The BIÂN Blog

Happiest 2023 from the BIÂN Medical team!!

Truth be told, I’ve never been the biggest fan of New Year’s resolutions.  I used to pride myself as an ambitious gym-goer and found it irritating to compete with the January 2nd crowd for spots on the treadmill.  In my older, wiser, and less-fit age, however, I’m beginning to understand the inherent power of an arbitrarily designated fresh start.  I am officially now that person – the one who will now take up space in the chisel class she only sort of attended in the fall.  My apologies in advance if I occupy your spot in the weeks to come.

On a positive note, having grown beyond the overly rigid lifestyle rituals of my youth, I’ve come to embrace wellness from a wider and more loving lens.  Green juice cleanses are no longer the mainstay of winter plans.  But health, in its simplest form, remains a top priority.  Perfectionism at twenty-five has a strange way of morphing mysteriously into self-tolerance at 40, and ultimately self-love in the aftermath (or so one can hope).  Interestingly, in my own personal and professional journey, I’ve come to learn that the laws of energetics account for as much as willpower in the quest for healthy living.  I’ve come to realize that perspective is as powerful as intention - and that emotional well-being matters at least as much as medical therapy, dietary adherence, and other rote physical strategies in the human quest for optimized vitality.

In my role of supporting patients to become their best versions of self, I take ownership not only in what is medically advised, but in how such guidance is communicated.  I’d prefer to limit the extent to which I’m asked to calculate cardio minutes, judge the number of glasses of wine allowed, or meticulously zero in on one’s exact LDL level.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m as analytical as they come.  I understand the inherent appreciation for facts and figures and don’t shy away from comprehensive lab monitoring.  But I would encourage us all to recognize that true wellness, at its core, is not defined by a sum of numerical data points.  

So how do we reframe “the rules” of living well?  How can we shape our perspective of lifestyle goals to favor positive affirmation over self-limiting critique?  

Stop referring to intentional movement as “exercise”.  The words “exercise” and “workout” carry a negative connotation of something begrudgingly tolerated rather than actively pursued.  The mere idea of “exercise” is exhausting before any energy has actually been expended.  But movement is different.  We move to sweat out toxins, to oppose stagnancy, to release endorphins, and to promote blood flow.  We move out of welcomed necessity, not guilt.  We move to feel alive.  

Aim to feel lighter.   Not to “lose weight” - not to lose fat or to shed pounds or to fit into skinnier jeans, but to feel lighter.  This is a soul-level transition, not merely a physical one.  This is a goal not specific to achieving a shift in body composition.  Though, naturally, if one lessens their load in any capacity (by eating a little less, by worrying a little less), the release cannot help but manifest in multiple dimensions.

Learn to identify your personal thresholds for positive and negative human experience.  Recommended daily allowances and highly specified nutritional rules are not aligned with individualized needs.  If your intake of anything – (sugar, alcohol, red meat, screen time, HIIT classes, name your high) – feels like its hindering you more than enhancing your level of honest well-being, then by all means, own that, and cut back.  But conversely, if you’re subjectively thriving while following slightly-outside-the-box lifestyle habits, then don’t let a self-help guru tell you to revamp what makes you feel well.  You. Do. You.  

Embrace balance and imperfection.  It’s not only okay, but potentially more strategic, to allow for lazy rest days… to break an intermittent fast an hour early… or to say “no” when the energetic alignment of an obligation feels off.

May intuitive, rather than calculated, wellness be the intention for all of us in the new year.  I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Contrary to its negatively perceived connotation, inflammation is a physiological and even helpful necessity in the fight against human illness. When we feel body aches, fever, and other discomfort in the setting of flu-like illness, these are in fact signs that our immune system is doing precisely what it was designed to do when under duress. These symptoms represent the firing off of cytokines, which serve as our immune system’s soldiers. When they fight, it gets heated… literally. And while we’ll tolerate this for a few days in the name of acute inflammation, it’s when the stress response keeps on going… and going… and going – that things can go haywire. While this can obviously occur in well-known autoimmune conditions (eg Crohn’s disease or Lupus), chronic inflammation at a more subtle level is now known to be a primary root cause of everything from cardiovascular disease to dementia to obesity.

WHAT ARE THE TRIGGERS FOR CHRONIC INFLAMMATION? AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THEM?

