just gets worse, it is time to call an expert on anger management to help one out.

Long Answer: Not because one gets angry or gets mad every now and then that it means his/her anger is already uncontrollable. There are some tips that experts on anger management recommend that may help one manage his/her anger more suitably.

Don't react at once. Go out and unwind. Let the anger pass first. Counting from 1 to 10 may give you a few seconds to breathe deeply and calm one's nerves. Closing one's eyes and imagining a happy place can also help ease the flame of anger. One can also go out and exercise; a study claims that exercise can stimulate the brain to release chemicals responsible for a person to feel happy and relaxed.

Once the anger had calmed down a bit, then release one's anger by means of a composed explanation or statement of what made you unhappy or frustrated. Express it without using negative words and try to be detailed and sensible as possible. It is also ideal that one thinks twice and really internalize on how and what he/she should say. This way, the chances of getting hurt or hurting another person is lessened.

After expressing one's anger, it is now time to focus more on how to bring solutions into the table rather than pointing fingers. Instead of focusing on one's anger, think of the reason why the anger was triggered. Identifying the anger's stimuli and fixing it will not only be less stressful, it will also save relationships in the long run.

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#  056: What is an Emotional IQ?

Short Answer: Emotional IQ or EQ is the emotional intelligence of a person. It pertains to the person's ability to recognize, evaluate and manage emotions.

Long Answer: EQ is the intelligence of the heart, as some call it. According to some researches, EQ plays an important role in determining one's happiness and success in life. It is actually as important as mental intelligence.

There are four core abilities that make up EQ:

  * The ability to assess one's emotions. Learning one's emotions and what it does to one's self is part of EQ. Learning about one's own flaws and good qualities (strengths and weaknesses) and having self-worth with confidence, respect and trust to one's self is part of EQ.

  * The ability to manage one's emotion. After identifying one's emotions and learning how it affects one's self, the next step is how to utilize and control it. How one adapts to changes and how to cope with life's challenges is a part of EQ under this ability.

  * The ability to identify and respect other's emotions. As a person and a part of a society, it is important that one has the ability to identify other people's emotions and to respect it. Understand that each person is unique and therefore behaves differently. By accepting it and taking other's emotions wholeheartedly is a sign of respect.

  * The ability to build relationships. As part of EQ, a person must learn to effectively communicate, cooperate and give due respect to other people. Building a good and lasting relationship is an ability that most people forget to give importance to. One's ability to send out a message, inspire, motivate or influence others is as important as any other core abilities that comprise one's EQ.

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#  057: How can one improve one's Emotional Intelligence?

Short Answer: Unlike mental intelligence that one can improve through reading or researching alone, emotional intelligence or EQ can be improved in a more active approach: by rapidly reducing stress, connecting to emotions, becoming a good communicator, applying humor and play as a coping mechanism and resolving conflicts positively.

Long Answer: The five skills that improve one's EQ are active by nature; it requires people to learn it through research (like mental intelligence) and applying it to everyday life. Like any other skills, practice makes perfect and every time one practices such skill, his/her EQ improves.

Rapidly reduce stress. First, accept stress. Denial will just worsen the situation, by accepting it, one acknowledges that things must be done to reduce and control it. The next step is to identify how one reacts under stress. Learning how one reacts to stress can help one anticipate how to deal with it. And lastly, read and research on different stress busting techniques. And by means of trial and error, find out which one works best. Remember, every individual is unique, find the stress buster that matches one's personality.

Connecting with emotions. It is important that one acknowledges emotions whether it may be good or bad. Some signs that shows one is connected with his/her emotions are (1) occasionally feeling a string of emotions that comes up one after another; (2) feelings accompanied with physical issues like churning of stomach or tightening of chest; (3) suppressed emotions expressed in subtle body languages or facial expressions; (4) intense feelings that other people can recognize; or (5) acknowledging one's emotion as an important part of decision making.

Becoming a good communicator. This is actually not just about learning how to speak out and deliver your message to an audience. It is also about effectively delivering a message through non-verbal methods. Facial expression and body languages play a big part on non-verbal communication. Learning and practicing this ability will further improve one's EQ.

Humor as a coping mechanism. To face challenges and problems with a stride, it's important that one should not take it "too" seriously. It doesn't really mean that one can just laugh about it and forget, but it is more about being creative in solving problems and facing it with a positive attitude.

Resolve conflicts positively. Bad mouthing, throwing hissy-fits and bringing back the past will not resolve conflicts, it will only worsen it. Try to focus on the present, focus on the conflict, forgive and lastly, when conflicts really cannot be resolved, just agree to disagree. These things will not only brighten up one's mood but it will also improve one's EQ when one's not stressed out over something that's either too easy to be resolved or just too impossible to do so.

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#  058: What does self-esteem mean?

Short Answer: In simple terms, self-esteem is one's opinion towards him/her self. It is how one sees and feels about him/her self that affects his/her confidence and self-worth.

Long Answer: Self-esteem is an important issue that one should not neglect. It affects how one lives, functions and relates in life. In most cases, one's self-esteem determines a person's success. When one thinks poorly of him/herself, then chances of success is low. Why? It is simply because one cannot expect others to trust, respect and give value to someone who doesn't really give much importance to one's self.

There are two types of self-esteem: Low self-esteem and high self-esteem. Low self-esteem pertains to a person who thinks poorly of him/her self. Such person does not give value to his own strength and he/she does not see his self-worth too. Such poor attitude towards one's self affects his/her life one way or another. It can be seen through failed relationships or unmet career advancements, but the bottom line is, people with low self-esteem or self-image has a negative effect on his/her own life and the life of others as well.

On the other hand, a person with high self-esteem has a winning attitude. And in effect, other people absorb his/her optimism that people start to have respect and admiration to such person. In most cases, people with high self-esteem lives a fairly successful life with sound relationships and occasionally get his/her dream job. It is because of their positive self-image that they start to be contagious and spread the confidence and hopefulness among his/her surroundings.

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#  059: What is a relationship and how is it related to emotional wellness?

Short Answer: A relationship is defined as one entity's connection or belongingness to another. It might be classified into several ways: a connection between two people like parent to a child, between two friends or a love relationship between two persons. It can also be a relationship of one person to a group like a citizen to a nation, a father to a family, among others.

Long Answer: A relationship signifies a sense of belongingness, bond or union whether in a biological way, institutionalized way or on a personal level.

But in any categories, a person must be willing to be part or be engaging in a relationship to make it work. There is nothing permanent in this world and it is a fact, even if the relationship is biological, it can still fail if not taken care of.

And this is where the emotional well-being of a person comes in. An emotionally well person knows him/her self emotionally, therefore he/she is able to express it appropriately and manage it according to the situation and of course, in accordance with whom he/she is relating with.

Relationship can be successful if the people involved in a relationship are emotionally well since it will become a healthy bond with mutual respect and value towards each other. But if a person in a relationship is emotionally unwell problems may arise within a relationship.

For instance, a person with anger issues may have problems maintaining good relationships with his/her co-workers. There may be incidents that an angry person may say hurtful things to his/her co-workers when a certain project goes wrong. Or he/she may be suppressing angers that he/she will seem detached with the whole team and it may result to misunderstandings

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#  060: How to maintain a healthy relationship?

Short Answer: The key to a healthy relationship is a having a balanced well-being, most especially on an emotional level.

Long Answer: Improving all dimensions of wellness can actually help a person build a healthy and lasting relationship. But for starters, there are simple ways to achieve relationship aspirations:

Communicate Openly. Lay down all the cards. Communicate openly about one's self. Let the other person know one's strengths and weaknesses. Let the person know one's real self. And in return, the other person must do it as well. This way, if ever that a conflict may arise, both individuals know how the other person may react and both can adjust accordingly.

Be interdependent but independent as well. In any relationship, there must be activities and issues that, as a couple, must agree with. But there must also be a sense of individuality. Learn to have a life outside the relationship. Maintain balance of both worlds as well. Do not be active too much as a couple and forget one's own life and vice versa.

Laugh and have fun together. Relationships are supposed to be fun and engaging. There is a reason why it is called a relationship: both must relate and engage with one another. Most people in relationships get absorbed with all the other factors in life that they forget to have fun and connect with each other. Pick an activity that both enjoys, a simple trip to a nearby ice cream shop is something that a couple can explore. It's a great way to spend some quality time away from the norms and as a bonus; couples can enjoy frozen desserts too.

