4 Pillars

the number 4 illustrated on a tan background

course syllabus for Your Well-Being online health and wellness education course

Course Outline

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Gain an understanding of how the four pillars of wellbeing-eating, moving, breathing, and thinking-interact to influence health and promote holistic wellness.

Behavioral Objective

Implement changes in diet, exercise, breathing, and thought processes to enhance personal health and address both symptoms and their underlying causes.

Key Thought

The "4 Pillars of Wellbeing" simplifies the pursuit of health, emphasizing the relationship between physical and mental wellness through manageable and meaningful lifestyle adjustments.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Gain an understanding of how the four pillars of wellbeing-eating, moving, breathing, and thinking-interact to influence health and promote holistic wellness.

Behavioral Objective

Implement changes in diet, exercise, breathing, and thought processes to enhance personal health and address both symptoms and their underlying causes.

Key Thought

The "4 Pillars of Wellbeing" simplifies the pursuit of health, emphasizing the relationship between physical and mental wellness through manageable and meaningful lifestyle adjustments.

Terms

Melt Method

A self-treatment technique that aims to relieve chronic pain, improve performance, and decrease accumulated stress caused by the repetitive postures and habits of everyday living.

Terms

Melt Method

A self-treatment technique that aims to relieve chronic pain, improve performance, and decrease accumulated stress caused by the repetitive postures and habits of everyday living.

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Introduction

Eat | Move | Breathe | Think

We have crafted a model called the "4 Pillars of Wellbeing" to narrow complex health behaviors into four basic categories: eating, moving, breathing, and thinking. This model simplifies the diverse aspects of health that we have explored over the years through various detailed discussions about the impacts of diet, exercise, and mental activities on the body and its genetic makeup.

4 Pillars of Wellbeing

The pillar many find most challenging and intriguing is related to mental processes. However, we will verse you in the realms of nutrition, physical fitness, and breathing techniques to accomplish this pillar! The thinking component will be approached more philosophically towards the end of our discussion.

We encourage people to eat in ways that foster healing and regeneration, not just consuming calories but nourishing the body at a deeper level.

Breathing techniques should aim to calm the fight-or-flight response and balance our nervous systems, reflecting practices from yoga and meditation that have been supported by extensive literature for their beneficial effects.

Moving should be seen not just as exercise but as an essential activity that signals to the body its need to maintain strength and vitality. This is particularly true for individuals with chronic conditions, where movement can facilitate healing rather than exacerbating pain, as is often feared.

Thinking should be directed towards fostering positivity, happiness, and hope. While it may seem less scientific, the impact of a positive mindset on physical health is profound and real.

Many Parts... One Body...

Our body is a complex system that functions as a unified whole. The "4 Pillars" framework applies universally; whether addressing metabolic diseases, pain disorders, or autoimmune conditions, specific diagnosis is irrelevant when creating a nurturing environment for the body.

Go-to Strategies within Each Pillar:

Eat: Focus on whole foods, avoid high-temperature cooking which increases advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and minimize sugar and simple carbohydrates.
Breathe: Engage in practices that increase breath awareness, take deep breaths regularly, and explore guided breathing exercises.
Move: Incorporate varied physical activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), gentle yoga, and techniques targeting the myofascial system like the Melt Method.
Think: Practice letting go, participate in guided meditation, dedicate time for focused mindfulness, maintain a non-judgmental mindset, and use techniques like naming feelings to manage emotional distress.

These strategies help shift mental activity from regions associated with distress to those involved in logical thinking, thereby alleviating discomfort. Simple actions can profoundly impact our health.