Emotional Stress

It’s not random that I’ve listed this one first. If stress, anxiety, or low mood are impacting your daily life, consider an intake consultation with BIÂN’s Mental Health Director Dr. Amy Robbins for help in establishing care with a local therapist. Meditation, acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy can also be enormously helpful in reducing emotional inflammation.

Sugar and Simple Carbohydrates

That little nightly dessert may have a greater impact than people realize. Even natural sugars and carbohydrates in excess (fruit, juice, cereal) can stimulate a toxic systemic response. Cutting down on this specific component of the diet can work wonders for overall health optimization.

Excessive Alcohol Intake‍

While 1-2 drinks on a given night is reasonable, regular consumption of higher amounts of alcohol can shift the liver into overdrive, destroy sleep, increase cancer risk, promote dehydration, and cause premature aging. Keep this in moderation!

Ignored Nutritional Sensitivities

Dairy, gluten, soy, and even the fermentable saccharides (ie FODMAP’s) found in many healthy fruits & vegetables can create a digestive and systemic inflammatory response for some. A consultation with BIÂN’s Naturopathic

Nutritionist Dr. Ben Schuff can be enormously helpful in targeting dietary triggers and optimizing GI microbial health.

Visceral Fat Accumulation

Our In-Body 770 machine, utilized in our concierge medical program and by our personal trainers, provides a surface area estimate of this deeply interwoven abdominal fat. Visceral fat acts as its own unwelcomed hormonal manipulator in the body. It is reducible with successful lifestyle changes but can be an enemy to progress when ignored.

Environmental Toxins

While fear of toxins can become as detrimental as the toxins themselves (please be cautious without becoming paranoid!), choosing organic produce, regularly cleaning your home, limiting intake of Mercury-laden fish to once/week, and maintaining awareness of chemicals in lawn fertilizers, for example, can simplistically reduce exposure.

Others

Insufficient sleep, cigarette smoking, under-exercising, over-exercising, consuming processed foods, and failing to treat known chronic conditions (like hypertension or diabetes), can all promote inflammation.

Within or outside of BIÂN, please remember that maintaining optimized primary health care is at the forefront of disease prevention! Through patient education, lifestyle adjustments, modern medications, and supplemental strategies, inflammation can be stopped in its tracks.

Learn more about BIÂN Medical here.

Develop your mission

What is your specific hope (and reasons why you chose it!) for this holiday season 2022? All decisions can filter through this - and it will then become your compass for towards or away from your mission. The stronger, the better!

This sets the tone of your mindset which directly impacts your results.

Micro missions are helpful too for on an event-by-event basis

Frequent giving through action

Deciding to contribute through service, random acts of kindness or other means of non-monetary support to others in need, regularly, can reconnect you to the depth and meaning of what the holidays symbolize. While this supports someone else, it directly impacts you in a positive way. (Think of the smallest of gestures or even the biggest!)

Breathe Deeper

Before an event, during a conversation, throughout a meal, you name it. You always have an opportunity to breathe a little deeper. How to remember to do this requires you to connect with your mindset/feelings. When you don't feel in LINE with your mission, BREATHE.

Maintain an element of your routine

Throwing all routine out the door invites not-so-healthy results. Maintain a component of your routine that you would consider a "fundamental" to your health. It may look different (brisk snowy walking vs yoga class) but the purpose remains the same and it does matter!

Consume & Savor Mindfully

Be with your food and drink choices. Feel it, taste it, smell it, swirl it, talk about it and savor it. Savoring is one of the strongest ways to connect to your present experience. When we eat or drink too quickly, we tend to overconsume.

PROTIP:

Food: Attempt to attend holiday events 50% full; eat ahead of time! One round trick.

Drink: Develop a drink consumption mission too! My rule? The 1.5. If I choose to drink at an event, I savor and enjoy the first drink slowly. The second one (if I chose) I simply use as a tool to indicate to myself my ability to have self-control and discipline. When you put the glass down halfway and take the responsibility and power over your actions that connect you to your mission (and your future self (how do you want to feel tomorrow?), it is incredibly empowering and rewarding.

View the segment where she discusses these tips and more:

‍WGN Daytime Chicago

THE HOLIDAYS OFFER MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SNACKS, FOOD AND DRINK THAT I TYPICALLY DON’T CONSUME. HOW CAN I NAVIGATE THIS?