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#  061: What is Spiritual Wellness?

Short Answer: Spiritual wellness involves a person's set of values, beliefs and principles towards a certain purpose in life. A spiritual person may or may not believe in a higher power (although one can do so) to be able to find an inner peace and a driving force towards one's life's purpose.

Long Answer: There is a confusion regarding a spiritual well-being of a person. Some assumes that when one is spiritual, he/she belongs to a religious sector; but it's not. Spirituality means being one with one's inner self, if a certain belief in a higher power or being a member of a religious group can help, and then it is okay. The most important thing though is the self.

In the search of inner peace and purpose, one must have a sound well-being; and that's where the other dimension of wellness comes in (physical, mental, etc.), but sometimes a person with a strong spirituality can surpass an illness, a stressor or any challenges. It is because a spiritual person has a deep sense of self with values and principles which can back him/her up.

But again, balance is the key towards a healthy well-being. One's spiritual life may guide and help one achieve inner peace but without improvement in the other dimensions of wellness (or existence), one may have inner peace but will have problems with being at peace with others.

Spirituality can be improved in many ways like believing in a certain set of beliefs (religious sects), believing in a higher power, meditation, prayers and even yoga. But it varies from one person to another; find what suits best for one's self to find peace and purpose.

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#  062: How can one improve one's spirituality?

Short Answer: Spirituality can be improved in different activities and little changes in perspective. The most important thing is for the person to be connected to the inner self. And this can be achieved through meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, among others.

Long Answer: But improving one's spirituality needs more than meditation, although it is very important to do so. But it must be accompanied with a few changes in the person's perspective.

Believe in the power of silence. Taking time for one's self to have some quiet time is very important as it gives one time to think, assess life or just rest. Even a few minutes of alone and quiet time can boost one's spirituality; and during these moments that most people gets those "eureka" moments.

Be open to anything. Of course, not everything but it is important that a person must be willing to explore new ideas and concepts, even those that are just too hard to believe. Spiritual moments can happen anytime and anywhere, by being open about it, one can get a chance to experience it. Also, be open to sad events in life also, as this opens up a door towards spiritual journeys most especially when one needs to cope with the situation.

Be happy. Yes, life may be filled with many challenges and problems and the truth about it is that it may never end. But being joyful and optimistic about life can actually take one to a higher level of spirituality. Also, being happy with life can actually help one also live a better life, with a clear mind, heart and soul. Things shall be lighter if welcomed with a smile.

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#  063: What are the barriers in improving one's spirituality?

Short Answer: One's spiritual wellness can be improved with an open mind and heart but there are some barriers that can get in the way. These are fear, doubts and stress.

Long Answer: Spiritual wellness is a very fluid concept and improving it really do not need handbook. It simply needs a person to welcome the idea and try to tap it through prayers, meditation or even by living an optimistic life.

But like any other goals or aspirations, there are barriers that can make or break a person's drive towards his/her goal. It may cast a shade of grey on one's thoughts and even try to poison's one's mind regarding his/her principles and beliefs. Be very careful to such challenges that one may encounter.

Fear. Everybody gets scared once in a while. And the sad truth about fear is that it can manipulate one's life without him/her realizing it. The best way to face fears or fight it is by always reminding one's self of his/her own beliefs and principles. Do not let fear take over one's life, instead let one take over his/her own fears. The feeling of overcoming fears can be great and it is one step closer to reaching that level of spirituality one is aspiring for.

Doubts. Doubts or skepticism can take a person nowhere. It is one of the reasons why most people are not able to move on with their lives. Doubts always try to stop them and put them to a safe spot. It is okay to take risks and remember a spiritual experience can happen anytime, as long as one's life is not at stake, be open to new ideas and possibilities. Learn from it as one gets a step after another.

Stress. Again, all human beings get stressed out. It is something that nobody can escape. It is how one deals with it that differs the situation. Do not let it dictate what one should or shouldn't do. Instead, acknowledge and accept the stressors, actively solve it but do not let one's temper and tension get the best of the situation. Just be calm, ideas flow easily with a relaxed mind and heart.

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#  064: What is a meditation?

Short Answer: Meditation is an activity that can connect the mind, body and spirit. Meditation is actually a process of focusing the mind towards a word that reflects one's purpose or ideals to clear the mind from everything else.

Long Answer: Meditation is for everyone. No, it is not only for the men in robes or the gurus in matching outfits. And it is not as complex as most people think so too.

Meditation is actually simple. It is a process that involves quiet time, relaxation, comfort and a focus towards a word that signifies one's purpose. And since the idea of meditating is to clear the mind and let it connect with one's body and spirit, there should not have pressure in meditating.

In terms of time, a person can choose when to meditate. If it's convenient to do it early in the morning or before going to bed, so be it. It also doesn't take much of the day since meditating can last from 10 minutes to hours; it all depends on the person.

As to where, meditation can be done anywhere where a person can relax. One does not need equipment like when gong to the gym to meditate. All one needs is a quiet place where one can comfortably sit and relax. That's it. If the bedroom works, if the bathroom works, as long as one has a place where he/she can be alone, then that can be one's meditating place.

There is also no pressure on to how one can meditate. There are several ways to meditate, choose the one that suits one best. And also, if in the middle of meditation, one gets distracted from thoughts of everyday life, don't sweat it. It is okay to be distracted, just re-focus one's mind again and have enough time after to reflect on how one felt during meditation.

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#  065: What are the different types of meditation?

Short Answer: There are several ways on how to meditate as most people think, although it all involves focusing one's self on something while doing breathing exercises. Some popular types of meditation are the basic meditation, walking meditation, mindfulness meditation, imagery meditation and the loving-kindness meditation.

Long Answer: Although the different types of meditation still has the same purpose of connecting the mind, body and soul, there are several ways to do so. Since meditation is process to improve one's spirituality, then it makes sense that the way should match the person's convenience and comfort. It shouldn't put additional toll on a person's worry instead it should help the person feel more relaxed with life.

Basic meditation involves the usual meditation process people are accustomed to. Sitting in a comfortable position in a quiet place where one can be alone, focusing one's thought on a certain word that reflects one's spiritual purpose and repeating that word over and over for at least 10 minutes.

Walking meditation is a little different from the basic. It is a meditation that can be done while walking. It is ideal for people who don't have a few minutes to sit down; so the best alternative is to do it on their way to work or school. To do a walking meditation, one must focus his/her mind toward the walking process: how each foot lands on the ground and how one's weight shift from one foot to another.

Mindfulness meditation is another form and can be done in any situation. It is done by focusing one's attention to the present activity or situation. It may be done while having coffee in the morning. Enjoy the coffee with all the senses: appreciate the image of coffee, smell the aroma as one takes a sip and taste its flavor. Listen as one sips the coffee and gulps it down. Focusing one's attention to such details of an activity is actually a form of meditation.

Imagery meditation is a lot like basic meditation. The difference is with imagery meditation the focus is an image where one wants to be. It may be in beach house with a view of the ocean, a field full of flowers or a boat in the middle of a lake while fishing. These are happy images that one can use as a focus for meditation.

Loving-kindness meditation is also like basic meditation but this time, a phrase is the focus of meditation and how one sends the message to certain people in one's life. The idea of this type of meditation is to assess one's emotional state. For instance, one feels afraid, he/she can use the phrase "May I feel no fear". Say it to one's self a couple of time. Then imagine a loved one, and send this message to him/her; repeat this process towards an acquaintance (a neutral person) and then to a person whom one has problems with.

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#  066: What are the things one should avoid during meditation?

Short Answer: There are obvious things that one should avoid during meditation, these are uncomfortable clothes, loud or heavy music, alcohol and smoking, use of illicit drugs and of course, never put too much pressure on one's self when meditating.

Long Answer: Meditation is practiced to help a person clear his/her mind. But there are other people who seem to forget the very purpose of meditating and because of that, meditation becomes more of an errand than a relaxing escape.

Do not resist sleepiness. If during meditation, one falls asleep, so be it. Do not scold one's self just because one snoozed out. It is common to fall into a slumber, it is both relaxing and the body may be whispering to the self that it needs to rest.

Do schedule but do not obsess about it. Meditation should be done in the most convenient time. If one missed a day without meditation, it's alright. Do not let it cause worry. Just schedule it another time when it is doable.

Do not force one's self to meditate for a long period of time. Forcing to meditate longer will contradict its purpose. It can tire a person once done in a forceful manner. The amount of time doesn't really matter much, most especially for beginners; it is the experience and quality of meditation that matters.

