When you’re at your best health, you’re more likely to be at your best quality of life.

Health is a way to measure progress in managing your weight. For many people, even a small improvement in body weight can lead to better health.

The World Health Organization states “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Your overall wellness is about improving the quality of your life, health, and well-being. This helps you work, create, make decisions, and build the life you dream of. Wellness also helps you connect with others and contribute to your family and community.

What words would you use to describe what health means to you?

If writing doesn’t work for you, think about other ways you might express your thoughts and feelings. This could include drawing, painting, or cutting images out of a magazine to create a poster that reflects what health means to you.

How well is your wellness?

A few years ago, Alberta Health published a paper called Alberta's Strategic Approach to Wellness. They describe 7 types of wellness.

Social wellness – You have positive relationships with family, friends, and community members.

Physical wellness - You take care of your body by making informed decisions.

Emotional wellness - You have positive feelings about yourself, share your feelings and are optimistic.

Occupational wellness – You are satisfied with your job, work in a healthy environment, and balance work and family life.

Intellectual wellness – You get involved in activities that interest you, learn new skills and knowledge.

Environmental wellness – you live in and support a clean and safe environment.

Spiritual wellness - You live your life with meaning and purpose.

How do you feel about your level of wellness? For each of these statements choose the number that is closest to how you feel about your life right now- 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). If you rate yourself less than 3 in an area of wellness, consider talking to your healthcare provider about it.