Food is a centerpiece to our lives as a means to gather. Holidays are part of many of our collective traditions as an opportunity to allow food to bring us together. It’s important to remember that one day of decadent eating doesn’t undo health just as the opposite is true. With all sorts of yummy treats around, explore a different way of approaching it. What you might find when you pay attention to yourself eating delicious treats is that we are usually most looking forward to those first moments with the treat—the initial taste, texture, combination of flavors—those are really what you are yearning for. We get so excited that we eat it quickly or we are onto the next one before we register what’s happening. If you can slow down and really notice with your 5 senses, what exactly you like (or dislike) in that moment, you may find that you’re able to maximize enjoyment and minimize mindless consumption.

HOW CAN I ENJOY THE FLAVORS OF THE SEASON WHILE STAYING ON TRACK WITH MY HEALTH GOALS?

Bring attention to your narrative around the holiday season—are you using the holidays as a justification to eat for several weeks in a way that doesn’t feel good for you? If you find yourself rationalizing choices that make you feel lower and then regretting it later, try to simply allow yourself to enjoy the treats you’re going to have while understanding that by paying attention to the effect it is has on your body and mood can be all the information need to keep it balanced. Feeling like you “overindulged” with symptoms such as bloating and fatigue, is often due to when we are eating mindlessly and not making connections such as, “Yes, this is very delicious in this moment, but I notice ____ when I eat too much or too quickly”

HOW CAN I SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE SOCIAL PRESSURES AT HOLIDAY FUNCTIONS SUCH AS DRINKING ALCOHOL?‍

When it’s important to us to eat or drink in a certain way that works best for us, social pressure is a great opportunity to step into that and create a healthy firm boundary for ourselves. There is a thin line between “I shouldn’t or should have this” and “I simply don’t want this”. Don’t be afraid to honor yourself in this way because its important. You also never know who else among you is looking for a leader to get that cue from to make the best choice for themselves in a sometimes-uncomfortable scenario. Be the cue.

Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I was raised by immigrant parents so the concept of home and traditional remedies for healing was not a foreign one. My father went to traditional medical school and ended being a biochemist for a very well known multinational medical device and health care company. Despite this, he always encouraged natural healing methods and remedies before opting for western medical interventions. It was pretty well balanced. So I initially studied psychology and education in undergrad. I was always very taken with the human psyche and the workings of the universe, especially those things we couldn’t explain. After exploring a number of different career paths, including teaching middle school, a number of very fated events happened that lead me to studying and being completely immersed in East Asian medicine.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

There are too many interesting things that have happened since I started my career for me to be able to pick one. But something I find extremely interesting is being a part of the healing journeys that are deemed “incurable” or “chronic” or “idiopathic” which is just a fancy way of saying “we don’t know what’s wrong”, and then witnessing that shift. Often a big piece of this shift is helping people realize and process their emotions, stories, traumas that they’ve been holding onto for a lifetime. In east asian medicine we don’t separate the physical from the emotional or the spiritual, its all looked at through a cohesive lens where all aspects not only have an affect on each other but are simultaneously independent and intertwined all at the same time. This symbiotic relationship can actually be seen through the entirety of the workings of the universe. So I have seen people, not only make some pretty amazing shifts to their health and to these labels that they’ve been given, but to who they are as a person and how they see and interact with the world. Its a pretty remarkable thing to be a part of. To me it illustrates how interconnected we are as a species, and that healing really needs to address the person as whole. This allows for some really wonderful things to unfold.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was first starting out, I had this patient come see me with chronic pain. After my assessment, I had a conversation about adding in an herbal formula and the patient agreed. Now, this was a new patient and in my initial paperwork I always ask for all diagnosed medical conditions, prescription medications and any supplements that are being taken. So I thoroughly read through the paperwork not only to see what medications they were taking to make sure they weren’t on any blood thinners as the herbal formula I was going to give could potentiate the effects of a blood thinner. The paperwork did not mention any medication in that class of pharmaceuticals so I thought I was in the clear. The patient came back the following week and said they noticed they were bruising easily. I immediately asked the patient if they were on blood thinners, and they responded with I don’t think so. So I had to dig deeper and started naming the moist common medications in that class and what they might be prescribed for. Suddenly, the patient says ‘oh yes I am taking that one, but I couldn’t remember what it was for’. So it was very big lesson for me to always have a conversation with patients despite what they may write on their paperwork. I think a lot of people forget what their medications are for or what they do and that can be a very important factor in someones treatment plan. This experience also taught me how to ask better inquiry questions about different aspects of peoples health and lifestyle so that I was getting the most clear and appropriate answers to better be able to help them. The patient in this story was fine and I ended up making modifications that wouldn’t interfere with the medication. Nonetheless, it was a very big lesson that could have had significant consequences and changed my approach with patients.