Do not feel bad just because one didn't see results in an instant. Meditation is a process, it doesn't give quick results. Although, some people are able to see results at once, for most, it is a process. So be patient and just enjoy and feel the experience.

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#  067: Is it possible to have spiritual life without a specific religion or God?

Short Answer: Yes, one's spiritual life does not really depend on what religion or who one's god is. The belief in a higher power is a choice and may be a part of one's spiritual life but it is not necessarily mandatory.

Long Answer: The idea of having a higher power that one believes in is effective. In fact, there are many studies (scientific researches) that claim a belief in a higher power or faith can improve one's life in mysterious ways.

But this does not mean that one must have faith in something. There are actually several people who are not accustomed to the idea of having a god, but are anyway rich in spirituality. It is because they are attuned with their inner self and they practice a balance in mind, body and soul.

Prayer (faith-based) and meditation are a big part of one's spirituality. A prayer is actually a form of meditation that focuses on one's god or higher being. It is faith-based since their definition of god is based on a religious characterization. But for those who are not religious, they opt to meditating. This way they are also able to get in touch with their self and clear their mind from the stressors of life.

Some spiritual experts, though not religious, practice praying by means of creating a god or a higher being to where they can direct their meditation. This includes creating a god with the characteristics one wants for a higher being to have. Naming it in such as way could also be helpful; some call it "universe" or even a more familiar name like "John".

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#  068: What is yoga?

Short Answer: Yoga is a form of activity that enables the person to get in touch with his/her body, mind and spirit and associating it with the universe (the environment or a place where one is). It involves a deeper sense of meditation, breathing, concentration and postures.

Long Answer: Yoga is actually a popular word nowadays and it is mostly associated as a fitness regimen. But in reality, yoga is more than a work-out although a certain type of yoga does have a need to accustom body with different positions that require a lot of stretching, bending and complicated position. But this is entirely to practice a deep sense of concentration, control and balance, not just in a physical sense but also with the mental and spiritual as well.

Yoga is actually derived from ancient India; it is a form of discipline that takes a person towards a higher level of existence and spirituality. But it should not be mistaken as a religion; although it is practiced by many religious groups since it is also a form of meditation.

However, it is also used as a healing regimen. Studies show that continuous practice of yoga helps improve the body's circulation and organ functions. This is the reason why, some medical practitioners consider yoga as a complementary medicine. It aids a patient with his/her healing process. Yoga is also used in treating mental illnesses like depression; there are also studies that prove yoga and meditation to be effective in relieving tension and stressors to mental patients.

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#  069: What are the six branches of yoga?

Short Answer: There are six major branches of Yoga: Hatha, Bhakti, Raja, Jnana, Karma and Tantra. These six branches focus on different goals or motivations, it depends on the individual's preference which suits best for him/her.

Long Answer: The six branches of yoga has different goals and focus; with the different focus and intentions comes different practices (methods) that are used to achieve its specific goals.

Hatha Yoga is the yoga of posture. It's the most popular of all types of yoga. This involves several posture, breathing and meditation to improve one's physical, mental and spiritual life. This is the type of yoga associated with fitness regimen.

Bhakti Yoga is also the yoga of devotion. This type of yoga focuses on the heart and devotion of a person; seeing a higher being or god in everything that one encounters. This type promotes acceptance to anything and everything that is happening and seeing the good in everyone.

Raja Yoga is the yoga of self-control. This type of yoga is considered to be supreme of all yoga as one will be enlightened to one's self and develop self-respect, as well as respect for others in the process. This type of yoga is popular among religious sects since this promotes value not only to the self but among all creations.

Jnana Yoga is also called the yoga of the mind. This type of yoga focuses on the mind's need for wisdom and knowledge to better understand and get to know one's spirit. This type practices open-mindedness that most people who practice such type is open to different philosophies, beliefs and faiths.

Karma Yoga is the yoga of service. The ideals of this type of yoga are that whatever one is at present determines what one was in the past. The past is the foundation of one's present that is why by doing selfless service now, will make a better future. People who practice this yoga change their attitude, their way of life and in effect, change their spirit for the better.

Tantra Yoga is the yoga of rituals. This type of yoga lets the person experience the sacredness of different rituals. People who practice such type must have devotion, humility, honesty, among others. This type is associated with the act of making love, although it is part of the process of experiencing sacred rituals, it is more than engaging in such activities to be enlightened spiritually.

#  070: What are the misconceptions about yoga?

Short Answer: Yoga is a discipline or a set of techniques and practices intended for the practitioner (yogis) to be in touch with his/her body, mind and spirit. It is not a religion and it is definitely not just a fitness routine.

Long Answer: Yoga came from ancient Indian practices that aim to attain a higher level of spirituality, and a harmonious connection with the body, mind and spirit. At present many are engaged in yoga practices for so many reasons; to be in a better shape and even to recover from illnesses. Although, these are just some of the benefits of yoga; these are not the main purpose as to why yoga must be practiced.

Yoga is not a religion. Although most religious groups and sects are practicing yoga as a way to achieve higher level of spirituality, it is not a religion itself. It is simply a set of practices that can help or guide a person achieve a certain spiritual state.

Yoga is not a work-out. Many people misunderstand yoga as a fitness routine. It is not. The history of yoga is deep within an ancient way of life to be thought to as another exercise. Although, practicing yoga does help one achieve a better physical shape, it is just one of the many benefits one can reap when practicing yoga.

Yoga is not a medicine. Although, this is partly true as yoga is considered to be a complementary medicine for the faster healing of recovering patients, it must not be mistaken as a branch of medicine. Its many benefits of improved circulations and body organ functions just make it ideal for patients to practice it.

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#  071: What is Social Wellness?

Short Answer: Social wellness is about building healthy connection and relating to people. Its goal is to establish a lasting and valued relationship with another person, towards a family or a group of people and even towards the community.

Long Answer: Social wellness is more than learning the other person's name and address. Although it is a part of interaction but to connect to another human being takes more than that. It requires getting to know the other person in a deeper level. The family background, his/her hobbies and interests, what he/she does for a living, among others are a crucial part of connecting and relating to others.

But of course, another part of social wellness is the person's ability to maintain a relationship. Starting a relationship is like the tip of an iceberg, maintaining it is what's below sea level. The maintaining part is actually harder than the initial steps. And how one manages his/her relationships reflect his/her level of social well-being. Commitment towards a relationship is a sign that a person is socially well.

Social wellness is also about being part of a larger picture: a society or community. How one reacts and makes effort to be a better part of a community reflects his/her level of social well-being. A socially well person has the capacity to take part in community activities towards improvement and harmony; every action one does must always be in accordance for the betterment of the community. These selfless actions are signs that a person is living a healthy social life.

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#  072: How to improve social wellness?

Short Answer: Improving one's social wellness involves the person him/herself, his/her relations with other people and even a whole group or community of people. Since social wellness involves relationships, it is important that a person with social goals is willing to take the extra step and occasionally do selfless acts in moderation.

Long Answer: Since social wellness really depends on one's relationship with people, it usually takes two or more person to make a relationship work. But for a socially well person, it really takes an extra effort as well to give one's 100% in a relationship, but the success of it must not depend on a one-way street. That is why, the relationship's success does not determine the person's level of social well-being, and it's the person's efforts that define it.

To make any relationship work, a person needs to know him/her self and accept it. By staying true to one's self, one is able to be true and real towards another person. Being honest about one's self is important in any social interactions.

Always keep one's lines open. Communicate as much as possible with people who are important. Don't take for granted the people who are most significant in one's life. What is sad about reality is that the more significant the person is to another, the lesser the time and effort one gives to them. This shouldn't be the case. The more important the person is; the more effort one must put into it to make the relationship work.

Smile and welcome a stranger. It does not mean one should befriend each and every person. But maintain a sense of openness with the possibility of getting to know another person. One might least expect it, but the stranger across the hall may have more things in common with you than one's daily office buddy.

Join the club. Whether it may be a community organization or an interest club, be part of something that is broader than one's life. It can be a way to learn and appreciate more things, get to know more people and be able to contribute more into the society through these clubs.

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#  073: What are the signs of a socially ill person?

