National spotlight on health awareness month Published Nov. 4, 2011 By John Mikula Force Support Squadron DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- November is National Health Awareness Month and a good time of year to reflect on health consciousness. What is health? According to Webster's Dictionary, health is defined as "an optimal level of well-being, especially of body and mind." I'll broaden this definition to include function-ability of one's body, mind, and spirit during a given moment in time. How important is health awareness to military life? Very important in the sense of job scope military members perform each day or when in military status. Yet, it can become quite easy to be "health unconscious" or to put health on a back burner, can't it? One of my favorite health quotes is "our health is of most value when it's threatened." The adage I'd like to hit home upon is to not wait until health is threatened to improve it; rather, do a little bit each day to improve ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Here are a few suggestions to make this a little more practical: Regular Exercise Physical exercise is a part of military culture and the health benefits from regular cardio-respiratory and strengthening exercise are invaluable. Realistically, adults should exercise for at least 30-60 minutes most days during the week. Exercise doesn't need to be rocket-science to be effective. In this regard, we are very fortunate in the Air Force to have a solid fitness recipe for push-ups, sit-ups and running for 1.5 miles. Mindfulness As important as physical fitness is, so is the fitness of our emotional and social well-being. Without getting too philosophical, cultivating healthy relationships (work, family, support) and taking a time each day for reflection helps provide a significant means of dealing with everyday stress. Fuel for Flight Believe it or not, diet probably trumps exercise. The food and fluids, when put into our bodies on a daily basis, play a huge role in our overall human performance potential. Drink plenty of fluids each day (primarily water) and consume 3-5 small meals with healthy snacks in between. Meals should be filled with colorful food choices and meet daily caloric requirements of carbohydrates (55%), protein (20-25%), and fat (20-25%). Ultimately, health consciousness means working a little more each day to improve one's physical fitness, emotional/social well-being and nutritional habits. It's an imperative human performance dynamic in the make-up of a resilient, mobile flying force standing ready to answer our nation's call whenever and wherever it may come. Here's to your health!