When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

Being able to look at and approach health from a different paradigm, in this case an East Asian medicine paradigm, allows me to be able to address many conditions that western medicine doesn’t have answers to. Im a big believer in integration and it has been a model that Ive practiced within for many years. But, in order to truly be able to help people in the most beneficial ways, we have to be able to acknowledge where we fall short in our approaches or in the tools that we utilize. Being able to look at health and wellness through a lens that encompasses not only the whole person, but that takes into account their environment, their mental, emotional and spiritual well being, their lifestyle their food choices and then be able to explain how all of these things are affecting what ever issue they are coming in for, is very powerful. It allows people to shift their perspective on how they approach life and themselves and understand how all of their choices contribute to their well being. It gives us an expanded understanding of not only ourselves but the world around us and how we are mutually impacted. As an example, we could use the issue of chronic pain, which affects somewhere around 50 million people in the US alone. So traditionally, the approach has been to focus on the pain by giving people opiates or nerve blockers or NSAIDS etc. For awhile, those things might work, but its not addressing the actual problem. Eventually, we end up with needing more, or causing gastrointestinal side effects or even worse, causing an addiction problem as we’ve seen in the case of opiates. So then the question becomes, why isn’t addressing and focusing on the pain enough? What we find is that we cannot fragment ourselves into separate aspects of existence. We start to realize that our physical state is directly related to our emotional, mental, spiritual, cellular, bioenergetic and environmental states and vice versa. What do we think happens to our body, which is a living, breathing organism, when we have constant negative self talk day in and day out? What do we think happens to our body when we have traumas, wounds, emotions and experiences that have never been processed? Do they exist separate from us, somewhere in the ethers? They do not. They are stored in our systems in our tissues in the fascia, they form neurologic pathways in our brains, as does the chronic pain, and keep us functioning from this place. So when we start to address all these other aspects and bring awareness to them, we can really start to see things shift and I think as a society we are starting to understand this. Ideally, this starts to shift the world around us, but the starting place is with each of us individually.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing?

Regulate your nervous system/decrease stress levels: Nervous system health is crucial to not only healing but to being able to navigate life in general. Please find things that help you to regulate on a daily basis. Examples might be polyvagal exercises, meditation, consistent acupuncture, therapy, naps, walking barefoot outside in the grass, gentle movement like somatic therapies or yin yoga, EFT, listening to calming sounds or frequencies, massage, herbs/supplements epsom salt baths. There are many ways to approach regulating your nervous system and decreasing stress, the key is to find the things that work for you and to be consistent. Make time in your day that you can dedicate to this practice

Add warming foods and spices that encourage digestion into your diet. Im a big gut health person and I believe its a crucial piece in any wellness journey. A simple thing you can do is to add cooked warming foods to your diet to encourage the “digestive fire” (your bodies own stove) and frequently add things like ginger, cardamom fennel, peppermint, turmeric etc. I won’t get started on my smoothie rant, but if you’re absolutely unwilling to give that up, at least try to put some digestive and warming herbs in there and try having it at room temp. I also love a high quality digestive enzyme, herbal blend or bitters blend.

Sleep/rest: I cannot talk enough about the importance of sleep and rest when it comes to health and wellness. Some simple things you can do to improve sleep hygiene are the following:

• Go to bed by 10:30
• Get black out shades and remove any excess light from the bedroom
• Remove electronics from the bedroom
• A foot soak or bath in warm water with epsom salts
• Have your last meal at least 3 hours before sleep
• Make sure the temp in your house is cooler at night, 68–70 degrees seems to be ideal
• Get an herbal blend made by an experienced practitioner

As far as rest goes, I encourage people to listen to their bodies. I think we have somehow equated rest with lazy and I think that’s a huge disservice. Many cultures still carve out rest periods in their daily life because it is crucial and necessary. Feeling tired, overwhelmed, exhausted and even moody, can all be signs that we need rest and I encourage everyone to do that. It doesn’t have to be an actual nap. Maybe its just 20 minutes alone with no distractions, maybe its not scheduling every minute of every day and giving yourself time to just “do nothing” but breathe or stare into space or sit outside, there are no rules to how you rest.