Short Answer: Socially ill people are people who are either awkward and uncomfortable during social interactions or mentally ill: the latter being very serious and will need professional help. On the other hand, a socially awkward person would just need a few lifestyle modifications and maybe seek a support group who can try to help them be more open and confident. Some signs that a person may be socially awkward are inability to carry a conversation, purposely avoiding activities to avoid attention, nervousness in social settings, among others.

Long Answer: Being socially uncomfortable may be experienced by any other person at a given circumstances. But for a person who is continuously and normally awkward at any given circumstances, this is a sign that the person may be socially ill.

Spot a socially awkward person with the following signs:

Inability to carry a conversation. Communicating with these types of people is hard; whether the conversation will have too many pauses or it may end abruptly without a prior notice. It is not about the person's knowledge on a certain topic that makes the conversation loose, it's the person's nerves that makes it hard for the conversation to flow smoothly.

Nervousness in social gatherings. Socially ill people may be seen just standing in one dark corner of the room and making a conversation with his/her drink: popularly called a wallflower. Again, conversation may be hard with these individuals. They purposely avoid contact with other people and it's almost impossible that they can finish an entire party or even attending one at all.

Purposely avoiding getting attention. These individuals may refuse to go to parties, join an activity, and even deny a simple invitation to chat. It is not about them being rude or uninterested, it their fear of possibly getting embarrassed in the process that makes them too jumpy at a sign of socialization.

Inability to commit and connect. People who are socially ill may have difficulty starting a relationship. It's even harder for them to maintain it. It is because these people are often clueless with the social norms and are often misunderstood. It can be rooted with their lack of social experience, their nervousness and anxiety and their fear of rejection.

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#  074: What is a social norm?

Short Answer: A social norm is a set of rules that a particular society follows. There are no exact set of rules as the norms varies from one society to another.

Long Answer: In social relations, it is important to know and be familiar with particular social norms that a certain place or society is accustomed to. One way to identify it is through observation. Just by merely looking around and noting simple gestures and behaviors, one can more or less figure out what not and should do.

But of course, the learning process shouldn't end there. It is important as well to research and ask. Learning about a certain person or a group of persons, beforehand is a sign of politeness that most people will be pleased about. And it prevents a person to be socially awkward within a certain society if he/she has learned their ways.

There are, however, simple rules to follow like burping in a public place; most social norms find it disrespectful and ungraceful to do it. Use of foul languages is also a big social turn-off, although some people tend to miss out on this fact.

The safest thing to do when one encounters a certain society without a hint of any social norms is to be respectful. Just by learning how to show respect and kindness to another one, people of a society might be more than happy to welcome a person. Some people will be glad enough to teach their ways, for one to be able to cope.

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#  075: How to communicate effectively?

Short Answer: Communication is the key in any successful relationships. But either people are missing out on its importance or trying but is unable to communicate effectively. To do so, there are a few tips on how to effectively deliver a message; it involves less talk, more action and a lot of message processing.

Long Answer: When people think of conversations, they start thinking of what they should talk about. They fail to realize that communication is actually more than talking.

Listen. People get absorbed with what they should talk about. Of course, one should have at least a thing or two to talk about to start a conversation. But to get the ball rolling, one should do more by listening to the other person and understanding what he/she has to say.

Be Sensitively Real. In any conversation, it's hard not to express one's own opinions. But in doing so, the most important thing is to be honest but sensitive enough about the other person's feelings. It is okay to voice out one's own mind has to say but remember another person's feelings must also be cared for. Try to "sugar-coat" and make your opinions sound nicer for the other person to open-heartedly accept and absorb it.

Let your body do the talking. Body language and simple physical gestures are important as well. A firm hand shake signifies a confident and sincere person, standing on one leg while conversing may be seen as disrespectful and crossing the arms may seem snobbish; these are the body's way of sending a message. Be extra cautious with it and remember it is always good to make eye contact.

Ask and repeat. Do not ask vague questions, ask significant questions to make the conversation flow but be sure that one is interested to listen to whatever the answer might be. It is also important that one repeat any significant message, but not verbatim. Do paraphrase and try to verify a thought according to one's own understanding. People will appreciate that one is trying to process what they have to say.

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#  076: How to start a relationship?

Short Answer: Literally, it always starts with a simple "hello" and some getting-to-know phase: the little details like birthdays, interests, hobbies, occupation and the like. But that "hello" signifies a starting mark of a relationship. And from that point onwards, a relationship must be equipped with a foundation of honesty and trust, exploration and responsibility.

Long Answer: Every relationship takes effort but starting it out right from the very beginning will make a huge impact later on.

Start it with Honesty. Stay true to the facts. If one enjoys watching television rather than reading a book, then be honest about it. One shouldn't pretend to like something just to impress another person. Be open about the real self and let the other person see and appreciate it.

Start it with Trust. Give the benefit of the doubt. Do not think the other person is being untrue. Let the other person reveal him/her self and make it comfortable for him/her to express his/her self. Falling into conclusions that the other person is lying is not a healthy way to start a relationship.

Start it with exploration. Find out the other person's interest and hobbies and just try it. One does not have to fall in love with whatever the other person likes, but at least check it out. There is no harm in trying to find out what makes the other person happy. One can never guess, he/she may also learn to like it.

Start with being responsible. This is the tricky part, remember whatever one does in a relationship, he/she is responsible for it. Have the courage to admit a mistake and apologize, if the circumstances ask for it. Take the credit if the other person appreciates a gesture; take it as a reward for a good job. And of course, be appreciative as well for the other person and make them feel the significant.

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#  077: What should one expect from a relationship?

Short Answer: The truth is everyone is expecting something in return, whether unconsciously or not. And being in a relationship entails a lot of expectations from the other person. But the important thing is one shouldn't demand of something just because he/she expects it. The truth is the only expectations that one should anticipate are that relationship do change, people undergoes growth and conflicts may arise.

Long Answer: Relationships are hard to keep especially if one is not ready for the real expectations that one must anticipate in a relationship.

Relationship changes. At the beginning, everything may be exciting but as the weeks, months or years go by, relationships tend to become more relaxed. Some people thinks that just because the relationship is more relaxed than it used to be, it is not interesting anymore. It is a natural phenomenon but if one does not wish this to happen and still want some sparks along the way, then it's up to the person to step up and make an effort.

People grow. Yes, people do change as well. As one is exposed to life with continuous new information, people and experiences, one grows and changes. People in relationships must be ready for the changes and learn to cope with it. It is either one voice out and acknowledges the change or accepts it whole heartedly as long as it is for the betterment of the other person.

Conflicts do arise. Even twins disagree on something. People are unique and therefore may agree and disagree on something because no two people are alike. So if there is an issue that's putting a toll on a relationship: resolve it in a healthy way or just accept it as something to disagree with.

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#  078: What to do when conflicts arise?

Short Answer: Conflicts are inevitable events in any relationship. And one must anticipate it and accept that it may happen. But be sure that one is also ready how to deal with it when it happens. Patience, restraint, timing, among others are just some of the ways on how to deal with it.

Long Answer: Disagreements happen for a reason, it is when people's individualities clashes with one another. And this is something to expect and accept as a part of a relationship, but dealing with it is another story.

Take a time-out. No, it doesn't mean that couples have to break up or friends disconnect with each other, it simply means asking for a fresh air to breath. Go out and walk, watch a movie, eat at your favorite restaurant or even take a shower. Anything to cool off the steaming temper, take the mind off the heated arguments and relax. No one can resolve a conflict while the pot is still hot.

Listen and Restrain. Make sure to give ample time to the other person to release and express his/her thoughts. Listen attentively and do not react at every whim. Restrain one's self from reacting to stimuli. Be calm as possible and just take in and process the message delivered. Be sure though that whatever the other person may say, expect that it is only half meant, sometimes it's the temper that is talking and one shouldn't take it too hard.

Speak out. When the flame starts to mellow down, catch the perfect timing to sit down and talk. Express and deliver one's own message to the other person. Be sure that whatever that's going to come out will be fair and not judgmental. Be specific and precise with the message, do not use vague words, make each statement as clear and as tangible as possible. This way, further misunderstandings are prevented.

Accept and move on. After all the messages have been out, it is time to decide on how to resolve the conflict. Make sure that the solution to the problem will not benefit one side only, but it is for the benefit of the relationship. Look for a solution which is fair. But on some occasions, accept that people should agree to disagree. But if it does, accept it and move on completely.

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#  079: What is friendship and how important is it in one's life?

