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From Garden State Kids Magazine (www.gskids.com)
Wellness 2007-Style
By Sheila Duane

    Doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, yogis, even poets are all talking about wellness these days. No, wellness isn’t a “summer of love” philosophy that requires meditation in the lotus position and becoming one with the universe (although at first glance it may sound like that). Wellness is actually a wonderful and truly modern fitness concept that encourages people to keep their bodies in good condition by eating right, exercising, getting enough rest, and dealing appropriately with stress; wellness demands that people make positive, responsible decisions about their health. Health and wellness information is so readily available today and, in truth, isn’t difficult to incorporate into an adult’s daily life. It may, however, be more difficult for children and teens to create wellness for themselves because Mom and Dad make so many decisions for them in terms of meals and activities. What can parents do to give the gift of wellness to their children?

    According to the American Heart Association, encouraging (or persuading) children to participate in activities such as gymnastics, dance and karate is one of the most important ways parents can promote the wellness of their children. The AHA asserts, “Increased physical activity has been associated with an increased life expectancy and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Physical activity produces overall physical, psychological and social benefits.”* The AHA also recommends that children who are over two years old participate in at least 30 minutes of moderately-intense physical activity daily that is diverse and developmentally appropriate.

    Specifically, weekly athletic activities such as gymnastics training, dance lessons and karate practice are structured not only to increase a child’s physical well-being and overall health, they are designed to grow motivation and develop individual self-esteem. Exercising regularly is a habit that will last a lifetime and increase life span. The weekly accomplishments such as a perfect balance beam performance, a flawless Arabesque Penchée, or a textbook kata, boost a person’s desire to work harder and practice longer. Nothing is more motivating than success. Further, self-esteem and confidence comes from setting and achieving goals. Students receive recognition such as a new belt or the applause of the instructor and other students; but more importantly they earn self-respect and recognize their own abilities.

    Wellness professionals expand their definition of “wellness” to include the healthy balance between the mind, the body and the inner self. Disciplines such as karate, dance and gymnastics offer this vision of wellness by integrating the development of muscle and cardiovascular strength with increased concentration and motivation. The inner self is also rewarded by the achievement of the physical goals which lend purpose and direction to a student’s life. Success in this society is measured by the reaching of objectives and meeting short- and long-term goals. Employment is based on these same principles: complete the task, meet the deadline, obtain the goal and achieve the objective.

    Finally, regularly scheduled athletic training and creative movement teach participants how to deal with more effectively stress by demonstrating that real life challenges can be meet and overcome by analyzing them and separating the more difficult aspects in smaller pieces (or, in this case, movements). Participants can solve problems and work cooperatively to contribute to the success of the group as a whole; they become a successful member of the karate, dance or gymnastics community.

    Yes, wellness does have a philosophical facet as well as physical and emotional facets; it may even sound a bit “1960s hippie.” But this is Wellness 2007 and Wellness Jersey-style. Let’s help our kids get it!