Connection: We are social and emotional beings who thrive on connections with others. I encourage everyone to make time for meaningful social connection ideally each day but at least once a week. Something that makes you feel good and is uplifting and supportive. It doesn’t have to be with friends or family, sometimes a small kind gesture or word to a stranger is enough to make both of you feel good and connected.

Laughter: Laughter really is the best medicine and it can go a long way. Laughing not only changes your mood but also changes your physiology. It stimulates a number of organs, activates and relives the stress response and soothes tension. One positive thing we can utilize our electronics for is to find some videos or memes that just tickle the funny bone. Obviously, having a good laugh with friends is ideal but if you don’t have any funny friends, then going to your electronics might be your best bet. I make it a point to laugh daily!

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

‍Nervous system regulation and acupuncture for everyone.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Healing is not linear: Healing is a journey and it it doesn’t move in a straight line, knowing that in the beginning would have saved me a lot of time worrying and questioning the process
2. You can’t help everyone: I am only part of the equation in another’s healing journey, they have to meet me at least half way.
3. You will need to make time to take care of yourself: This is a big one, honestly for everyone, but especially if you are in the field of caring for others. It takes a toll to hold that much space and thus requires extra attention to self care and rest.
4. Create strong boundaries because they will be tested. Having boundaries for ourselves is crucial to navigate the world appropriately. In healthcare, because we are dealing with people in a moment in time when they are not feeling their best, it’s not uncommon to have boundaries get tested or pushed. Having those stablished clearly will help to prevent a lot of misunderstandings.
5. Know what you don’t know. We place a lot of our focus on gathering as much information as possible in order to be able to do the best job we can. While that is certainly important, I think its just as important to know when you can’t help. When you need to refer out or when you need assistance. This is a crucial piece in personal integrity and for the journey of the patient.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

I think all of these issues are of extreme importance and deserve our attention, contemplation and action. If I had to pick one, especially in our current environment, Id say mental health. Mental health is an area that as a society, I think we have long had room for improvement. Especially after the last three years, I think we are seeing how delicate, multifaceted and pervasive the issue of mental health really is within society and possibly expanding our understanding on what that even means. Without addressing this, I think it makes addressing all the other issues that much harder. If we don’t have a grasp on mental health, our own or that of the collective, we will be hard pressed to adequately address anything else.

Tell us about a formative experience that prompted you to change your relationship with work and how work shows up in your life.‍

I believe that the relationship that you have to all things in life stems from the way you think and feel as we can decide the narrative and the tone that our professional life has. I decided after a brief career in Financial Services that I wanted to merge impact and innovation in my career drawing on elements of my personality that I would consider my strengths. Leaving Financial Services in 2013 to move into the wellness space wasn’t a smooth or easy transition but rather, a purposeful one. I juggled multiple positions to barely make it work but the purpose was there for me to maintain the motivation and focus needed to succeed. Today, I maintain this approach of keeping my eye on my mission for my work – as this has developed a meaningful and healthy relationship that fits into the overall puzzle of my life.  

Harvard Business Review* predicts that wellness will become the newest metric employers will use to analyze and to assess their employees’ mental, physical and financial health.  How does BIAN organization define wellness, and how does your organization measure wellness?

‍At BIAN, we don’t define wellness but rather lead with the mission of “living a vital life” – where each individual can make choices that contribute to overall well-being physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, medically, and environmentally. Wellness doesn’t have one route and is quite vast and unique to the individual. We measure wellness by the personal contribution that our team and club members make in each of those areas of their life.  

Based on your experience or research, how do you correlate and quantify the impact of a well workforce on your BIAN’s productivity and profitability?

‍Human beings that are well, contribute to and create great work. It is directly correlated to our success as an organization, and we keep a close eye on this through active leadership. Being a private club in the wellness and social space, we have incredible resources for our teams to integrate daily, weekly, and annual efforts towards their well-being. Our team members having access to 6 onsite Doctors and a dozen wellness experts in a variety of fields that offer thought leadership and ongoing support unique to the individual to offer sustainable programming to our teams to practice regularly. In addition, we promote personal responsibility as one of our key pillars of our People Resources program that draws upon motivational techniques to encourage participation in one’s overall wellbeing. Having our Partners actively involved in the day to day of the operations, we can consistently support this initiative. We offer this model to organizations across Chicago – as a unique opportunity to implement powerful programs unique to the culture through our corporate initiative.   