Short Answer: Friendship is the relationship one builds with another person: a unique and strong bond that usually brings emotional support to a person. Having friends is important because it is the group of people that one can rely on and ask for honest opinions with the intention of improvement.

Long Answer: Having friends is more than having a brother or a sister, this is the kind of relationship that does not need a blood relation but real enough to last a lifetime. It is an intimate relationship between two or more people without the "intimacy" of couple relationships.

But why is having friends important in one's life? The answers may be countless but in a social wellness' view, friendship are beneficial not only to improve one's social wellness but also other dimensions of wellness as well.

Friends keep the doctor away. Studies and researches prove that people with a good set of friends are less likely to develop mental and even physical illnesses. Positive set of friends boost up one's emotional well-being and consequently boosts the immune system.

Friends can help attain goals. Whether it may be fitness or nutritional goals, occupational goals and even personal goals, friends' encouragement boosts a person's motivation and esteem to push him/herself to reach his/her goals.

Friends can be a 24/7 support group. People with a good set of friends usually overcome grief, addictions and other emotional/personal issues. Having a readily available people to listen and offer a shoulder to cry on, makes a person able to surpass any challenges better than those with limited or without real friends.

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#  080: Why is it important to join an organization or a club?

Short Answer: Joining a club or organization is an important part of social wellness; just like having friends, maintaining a close relationship with family or involvement in a committed relationship. Being a part of a big group can give one a sense of belongingness, practice social skills, meet new faces and enjoy a specific activity with people who share the same interest.

Long Answer: Joining a club or organization has a lot of advantages but it requires effort and time as well, just like any other type of relationships. But one will benefit from being a part of something bigger, something that one cannot really gain from friends, family or a partner.

Sense of belongingness. People who want to be part of something important usually joins clubs. The feeling of being a part of a big project that benefits not just one's self, but a group of people has an emotional impact on a person. It makes them feel better about themselves, boosting their self-esteem in the process.

Practice social skills. Joining a club means interacting with strangers, that will soon turn into acquaintances and if lucky, one may gain friends as well. But in order to do so, a person must be able to communicate and interact with people from step one. And doing it over and over from one person to another; one's social skills will definitely improve in the process.

Meet new people. Sometimes, being in a set of familiar people will make one's life too small. It can suffocate a person socially, but being a part of an organization that is continuously growing in number will give a person a chance to know more people. It doesn't necessarily mean everyone should be friends with another, but at least learning how to work and interact with different kinds of people will surely broaden one's social network.

Sharing one's interest. One should join a club that interests him/her. Do not join a specific club just for the sake of joining; be sure that one matches the club's mission and vision. If one loves to read, joining a book club will be good. It can open up one's world to a world that shares the same passion. One can meet people with the same interests and be able to discuss and debate over it. This kind of interaction does not always happen in other types of relationships.

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#  081: What is an Occupational Wellness?

Short Answer: Occupational wellness relates to one's career, career goals and dreams, work attitude and motivation, relationship with co-workers and superiors and the over-all feeling of an individual towards his/her job or profession.

Long Answer: Occupational wellness deals with one's opinions and feelings towards his/her goals. Although the very basic principle as to why people work is to earn a living: monetary purposes, as most will conclude it. A person working just to get by is actually different from the person who loves his/her work and earn in the process.

In most studies, a person who loves his/her job is actually a better performer than those who doesn't. A person's career goals are also achieved and his/her relationship with co-workers and superiors are also healthier because of his/her passion and dedication.

Stress also plays a big toll on people who continuously dislike their profession; resulting to poor health, inclination to bad habits such as smoking, alcoholism and even gambling, career-wise these people could not advance or get promotions and their social wellness and emotional wellness are also affected.

But occupational wellness is not entirely for self-gratification purposes only. It also involves one's ability to choose a profession that contributes to one's social wellness and towards the community. For instance, if one's passion is art, then he/she should work in a profession that either will let him/her create his/her own masterpieces or maybe within an art institution. Eventually, one will be encouraged to share his/her skills through teaching or take part in community outreach art awareness programs. This is just a scenario, but this is ideally the path one must go through to further improve his/her occupational wellness; the good thing about it is that one will surely feel good on being able to do exactly what he/she loves and being able to share it is a plus.

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#  082: How to improve one's occupational wellness?

Short Answer: Improving one's occupational wellness must either involve a career modification at least. And it will also include some changes in one's work habits and outlook.

Long Answer: Improving one's occupational wellness might be subtle; a few changes in work habits here and there, learning a few time and task management skills and relating more with the co-workers and bosses. But these are okay if the career one has is already something that he/she is passionate about.

But if not, it will need drastic changes and risky decisions because it might not only need one to really learn more about him/her self, but it will certainly affect one's financial income. Although, one must remember that there must be sacrifices to attain a higher and healthier life. It might be challenging at first, but the rewards that one will reap later on will be worth it.

Find one's passion and make a career out of it. Do not take it literally though, it doesn't mean that one loves pets may mean one must go and be a veterinarian. One could have many options like work for a dog training school, a pet shop or a manufacturing company for pet wear. The choices are many and diverse. It doesn't also mean one must resign at once. Try to tweak a few little things in one's current profession, one might be surprised that the current job is one's dream job all along. Just a few tweaks on one's perspective were all it needed. Just remember that passion and one's skills must match too.

Strike while the pot's still hot. When one realizes that he/she needs to do something about his/her current job, get it done. Thinking, dreaming and planning changes doesn't really mean results. Act on it and be active in one's quest for a dream job. Hesitancy doesn't take one anywhere.

Modify one's work habits. Sometimes, it's not really about being on a wrong career path. It is actually doing badly in a career path that makes a person dread it; the sad thing about it is that it is actually one's fault why he/she is miserable. It may be the best time to start coming early to work, greet co-workers with a smile and appreciate one's boss for his/her good qualities.

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#  083: How to find a career that suits an individual?

Short Answer: Searching for a career that suits one best actually has a lot thing to do with one's self rather than the job itself. It requires more self-research and discovery than research on job responsibilities and scope. And it definitely does not rely much on job compensation and salary.

Long Answer: People often mistaken that the job's monetary benefit is the most important. Actually it is the least important since a profession that suits a person and is loved and taken care of, actually will reap the big paychecks sooner or later. Attractive compensation package can get one going for some time, but eventually the magic will run out and one will find him/her self miserable and stuck.

Getting to know. Imagine one's self as another human being. Get to know him/her. Ask him/her questions that will reveal his/her character and interests. Discover what he/she is good at and bad at. By learning one's self in a more detached way; treating him/her self as another person, one will learn much more and be able to use it to figure out what job will probably fit.

Do not be a slave to the job. It's different if one performs the job. Perform is such a good word to describe a person doing what is intended to be done in a positive way. But to be a slave of it is terrible. Remember, a person must be the one controlling the job and not the other way around. One is free to take or not to take a task and announce when one needs to quit. Just be responsible enough to fix loose ends for a better transition for the company.

Time is gold. Time is important. It doesn't mean though that one has to go around doing spontaneous stuff as it pops into his/her mind. But it doesn't also mean that one needs to take things too slow. Be pro-active in decision making. If it's time to leave, leave. Do not hesitate, but take time to discover one's self and window shop for possible opportunities. Time is really gold; and gold must be spent wisely. So take time and use it on your advantage.

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#  084: How to deal with co-workers and superiors well?

Short Answer: Communication, pleasant gestures and openness. It might seem like a very basic and matter-of-fact answers but it is truly the values one needs when dealing with people at work.

Long Answer: People at work can make or break a person. Sometimes, no matter how one loves the job, the people in the job makes the work life dreadful. And sometimes, even with a so-so job, the experience is priceless because it is filled with great people that turn into friends. It is also possible to be friends with one's boss, it's just a matter of how one deals with them.

Communication. People at work are no different from the rest of the people around. Learning how to relate to them and taking time to get to know them is important. Communicate with them on a regular basis. Greet them in the morning, bid goodbye before leaving the office or occasionally invite them for coffee. The list of activities is endless; one just needs to communicate and welcome their existence.

Pleasant gestures. Offering a better seat in the board meeting to the new office staff is one; holding the elevator for the messenger is another; or simply a light tap on the shoulder for the teammate who did a great presentation are simple gestures that acknowledges another person's significance. One can make them feel good about themselves and in return, one will also get the trust and respect of people at work.

