Derval O'Rourke: Using the 'Wellness Wheel' to stay healthy

Plus a recipe for tasty and healthy stuffed peppers and lovely lean turkey mince

Turkey-stuffed peppers: lean, mean nutrition

‘The Wellness Wheel’ was a new concept to me until very recently. In my work with Health and nutrition coach, Cathy Dunleavy, she shared this with my online community. Wellness can mean different things to different people and this week I’m sharing Cathy’s insight on this. Recipe-wise I’ve a great healthy dinner option for you.

A common question people may ask themselves is ‘Am I Well?’. As I mentioned above, people can take this to mean different things. It’s commonly taken to mean “are you currently suffering from any illness based on the assumption that wellness is simply the opposite of illness but this is far from the truth.

To achieve true wellness, we need to pay attention to and try to have some balance around much more than just our physical state of being. While our mental/emotional wellness has gained more attention over the past number of years, our spiritual, social, occupational, and intellectual wellness get less attention.

The Wellness Wheel focuses on our ability to THRIVE in our lives, not just survive day-to-day. It’s about living life to its fullest and maintaining continuous positive activity to keep us happy and healthy. As human beings, we are designed to continuously develop throughout our lives.

These are the elements of the Wellness Wheel which we should consider:

Physical:

This is the area which gets the most attention usually. It is often broken down into nutrition & exercise. I’d also encourage people to go further upstream here and look at habit formation and how they go about physically incorporating new helpful habits into their lives.

Emotional/Mental:

Within this area, it is firstly important to think about what your natural tendencies are within your own unique personality. You may be more prone to negativity than others or you may be particularly sensitive.

To balance our emotional wellness there are a few things that are paramount:

• Sleep — If this is an area that you struggle with, try the following:

1. No caffeine after 1pm

2. No screen for 1-2 hours before bed

3. magnesium supplements

4. weighted blankets

5. No big meals within two hours of bedtime

6. sleep/meditation apps — give them a proper chance by doing it consistently.

• Structure, Plan, Organise — Clutter and chaos increase stress levels.

• Learn relaxation and stress management techniques — these can be different for everyone - Go for a walk, ring a friend, play an instrument you love.

Intellectual:

When we learn, our brain makes connections between its neurons which strengthen it. When we neglect this process, the opposite can happen. To maintain intellectual wellness, try to keep learning. Learn about what you LOVE!

Podcasts are a wonderful way of tapping into learning more about what you love and a brilliant time hack. You can listen while you exercise or commute or do the housework.

Reading books is another great way of learning about what you love. If you haven’t read in years and struggle with your sleep, consider taking up reading at night time.

Social:

Having a good network of friends is vital in keeping us well long-term.

Through human connection we learn to communicate, we see things from different points of view, we feel like we ‘belong’, we laugh, we feel heard. These things are absolutely invaluable and the lack of them can be quite damaging.

Consciously make time for friends and family.

Spiritual:

Spirituality simply means accepting that there is more to life than merely physical things. It doesn’t matter what form your spirituality takes, as long as it works for you.

Trusting that many times there may be some solution or resolution which may not involve you or any physical thing that you might do can be extremely freeing. Learning about a form of spirituality that sits well with you and learning to lean on that during difficult times takes care of the spiritual aspect of our wellness.

Occupational:

Occupational wellness is the ability to achieve a balance between work and play/leisure in a way that promotes health through a sense of satisfaction and financial security.

Consider your own level of occupational wellness. Are there things that you could change that would give you more balance?

The Wellness Wheel encourages us to bring some awareness to all the aspects of our lives that can affect our health negatively or positively. Take a little time to consider each of these sections within your own life and see where you need to find more balance. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box as regards what might work for you or ask for help if you need to.

Fitness Tip: Find a podcast that is between 30 and 50 minutes. Grab your headphones, head out for a walk, and commit to not going home until the podcast is finished.

Wellness Tip: Look at your pre-bed habits this week. Put your phone away one hour before going to sleep. Ensure you leave two hours between a big meal and bedtime. Take note of how your sleep quality improves.

Stuffed Peppers with Turkey Mince

This is one of my go-to recipes — you can use regular mince, or a veggie filling such as lentils, but turkey is a great lean option which is also delicious.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ½ chilli, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
• 200g turkey mince
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 2 peppers, halved lengthways and deseeded
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cashews, chopped
• 1 handful of mixed fresh herbs, roughly chopped
• Rice (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pepper halves on an oven-proof dish and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, chilli, garlic, and ginger.

Cook for about five minutes until softened. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of water. Add the turkey mince, carrot, peppers, and soy sauce.

Cook for about eight minutes until the turkey is cooked through.

Carefully remove the peppers from the oven and spoon the turkey mixture into them.

Scatter the cashews and mixed herbs over the stuffed peppers. Serve alone or with rice.