To feel good, live Wellness

Mens sana in corpore sano. The individual is a dynamic ecosystem in constant transformation, often forced to reformulate its point of equilibrium to adapt to the circumstances and live in harmony with himself and the environment that surrounds him.

The concept of balance, understood as the vital energy that maintains and regulates mental and physical health, is particularly dear to Eastern philosophies and holistic disciplines, whereby the organism is a system of interconnected parts, in which things function if each component works in relation to the whole. Man, therefore, does not end in physiology and does not sublimate in thought: we are made of flesh and soul, two arms of the same scale that remind us how the material and immaterial aspects of the self have the same specific weight in the development of a serene and harmonious individuality.

We need well-being

In 1954, psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a model of human development based on a hierarchy of needs, which orders on an increasing scale the series of personal and social needs inherent to the person, which must be met to achieve well-being.

In the theoretical interpretation of the diagram, the satisfaction of the most elementary needs is the necessary and sufficient condition for the emergence of needs of a higher order. At the base of the pyramid are the essential needs for survival - hunger, thirst, sleep, thermoregulation - while rising towards the top one encounters the most immaterial needs, which tend to the superfluous first, and then to the super structural. The satisfaction of the basic needs of shelter, nutrition and rest, responds to the instinct of self-preservation while, going up to the top of the pyramid, we find the needs of security (protection and tranquility), of belonging (cohesion and social participation), of esteem (respectability and recognition of their skills), of self-fulfilment (self-expression), which guarantee the "health" of the soul.

There is therefore a relationship of reciprocity between the base and the height. Elementary physiological needs are part of the body's piecemeal philosophy, and are the elements identified by Maslow to establish the first effective relationship with the world system. Whether these are basic needs is beyond dispute. But it is equally important to note that these needs have taken on nuances and characteristics that transfer them to other areas of the pyramid.

Let us think of rest, for example. Sleeping on a shabby bed or on a guest sofa does not guarantee the same quality of sleep as a king-size mattress designed according to the ergonomics of a sleeping body, let alone the same pleasure. Getting out the wrong side of bed can compromise the fate of the day and, in the most tragic cases, complicate the existence of unpleasant consequences.

Let us think about food then, about its social role and the specific weight it assumes in existential praxis. To open a parenthesis about it would be slavish. But it's worth remembering how much we like to eat and how proudly we Italians unleash our culinary traditions and skills at home and abroad. We are the only ones who talk about food, even when we eat. We boast a portfolio of prestigious local chefs and are among the few in the world to celebrate every occasion worthy of the name with abundant binges. Food is our culture. Moreover, according to medicine, the Mediterranean diet is the ideal diet for the health of the body.

It tends to be fattened especially in old age and, with the average ageing population, the figures are set to grow. But it is not only time that is to blame. Sedentariness - the hours we spend on the computer or on the sofa in front of a TV series - is the main ally of overweight life.

And then move

Technogym, with the Let's Move for a Better World campaign, proposes as a solution to the obesity problem the Wellness Pyramid, a simple and effective scheme to revise the basic principles of a healthy diet, also in relation to sport, from light physical activity to structured exercise. In order to keep your body healthy without disheartening your spirit, you need to find the right balance between the life you lead and the fuel you consume. In practice, we need to think about what we put on the plate.

The wellness lifestyle takes concrete form in the synergy between three complementary elements that determine our energy level: mental approach, at the base of the Pyramid, nutrition and movement on the above. Caring for social and emotional relationships, cultivating constructive passions and hobbies, being positive and motivated in facing daily challenges is the necessary prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle.

To maintain a correct basal metabolism that guarantees the cell turnover necessary for the health of the organism, it is necessary to keep well hydrated, to consume every day at least four portions of fruit and vegetables, and to counterbalance the consumption of animal and vegetable proteins with that of carbohydrates. Depending on lifestyle, the overall calorie intake, quantity and quality of nutrients ingested should then be adjusted.

Physical inactivity, which characterises sedentary people, is a sworn enemy of health. At least let's remember to walk, an extremely underrated free activity. According to research conducted by the University of Warwick, 15,000 steps a day - the equivalent of about 11 kilometers - protects the heart and avoids the risk of heart attack and diabetes. Eleven kilometres is an ambitious goal, it is true; actually, experts are resizing, it would be enough to cover three to four continuous kilometres a day. If a person has arterial venous problems better than sitting for more than an hour in a row. A normal subject, after a few hours it is better to stretch your legs and reactivate the circulation. Sitting makes all the functions of the body cloud. But standing is not enough.

You have to move, say the cardiologists. The morning jogging, the race to the park on Sunday, the weekly soccer match, the aerobics course three days a week, are a healthy habit to put on the agenda, to be able to indulge without repentance a nice plate of pasta and breakfast at the bar with cappuccino and croissant. If you exercise in a structured way, i.e. do regular physical activity or some more demanding sports, such as cross-fit and combat, you should supplement your diet with the right amount of animal and vegetable protein, including dairy products.

In short, eating well is synonymous with being well. Adopting a Wellness-oriented lifestyle is the best medicine for our health.