Openness. Be vocal in a nice way. Learn to suggest and acknowledge other people's ideas. If there is something that is bothersome, tell it to the people involved whether it is the boss or not. Just remember that how one says it is what makes a simple suggestion or comment momentous. Always make sure that whatever comes out of one's mouth is real, honest and full of respect, and make sure the message is clear and getting through another person in a positive way.

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#  085: How to lessen stress at work?

Short Answer: Stress can really make one's performance and happiness towards work challenging. To prevent the stress or at least limit it will take simple steps: time and task management, de-cluttering and socializing.

Long Answer: It really doesn't need a scientist or physicians to learn how to limit stress at work. The problem lies in how one tends to become disoriented; making work fills one's life than it should be, forgetting about life outside work is a major sign that one needs a work ethics modification.

Time and task management. Sometimes, one only need to start organizing and learning the art of scheduling. One should not say "yes" to everything that is handed to them; it doesn't really have to be a "no" neither. It only needs a simple effort to organize all the tasks according to importance and urgency. Assess how long one can work on a certain task and arrange it according to the need. One can use a simple piece of paper or even colorful post-its. So the next time the boss hands a report to be done, just say "I can do it now, but the other reports might be delayed for a few days, will this be alright or would you like this on your table by Tuesday instead of Monday along with the other reports instead?"

De-Clutter. Not every paper on one's table is necessary. If one uses scratch papers to calculate or conceptualize, then it is okay, but put it all in one folder. Sometimes, an "In and Out" tray is also necessary to organize which are finished and which are in progress. Also, it might be a good idea to keep soft copies on the computer than printing it all up. It's not just easier to organize, it also environmental. But make sure your computer folders are de-cluttered and well-categorized. By clearing up one's workplace will have a great impact on one's stress level. Sometimes, a messy desk seems to be filled with so much work only to find out that one only has one task to finish up after de-cluttering.

Socialize. Be the good person and smile to co-workers and bosses; do not duck at the mere presence of the boss' scent. Learn to be the fresh face that the people around would like to see. In return, these people will also put on a smile at one's presence. One may end up being friends with co-workers and even with the big bosses.

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#  086: What is workaholism?

Short Answer: Workaholism is the coined term for the addiction to work. In other terms, it may be seen as being a slave to one's work; forgetting the importance of other things in life.

Long Answer: Giving time and dedication towards work is remarkable but living for work alone is harmful not just for one's self but for others as well.

Workaholics (people suffering from workaholism) are prone to destroy the balance of his/her life. For one, it surely affects one's relationship with friends, family and loved ones. It also affects and destroys camaraderie at work since workaholics tend to obsess over tasks that it becomes annoying or destructive of others' lives. It can also put a great toll on one's physical health. Too much focus on work gives limited time to exercise and even to eat a decent meal: these things become irrelevant for them. It may also affect one's emotional and spiritual wellness, as most of the time; a workaholics mind is cluttered and filled with work-related matters. They tend to forget how to have a poor emotional state; probably getting mad at the little things and even failing to commit because of work. On a spiritual sense, workaholics will think spending time to clear one's mind is actually a waste of time.

Workaholics are prone to major mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorder. Workaholics are the type to be too caught up with work that they worry most of the time and when there isn't a thing to worry, they usually think about stuff to make them worry. Even sleep and rest days are a waste of time, and eventually, workaholics due to their behaviors might lose friends and family that can lead them to depression.

This addiction is a lot serious than substance abuse; but it doesn't mean substance abuse is okay because it is not. The problem though with workaholism is that it is hard to take away the source of addiction. In substance abuse, contain the victim in a better environment and take away the substance, one is able to rehabilitate. But with workaholism, it is hard to take their mind off work since even if you place them in a different environment; he/she will still try to think about a work that should be done. As if there is an invisible substance inserted that makes them crave of doing something up to obsession.

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#  087: How to improve work habits?

Short Answer: Some people advance in their careers, some doesn't. Somehow, some get promoted while some are stuck in a position he/she had for more than a decade already. It is not about luck at all. It is actually about the little work habits that people take for granted. Sometimes one's presence at work is not what is needed, it's taking a step forward to perform better and deliver better results are much more important.

Long Answer: Yes, it is important not to be absent at work and sit at his/her desk, finishing one task after another like a robot. But even with finished tasks, one can't get promoted and it is not because one's boss is just evil, there is something that must be modified: that's a person's work habits.

Productivity doesn't only means the number of tasks done in a day but the number of high quality results that a person produces. People think that their boss doesn't really mind the little mistakes as long as it's done. Wrong! Just think of it this way, if every task is worth a dollar and every revision is also a dollar to be subtracted. Many will probably end up in debt with the company rather than receiving a salary.

Be detail-oriented and focus on the instructions and rules. Sometimes, one is faced with a task that one had experienced so many times that one will feels like he/she had mastered it already. But remember, no task is the same, it may be unique on one point or another, so be sure that one will read the requirements, the instructions and the rules. Always check and re-check one's work, nobody is perfect, so it's a big chance that one will make a mistake no matter how small it is.

Appearance matters. Yes, one might be the most intellectual of the pack, gaining masters degree at the young age of 23 and has been with the company for 8 years. However, the young guy who has just been with the company for 2 years gets to be the assistant manager and one is stuck with the same position. Why? It is because the young guy may have presented him/her self well that even the bosses and clients are able to distinguish him easily over the pack. Sometimes, how one present him/her self to the world matters, it is like walking with a resume on the forehead and letting the world see how confident and qualified he/she is. Sometimes the scribbles on one's resume is not noteworthy enough if it's just stashed along with the other files, one has to act the part as well.

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#  088: What is time and task management?

Short Answer: Time management is a method of scheduling one's time to result into high productivity and better performance. Task management, on the other hand, is the method of scheduling one's task according to the urgency of task, its significance and scope of work to maximize productivity within a certain period of time.

Long Answer: In a sense, task and time management must be practiced together. This is a skill that some tries to master through workshops and seminars. But it can actually be done with a few simple ways. Most importantly is not the actual skill itself but the results it can bring to a person.

Make use of a planner. One may be smart, but admit it or not, sometimes even the most important things can slip out of the mind. Forgetting something is a part of the work challenge and it can be disastrous to be a habit. Learn to write tasks according to deadline, level of priority and scope of work and not just a title, this way one would not be confused with the all the other tasks that will come in. If one is a techie person, he/she can even use hi-tech gadgets to fix one's schedules.

Learn to categorize. Even with the most basic job, there are still categories within a specific job. For instance, a magazine writer can categorize his/her tasks according to topic, or type of article. It can also be classified according to deadlines. Learning how to categorize can keep things simple and easier to accomplish one at a time.

Prepare for pre and post requisites. There are tasks which are dependent on other tasks. Take note of a task's pre-requisite and post-requisites. This way one will not be confused which to prioritize and which one will need results from a previous project. There are gadgets that can "link" a task to another but if one is more of a "planner-person", make sure to note it accordingly.

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#  089: What is a workplace wellness program?

Short Answer: Workplace wellness programs are designed for companies to improve the wellness state of the employees and employers as well, for them to develop a sound lifestyle and improve performance, productivity and loyalty towards the company among others.

Long Answer: Workplace wellness programs are the trend these days by most companies. It is a program designed to improve the worker's morale and lifestyle. As a fact, through this kind of program that companies enjoy higher rate of productivity, higher level of performance and quality of work, lessened tardiness and absenteeism and most importantly, workers who goes through such programs develop loyalty and dedication towards the company and work.

Workers who also go through such programs are able to reduce stress. They become more creative and dynamic individuals. There are also cases that people get excited and passionate towards their tasks as compared to others who weren't able to experience such programs.

Physically, it also improved the health care cost. According to studies, employees are less prone to getting sick or fall into injuries with a better sense of life. They are even more present during meetings and discussion, rather than just sitting and listening without a word.

Mentally, people respond quicker and have a sharper mind as a result of such programs. Employees are less prone to anxiety or bad moods as a part of the program can teach the employees to effectively manage negative thoughts and emotions.

Although, it may be seen as expenditure for companies, the results are actually enticing. Better productivity results to better business. And with happy employees, companies are getting more from their employees without resentment and negative consequences.

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#  090: How to stay motivated inside the office cubicle?

Short Answer: An office cubicle is actually a working person's second home. And the enclosed space may be depressing in the long run. That is why it is important to dress up one's cubicle with a touch of one's character and personality to make the stay more pleasant and keep one motivated.

