An increasing number of studies are highlighting the link between mental and physical health. For example, mental health issues, such as depression, can increase the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Similarly, a person suffering from a chronic physical condition is more likely to experience depression, either because of the stress related to living with their condition or because of the medications used to treat it.

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We rarely see an overweight actor cast as an action hero or femme fatale in any Hollywood blockbuster. We only see physically “perfect” bodies – often further enhanced by makeup, lighting, and computer generated imagery. And when that “perfect” movie star gains even a small amount of weight, he or she may be mercilessly bullied in the media; they are hounded and hurt because they look, well, like us!

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For many of us, our working day is spent in an office where we sit at a desk, staring at a computer screen and not moving for long stretches of time. It’s no wonder so many of us suffer from:
• Lower back pain
• Shoulder and neck pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (pain and numbness caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist)
• Eye strain
• Stress-related illnesses, such as anxiety and depression

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Health is not just about being free of illness and injury. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health “is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Although a healthy diet and plenty of exercise are important to maintaining our physical health, we can’t neglect our mental well-being. We need to adopt a holistic approach – that is, taking care of the entire body and mind at the same time.

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