Even though most leaders have good intentions when it comes to employee wellness, programs that require funding are beholden to business cases like any other initiative.  The World Health Organization* estimates for every $1 invested into treatment for common mental health disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.  That sounds like a great ROI.  And, yet many employers struggle to fund wellness programs that seem to come “at the cost of the business.”  What advice do you have to offer to other organizations and leaders who feel stuck between intention and impact?

‍I suggest to employers to understand that even the seemingly smallest of offerings, can go a long way. I work often with “micro-shifts” to wellness to support the busy individual without it becoming disruptive to the environment or the workflow. Wellness rituals and support can be implemented through education, resources and simple on-site programming that even a few times a month, can provide a step in the right direction with an organization. Thought leadership in the wellness space from an external partner is one of the main key drivers that can provide impact and support.

Speaking of money matters, a recent Gallup* study reveals employees of all generations rank well-being as one of their top three employer search criteria.  How are you incorporating wellness programs into talent recruitment and hiring processes?

‍With the BIAN model, wellness plays directly plays into the recruitment and hiring processes as the knowledge and first-hand experience is pivotal to providing stellar programming. Being well is a true currency for success and this is explored in our initial conversations. We must practice what we preach.

Can you please tell us more about a couple of specific ways workplaces would benefit from investing in your ideas above to improve employee wellness?

‍Providing strong resources regularly can support the longevity of the employee which in turn contributes to stronger terms, long-term loyalty, effective leadership, and impact. Leaders create leaders – and the healthier your individuals are, the healthier your teams and organization is.  

How are you re-skilling leaders at BIAN to support a “Work Well” culture?

‍At BIAN we offer direct access for all employees to our 6 on-staff Doctors for a range of support from medical, mental, emotional, and physical health in addition to the education around how they can also implement this into their daily lives outside of the workplace. Education is critical in changing behaviors and adopting successful and healthy routines and mindsets.  

Ideas take time to implement. What is one small step every individual, team, or organization can take to get started on these ideas - to get well?

‍Understand and listen to your people about what they feel they need. Understanding the gaps can allow for an organization to structure a program unique to the makeup of the group. Wellness – can be practiced in many ways but again isn’t a “one size fits all.:” While there are fundamental pillars such as physical, emotional, mental, social, and environmental wellness, determine what specific needs live within your culture that falls under these segments.

What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Workplace Wellness?”:

1. HOW YOU CARE : Providing access to resources for team members that is caring towards their lives both inside AND outside the workplace. Examples of this would be a stipend towards fitness/exercise facilities in combination with workplace or team member contests to hit healthy goals, data-driven efforts such as “step challenges” with wearables, or on-site mental health/de-stressing programs/body work.  
2. HOW YOU MOTIVATE: Motivation is the key need in many organizations to develop strong teams. Motivation can be harnessed through a transparent sharing of the company mission and how each individual impacts this mission – regardless of the level of their position. Clarity is key and ensuring that everyone is “rowing in the same direction” provides healthy goal setting and camaraderie.  
3. HOW YOU DEVELOP: Providing regular programming and bringing in thought leadership to further support common initiatives such as goal setting, healthy habit creation, teamwork, nutrition, time management strategies etc to develop skill sets that directly impact success.
4. HOW YOU PLAY: The element of play is a lost art amongst adults but something that directly impacts happiness, success, and productivity. Incorporate this idea of “play” through basic incorporation – coloring contests, relay races, dress up, karaoke – you name it. Flexing the “play muscle” is well worth it.
5. HOW YOU FUEL: It sounds the most simple, but we are behind the ball nationally through out workplace nutrition. Offering sugary, salty, processed foods in the workplace directly goes against a healthy environment and well people. Providing access to REAL foods that support the whole person – will pay dividends well into the future.  

What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of workplace wellness?

‍Leaders are listening – and this radiates positive momentum in the space. It takes trailblazers and leaders to believe in the mission and this is contagious.

‍

*Sources:

Harvard Business Review

The World Health Organization

Gallup