Long Answer: Although some companies try to maintain a standard look for the office cubicles, one can still dress it up without bending company rules. Of course, one can't paint the cubicle all red just because it is one's favorite color. Big and striking decors may also be over the edge and may distract one's co-workers rather than serve as motivation. There are actually simple subtle ways to improve one's cubicle to keep one inspired.

Keep it clean and organized first, before adding decors. A messy cubicle and table with lots of décors will probably look like a garbage dump than a work area. Also do not overdo decorating the cubicle leaving no space for the actual work.

Display photos of loved ones, family or friends. These are people outside the office that makes life meaningful. It can be placed in photo frames but make sure you keep the number of frames into a minimum or else it will just clutter. It is also wise to pin it at the edges of one's cork board. It can be a little decoration and one can always catch a glance of important people.

Every person has a passion or interest outside work. It may be pets, food or cars. Why not place a photo of one's pets or even a little dog figurine. It can lighten up one's mood every now and then, and it can also be used as a paper weight.

Get inspired. Sometimes, a person needs a pep talk and one's friends may not always be available to do it. Print out inspirational quotes and pin it on one's cork boards. It may not always be quotes, it may be a picture of a place one wants to go, or an object one wants to buy. A reminder of anything that one wants to achieve must be present within a cubicle.

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#  091: What is an Environmental Wellness?

Short Answer: Environmental wellness pertains to one's relationship with his/her surroundings; being concerned with the planet, appreciating nature and taking care of personal belongings such as the house, one's car, and other material objects. Getting acquainted with people who are good influences in one's life is also part of environmental wellness.

Long Answer: Being environmental is being concerned and protective of the place one lives in. It includes conservation of energy, recycling and participating in activities that will help save the earth from pollutants and other harms.

But it is not the only thing that is important in being environmentally well; being able to take care of one's personal possessions and surrounding is also part of it. How one takes care of his/her home, car, how one fix and decorate his/her bedroom are also part of being environmental.

Such environmental efforts affects how one thinks, perceive and act. According to researches, where one resides, hang-out and stay during his/her free times determines one's environmental well-being as well as one's over-all success.

For instance, a person living in a cluttered and untidy home may not be able to think things clearly. He/she may not be able to appreciate nature since his/her very home is gloomy and disorganized. And because of this, he/she may not give much importance to his/her own possessions and more likely is apathetic with nature.

A person who cannot even take care of the things he posses is not capable to contribute in beautifying his/her surroundings. Therefore, he/she may not be able to live an environmentally well life. If he/she does not have the capacity to take care and organize his/her possessions and surroundings, how can this person be able to organize his life in general?

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#  092: How to improve one's environmental wellness?

Short Answer: Environmental wellness can be improved in so many simple ways; just as long as it contributes to the planet and for one's self positively, the key here is having compassion towards the earth and anything that it has in it. Recycling and conservation are popular ways to improve one's environmental wellness. The motivation to be aware on how to contribute and how to organize one's surroundings are also part of the process.

Long Answer: When one speaks of environmental wellness; it's a broad concept to grasp. It is not only about re-planting trees and separating trash though these practices help tremendously. It is also about beautifying, protecting and organizing all that surrounds a person.

Get acquainted with the right people. People are part of one's surroundings. The saying, "tell me who your friends are and I tell you who you are," is true. Once one surrounds him/her with people of good nature and influence, he/she absorb their nature and persona and be able to improve on a personal level. But if one surrounds him/herself with bad natured-people, then it's possible that one gets influenced by such people negatively.

Get to know the earth to protect it. One can only protect the earth if one is aware and understands its very existence. Read, watch of attend seminars on earth protection. Learn what is biodegradable and not. Learn a few tips on how to recycle and conserve energy and water.

Organize your home, before start organizing the earth. Start with one's home. De-clutter one's home with the things that's not important. Tidy up every room and corners of the house. Let sun and wind get in the house; one can conserve energy by using natural light and limit using the house's air conditioning.

Go out and enjoy outdoor activities. Learn to swim at the nearby lake or sea. Go for a short hike or head to the park instead of the mall for a coffee. Start appreciating the earth's natural hang-outs instead of choosing man-made leisure spots. It will make one better understand the importance of protecting it if he/she learns to appreciate it.

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#  093: What are the simple ways to protect the environment?

Short Answer: One shouldn't start lobbying at the local government to save the forest to contribute. There are actually simple ways on how to protect the environment and it can start at one's very home.

Long Answer: Protecting the environment can start small. Even the little and simple acts can contribute highly in earth-protection.

Turn off the lights. Open the windows and let the sunshine in. Instead of turning the light on in the morning, choose to open the windows and let natural light in. A few minutes or hours of limited usage of energy can contribute to saving the earth and preventing global warming.

Separate trash. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable items must be separated. Re-usable or recycled items must also be separated. Get in touch with one's community on where to send such recyclable items. If one has a yard, one can dig a hole of about two to three feet, put all the biodegradable items there, and cover it with garden soil. Try planting flowers or vegetables in the area, such garbage can become good fertilizers as well.

If it's not that far, use the bike or better yet, just use your own feet as mode of transportation. Limit using the car as it produces harmful gases that contribute to global warming. If it's not too far, use the bike or just opt to walk, one will not only save the earth in the process, one can get a little exercise as well.

Save files on the computer, and re-use the back pages of a paper. Papers are made from trees, and the more paper one uses, the more trees that needed to be put down. Unless it is really necessary, just keep files saved in computers or email. Don't print everything. And if there are used papers with nothing at the back, re-use it as scratch papers or just print at the back instead of getting another sheet of paper.

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#  094: What is pollution?

Short Answer: Pollutions are any contaminants or toxins that are mixed into the natural environment that can harm the nature and its inhabitants including human beings.

Long Answer: Pollution is a major problem of the present and comes in many forms. Pollution is actually any toxins whether it may be chemical or energy such as light or sound that disrupts the natural way of life or ecosystem.

Popular types of pollutions include air, water or land pollution.

Air pollutions are the airborne chemical released by industrial factories, vehicular exhausts and other chemical-producing objects. These chemicals harm the natural gases that give air for living organisms something to breathe in. These chemical once introduced to the living organisms such as people, it may cause diseases and even death.

Water pollutions are chemicals introduced to bodies of water that can cause death and illnesses to not just water inhabitants but makes water unsuitable for drinking for other living creatures. Affected water inhabitants when consumed by people or other living organisms can cause disease and death as well. These pollutions come from sewage and other toxins being thrown in the water.

Land pollution may be chemicals or garbage thrown irresponsibly in the land. This includes plastic and other non-biodegradable trash that is not in the proper storage. These objects can not only cause unlikely scent but also serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. It definitely causes diseases and even death not only to the society but also to nature.

Other forms of pollutions include sound pollution, light pollution and even thermal pollutions. These are all pollutions that harm the natural state of the environment; the only differences are their method of how the contaminants are introduced and the type of toxins.

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#  095: What is recycling?

Short Answer: Recycling is a method of turning waste into new materials to prevent the accumulation of waste and garbage.

Long Answer: Recycling is the science of using used materials or for most, these are trash or waste materials and turning into new materials that people can use. This process' intention is to minimize waste by using existing materials.

Unfortunately, there is still limited technology in terms of recycling and only a few items can be recycled at the moment; these are glass containers, paper, aluminum, steel and bi-metallic items, some oils, car batteries and plastic.

There are simple ways on how one cab help recycling even at the comfort of one's home.

Segregate. It is always important to segregate waste or garbage into three categories: biodegradable, non-biodegradable and recyclable. The biodegradable can be used as compost. Non-biodegradable must be surrendered to garbage collectors for proper disposal. Recyclable items may be recycled through recycling centers (as the local community officials) or one can recycle it on their own.

Limit. Limit the use of disposable items. When throwing a party, practice using reusable dishes instead of disposable. It may be a bit hard to clean up but the help one will be giving to the environment is worth it. Also use reusable cloth diapers for babies instead of the disposable ones. It will not be as expensive and it will help the earth last a few more years longer for the baby to be able to enjoy it.

Choose. It may only require a few seconds to read and check the labels of whatever that one will need to buy so check if the containers are reusable or not. Choose the ones with the reusable logo or notice. This way, one may not only be helping the nature but it will also get the attention of companies who are still using non-recyclable items to change their materials.

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#  096: How to make the home an environmentally-friendly home?

