Have you ever noticed how when things are going really great in your life with your relationships or your career, that food takes a backseat? For example, you just met the man (or woman) of your dreams. You are on cloud nine. Food is the furthest thing from your mind when you are dreaming about your next date.

This phenomenon applies to many areas of our life. When we are deeply involved in meaningful work, we can pass hours away and forget to eat. The truth is, we are fed by not just what we put on our plates each day, but by other areas in our life that “feed” us.

These are what I call Core Foods. Core Foods can nourish us just as much as food can. They satisfy us internally at our core and provide energy on a deeper level. If you have ever felt depressed or sad and turned to food as a comfort, it is easy to understand how food can feed us both emotionally and physically.

Whenever there is an imbalance with your Core Foods in life, there is usually an equal and opposite imbalance with the food that you are eating. Your body wants to be in balance, and it turns to food to help out until you feel brave enough to address the underlying issues of our Core Foods.

Core Foods are just one reason why health in all areas of our life is essential for living a balanced life.

Consider the following areas of your life:

• Career- do you have meaningful work that inspires you and fulfills your unique purpose?
• Relationships – do you have loving relationships that allow you to connect with others?
• Physical Activity – are exercise and movement part of your life; do you have an activity you enjoy?
• Spirituality – do you make time for prayer, meditation, or a spiritual practice?
• Life Speed – is the pace of your life so busy that you feel out of control or can never relax?

By looking at both the physical factors that affect your health as well as the Core Foods or the internal factors, I’m using a holistic approach called Wellness 360.  Wellness 360™ is the IAWP philosophy that our health and well-being is affected by all areas of our life. Beyond the food we eat, there are many other factors that affect our overall wellness. We can’t just look at health in a vacuum, rather we need to look at the whole picture. Wellness 360™ takes in account all areas of a person’s life that directly impact one’s health including physical factors such as Sunshine, Air, Sleep, Movement, Food and Water. And those non-physical, more internal elements including Relationships, Career, Finances, Mindset, Spirituality, and Purpose.

As a Wellness 360 Coach, one of the things I enjoy most about my work is that I support my clients to create transformation with their health and their life.  Instead of just creating a quick-fix change that doesn’t last, we work together to create a lifestyle that supports you in all areas of your well-being.

Having a 360 degree perspective when you look at yourself will help you to see how one area of your life may be affecting another area. This interconnection between all parts of ourselves is truly a holistic approach to wellness. Wellness360 reminds us that we are whole beings with a variety of influences upon our being. When we change one area of our life, we often see other areas change. When we struggle in one area, we often seen a direct impact upon another area.