The IntellectualMental Dimension of Wellness

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The Intellectual/Mental Dimension of Wellness
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Intellectual Wellness What is it?

• Curiosity and a thirst for leaning 
• Valuing diverse experiences and staying
  stimulated with new ideas
• Responding to challenges and opportunities to
  grow

• Making plans, developing strategies, and solving
  problems
• The ability to engage in clear thinking and
  recall
• Thinking creatively independently, and critically
  

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Importance of Intellectual Wellness

• Stimulates the brain, enhances mental acuity
• Intellectual wellness associated with
  self-esteem, internal locus-of-control and job
  satisfaction

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Importance of Intellectual Wellness

• Important for problem-solving ability
• Strong correlation between intellectual
  development (e.g. education) and income
• Cerebral activity can help to ward off some
  diseases

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Use it Or Lose it!
The brain is like a muscle, it needs to be
exercised

• Many studies have shown that cognitive
  stimulation (a.k.a. mental aerobics) helps to
  prevent Alzheimers Disease
• e.g. games, puzzles, language
• Increases growth of dendrites (how brain cells
  communicate) improves memory, attention span, and
  ability to learn

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Signs of Good Intellectual/ Mental Wellness

• Well informed
• Value Learning
• Enjoy challenges
• Confident in your ability to make good decisions
• Frequently read

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Signs of Good Intellectual Wellness

• You frequently take the role of other
• Your interactions with others provokes questions
• You dont believe everything you read, see on TV
  or are told by experts

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Improving Intellectual Wellness

• Lean one new thing (e.g. a word, capital, recipe)
  a day
• Expose yourself to new environments
• Challenge yourself to see more than one side of
  every issue
• Critically engage with the world around you

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Improving Intellectual Wellness

• Dont be afraid to ask questions
• Know most people have the imposter syndrome
• Read a book, learn a language, take a trip
• Teach others

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Integration of Wellness Dimensions

• Dimensions are inter-connected e.g. Social
  Wellness Intellectual Wellness
• Social isolation is the best predictor of mental
  illness
• Social relationships reduce stress, enhance self
  esteem and provide rich sources of social support
• Individuals with either a large number of friends
  or a few deep friendships are healthiest

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Diet and Exercise

• To maximize health effects make sure diet
  involves
• Lo fat diet (esp. unsaturated fats)
• Antioxidants
• Avoid long-term chronic strain
• Eating Natural Foods, Vegetables decrease
  Alzheimer's risk
• Unsaturated fats (up to 80 decreased risk)
• Gingko
• Meat and dairy inversely related to intellectual
  wellness
• Exercise improves memory