Short Answer: There are simple ways on how to make the home eco-friendly with just a few modifications like replacing old bulbs into energy-saving bulbs, using translucent curtains or blinds that let the sunshine in and opening up a few windows to let the natural air circulate.

Long Answer: Having an eco-friendly home will not only help the environment but also make one's surroundings better. It can lift up one's mood, decrease the electrical consumption and limit distractions in the form of clutters.

Lighting. There are several ways to improve the home's lighting, decrease consumption and make it more eco-friendly. Replace old bulbs with energy saving ones. Use translucent curtains to let natural light come in. Install skylight roofing to a few rooms in the house to use natural daylight instead of turning the lights on. There are also light sensors that automatically turn off when there are no movements sensed within the room.

Water. If possible, choose a toilet bowl that has a water saver feature. One can also use dirty water from the dishwasher and use it for watering the plants. Turn the faucet off while brushing teeth and just turning it on if needed. And replace faucet nozzles that give out low water consumption with high pressure.

Energy. Limit the use of electrical consumption by minimizing the use of electrical appliances. One can opt to air dry clothes instead of using the dryer. Take out the plugs of unused appliances and avoid plugging everything all at the same time. There are also appliances with energy saving features to cut out the electrical cost and environmental costs as well.

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#  097: How to organize and de-clutter the bedroom?

Short Answer: The bedroom is one's own sanctuary, but a messy and cluttered sanctuary will not only contradict its purpose but also makes every waking day pleasant. It may involve a lot of cleaning, sorting of stuff and putting away all the things that either does not belong to a bedroom or may need to be thrown out altogether.

Long Answer: The bedroom is where one sleeps; rests; and it can even be the place for meditation. It must be a place where one can clear out his/her mind and prepare it for the next day. And that it why the bedroom must not only be neat and tidy; it must also be decorated according to one's personality and organized for the person's convenience.

There must be proper storage. Clothes must be kept in a cabinet or a clothes rack; there must also be storage boxes for books, magazines or other little objects. There are storage boxes available that look like little couches, it's a nice way to keep things at the same time decorate the bedroom. If possible, work on a strategic storage areas that blend in with the room and are space savers. One can do it his/herself or hire a handy man to do the work.

Prepare trash bags. One must face the fact that there are a lot of things that he/she doesn't use but still stashed away hidden somewhere in the bedroom. There are clothes that just wouldn't fit anymore, there are little things that was brought years ago that is not useful. Segregate these items as either trash or donation. It might not be valuable for one, but it can be a great help for others.

Decorate but do not over decorate. It must be nice to put a few stuffed animals or ornamental pillows on the bed, but don't overdo it. The bed is there for sleeping and not to hold everything else except a person. It is also nice to display picture frames of the family and friends, but try to limit everything in terms of quantity, the idea of decors is to beautify the place and not make it look like a specialty store.

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#  098: How can wall colors improve one's environmental wellness?

Short Answer: It can be paint or wallpapers but one's color of the room has a psychological effect on a person. It may help brighten up one's mood and it can also make someone too relaxed. Strategic use of colors inside the home can make the stay homier and more appropriate.

Long Answer: Sometimes, it may need one's preference to determine which colors must be seen inside the home. Colors have effects on people and it must be used accordingly to have a better and sync environment. Some popular wall shades are white, red, green, yellow, brown and blue.

Shade of Red. Red is the color of passion and celebration. These are appropriate for the living room since most celebrations happen in this room. Some also uses it on a girl's bedroom with a contrast combination of other colors or lighter shades like pink.

Shade of White. White is the color of neutrality and purity. It can stand on its own or be a perfect combination with other colors. Mostly used in the bedroom and the bathroom for its neutrality.

Shade of Yellow. Yellow is a shade of optimism and joy. It is ideal to be used in the kitchen or the living room. It bright yellow shall be used, make sure to use darker shade of furniture to balance the whole room treatment.

Shades of Green. A color of nature and of peace which is very popular as kitchen and living room wall color. It can also be used as a bedroom wall since it gives out the feeling of peace and balance.

Shades of Brown. Brown is the color of boldness and roughness. It can be a perfect color for the living room or a men's bedroom. It is also represents nature so it can also give out a sense of peace.

Shades of Blue. A color that represents harmony and coolness that's perfect for the bedroom. It can also be an ideal color of the living room although it is also great for bathrooms since it represents water.

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#  099: What are the ways to appreciate nature?

Short Answer: Appreciating nature can be extreme like going for a hike, exploring caves and the great outdoors. It is a fun activity to venture into but it can be less extreme and far starting from the comforts of one's own home.

Long Answer: Nature is everywhere and even if you live in the middle of a suburban city, appreciating nature needs a little tweak from one's perspective.

Go Green. One doesn't have to buy acres of land just to see some green in the surroundings. If one is living on the seventh floor and definitely no access to soil, then go get one in a pot. There are indoor plants that one can grow inside the house. Or just place it somewhere near a window to let the sun sees it.

Picnic and Barbecue Parties. If one doesn't have a yard to hold a barbecue party, then go out and attend one. Or better yet, head to the nearest park where one can enjoy a picnic lunch with someone special or even invite some friends too. It will not only be fun, one will also be able to surround itself with the beauty of nature. Just be sure to throw the trash properly afterwards.

Explore the great outdoors. Go out of town and do some outdoor activity like hiking, beach hopping or even cave spelunking. Once a year of such activities wouldn't take much time and it is always nice to do something out of the ordinary for experience and learning.

What's in can be out. Whatever one can do inside the house, it can also be done outside. Reading a book outside in a shady part of the house may be enjoyable. If one works in a laptop, the home office can be moved for a few hours outside. A cup of coffee at the yard instead of in the kitchen will also make the coffee experience better. Not only one will enjoy a different setting, one can also enjoy free light and air conditioning.

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#  100: What is Qigong and how does it contribute to one's environmental wellness?

Short Answer: Qigong is practice of breathing, moving and being aware of the surroundings as a part of exercise, healing or meditation. It originated from the ancient Chinese medicinal practices and it is now practiced not just in China, but worldwide.

Long Answer: Qigong is said to balance the "qi" (chi) or the term used in China to represent one's life energy. It is also believed to awaken and reach a higher level of awareness. The practice involves fluid movements of the body that coincides with deep and rhythmic breathing at a clear state of mind.

It is meditative by nature since it requires polished bodily movements; focus and concentration must be practiced the whole time. The flow of one movement or posture to the other also slows the body to contract and relax throughout the activity. That is why in the western culture, it is a popular exercise regimen with meditative nature.

Qigong is usually done outdoors. Although it can be practiced indoors as well but outdoors seem to be a chosen setting for such regimen. The outdoor setting complements the idea of having a balanced state of well-being; which really involves one's presence within the nature.

Although as other complementary form of medicine, the practice of Qigong remains to be unsupported with scientific claims and studies. Even the mere existence of a "qi" (chi) which is mostly targeted in Chinese traditional medicinal practices remains questionable. The only support of its efficacy comes from testimonials of those who practice the method and such people remains the only witnesses of its efficacy.

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#  101: What is the importance if involving one's self to environmental activities?

Short Answer: Being aware of the environment and participating in activities whether it may be small or big, can reap many benefits: it can beautify even more the natural beauty of nature, it can saves lives not just of people but of all living creatures in this planet, it can prolong the earth life and let the next generation be able to see its beauty and lastly, it can help one have a more decent place to live in.

Long Answer: Apathy to the environment is not cool. It is actually a bad habit that needs to be broken. Being unconcerned with the planet doesn't not only harmful to the surroundings but also to one's self.

Who doesn't aspire of making one's home beautiful? It's the same thing as to beautifying the surroundings. The earth is everyone's home, by doing one's part even the little things, one can contribute to the overall beautification of the planet.

Human beings eat right, perform hygienic practices, exercise and live a healthy and balanced lifestyle to prevent illnesses and prolong life. It's the same rationale when it comes to the earth. But the earth cannot do it all by itself and needs human intervention. As its inhabitants, it is the people's responsibility to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the earth to prevent illnesses and prolong its life. Also a damaged earth will be a harmful place to inhabit. To save the lives of people and other creatures that live in it, it just makes sense that people protect their habitats.

It is also wise to do one's part in protecting the environment since it is a place where one's successors shall inhabit too. People pay insurances to make sure the lives of their sons and daughters will be insured of security. The best way to ensure their security is to make sure they still have a place to live in; and that is the earth.
