CHENANGO COUNTY – There is a strong connection between your physical health and mental health. What sort of shape are you in physically, emotionally and mentally? How fit are you? How’s your physical and mental health?

A healthy lifestyle can prevent the onset or worsening of physical health conditions such as diabetes, obesity and other chronic health problems, as well as mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. The connection between how we feel physically is intertwined with how we feel emotionally and mentally. There is no separating physical health from mental health.

Most of us have heard about the basics of good health. So what gets in the way of practicing wellness? Why do we too often make lifestyle choices that don’t really support health and wellness? Why is it so difficult to get unstuck?

Maybe the answer is we too often think it must be “All or Nothing.” All or Nothing thinking can get us into a lot of trouble in life and this is just one of those areas. Perhaps you think it requires radical lifestyle changes all at once. Maybe you think this will require you to train for a marathon race or give up your favorite bag of chips. But first, consider baby steps instead.

Here are some suggestions but again, don’t try to do this all at once:

1) Eat healthy foods whenever possible. Increase your nutritional literacy. Start to really think about what you are putting in your body. Eat slowly and enjoy. Try to share meals with people you like; it’s much better for your digestion. Don’t withhold the not so healthy foods, just eat those in moderation. Balance is key.

2) Get moving. Physical exercise is excellent for your mental health and your physical health. Stretch, start slow, and set a goal. A walk around the block or in the park, either alone or with a friend, will make you feel better. The weather is improving and it’s a great time to get out there and activate those “feeling good” chemicals in your brain.

3) Sleep, quality and quantity, is another basic to good health. Good sleep is grossly underrated in our fast paced, overly scheduled society. Develop a routine that encourages good sleep. Turn off the TV, move away from the computer and leave your phone out of the bedroom. A cup of warm decaf tea, a good book, soft music, aromatherapy might help too.

4) Consider the stress in your life. Look, there’s no way to avoid stress but there are ways to reduce and better manage stress. The first step is to acknowledge the stressors in your life and carefully consider what can be done. Many report that yoga and mindfulness exercises help reduce and manage stress. Consider other ways, such as talking with a trusted friend or counselor to help reduce stress and develop better coping skills.

So those are some of the basics to good physical and mental health. And the funny thing is, all four – nutrition, physical exercise, sleep habits and stress management – are all connected. If you make one small improvement in just one of those areas you will likely experience improvement in all the others.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in Chenango County and this year Chenango County Mental Hygiene Services continues to be dedicated to “Promoting Hope, Wellness and Recovery”. This month, and throughout the year, we hope you will consider the importance of taking good care of yourself physically, emotionally and mentally.

– Submitted by the Chenango County Health Department