I don’t know about you, but I have been working from home since March 16 and the only time I venture out is to take a walk, get some sunshine and marvel at how quiet everything is. Sometimes I walk with a friend (at the appropriate six-foot distance) but most of the time I am alone with my own thoughts.
I have been thinking that wellness coaching has often been considered a vanity service that is available to those who want it and are willing to pay for it, since it is not covered by insurance (yet). Sort of like getting a mani-pedi, a facial or highlights on a regular basis. People don’t need my services; they want them to optimize their health and appearance. Maybe you have thought that way, too.
However, recently I think there has been a shift in perception as more people consider taking steps to increase their health and wellness. Enlisting the help of a knowledgable and skilled coach is considered more of a necessity in an increasingly challenging environment. Let me tell you why.
Ever since the coronavirus crisis has hit, we are bombarded with data about how many have gotten sick, or died, and how old and how many had underlying health issues that put them at risk. The CDC shared that the most at-risk populations are the elderly, those with chronic health issues such as asthma or may be immune compromised at this time.
The CDC also include those with diabetes, obesity and heart conditions. These are also chronic health conditions.
More importantly, they are often also considered lifestyle conditions, meaning changes in lifestyle can improve and/or remove the chronic health problem. This is something that I have shared many times in my workshops, in my blog, on social media, and, most importantly, with my clients.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions which attribute to heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Those conditions are high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides and excess body fat around the waist. These are all caused by lifestyle, such as eating too much, eating mostly processed food, not getting enough exercise, and poor stress management.
Would you believe almost one-third of all adults in the U.S. have it? Does that mean they are also at risk with COVID-19? You betcha!
The good news is that these are treatable conditions and the “medicine” is a radical lifestyle change.
I wholeheartedly believe that if ever there was a time to optimize our health, it is now. And a health coach is a necessary partner to help with this transition, in a supportive and knowledgeable way.
Since COVID-19 upended all our other patterns of behavior, what better time to develop new health habits that support us, physically, mentally and emotionally?
In a few weeks, I will be launching G.R.I.T. – Get Real…It’s Time, a six-week online program that will guide you to make the lifestyle changes necessary to improve your health, increase your immunity and strengthen your resistance to life’s ongoing challenges.
Would you like to know more about G.R.I.T.? Connect with me here for details and a special offer that is only available to my regular newsletter followers.