General Wellness
General wellbeing is important. However, once we have been diagnosed with cancer, it is even more important. There are over one million people living with or beyond their cancer diagnosis. Consequently, the impact on wellbeing can be dramatic and is multidimensional, which includes the physical, the emotional, the social, intellectual and the spiritual components of the person. For this reason, when considering wellbeing, these factors must also be considered. In spite of this need, many survivorship models fail to address the physical, psychosocial and supportive care needs of cancer survivors. Bloomhill seeks to build this bridge.
The physical health is central to wellbeing. There are a number of factors contributing to physical health. A good night’s sleep improves the energy levels, decreases cortisol, improves blood glucose control, improves immune function and general mental wellbeing. Drinking plenty of water, helps to keep the kidneys functioning and helps prevent constipation. Eating a healthy diet helps to provide the body with the vitamins, mineral, proteins, glucose and fibre required to maintain a healthy metabolic, genetic and restorative function. Finally, exercise helps to increase energy levels, improve circulation for the optimum delivery of nutrients, oxygen and glucose to the cells, brain and vital organs. Bloomhill has a number of practitioners such as a dietician and exercise physiologists that can provide help to improve your physical health.
Healthy emotions are also important for general wellbeing. Our emotions can affect physical health if they are uncontrolled. For example, if we have negative feelings, it can lead to anxiety and depression, both of which can affect our sleep, diet and activity levels. Managing negative thoughts, seeking support, exercising, sleeping well and eating well are all ways to improve our emotional health. If you think you need extra emotional support, please reach out to the Bloomhill reception and book in with one of our counsellors of psychologists, or you can come and talk to one of our nurses.
Social support is also important for general health. We are wired for connection so strong social relationships play a crucial role in our mental health, while loneliness and isolation can have a negative impact on both our physical and emotional health. Social connections can create a sense of wellbeing, reduce stress, improve self-worth, boost confidence and resilience and creative positivity. Finding ways to connect with others is important. Some of these ways may include joining a social club or one of Bloomhill’s support groups, chatterbox or the men’s support group, reconnecting with family or a friend, joining the Bloomhill gym circuit, taking your dog for a walk or attending community meetings, events or activities.
Keeping the mind active is an important part of wellness. Maintaining optimum brain health is important to reducing the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. For this reason, developing brain health habits is a key method of maintaining brain function. Some ways to improve cognitive function include exercising, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, doing crossword puzzles, sleeping well and doing exercise to maintain optimum blood flow to the brain and promote the development of new neural connections. These small changes can have a huge impact on the cognitive function of the brain.
Finally, the spiritual aspect is important and can affect all others. Spirituality and wellbeing are closely related with well-being defined as a stage of balance and alignment of mind, body and spirit. Having meaning and purpose in life is important for our overall happiness and fulfilment. Thus, wellbeing is a state of feeling healthy, content, purposeful, peaceful, harmonized, happy, prosperous and safe. There are many events and circumstances in life that can interview with our spiritual wellbeing. If this does occur, it is important that we take steps to re-align our spiritual component with our physical, emotional and social aspects. Bloomhill has many avenues to support this process, and includes meditation, mindfulness and yoga. If you are struggling in any of these areas, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
References
IT Padmin. (2025). Stronger together: How social connections can boost mental health. ITP Australia New Zealand. https://itpaustralia.org.au/stronger-together-how-social-connections-boost-mental-health/
Kreitzer, M.J. (2012). Spirituality and well-being: Focusing on what matters. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 34(6), 707—711. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0193945912448315
Mayo Clinic. (December 1, 2023). 8 brain tips for healthier you. Healthy Lifestyle Healthy Aging. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/brain-health-tips/art-20555198
PeterMac. About cancer survivorship and the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC). https://www.petermac.org/patients-and-carers/support-and-wellbeing/living-with-and-beyond-cancer/about-survivorship-and-the-australian-cancer-survivorship-centre
Queensland Government. (March 10, 2020). How to optimize brain health with 3 simple steps. Health and Wellbeing Queensland. https://hw.qld.gov.au/blog/impact-of-healthy-lifestyle-on-brain-function/
Please contact our Nurses on 07 5445 5794 or [email protected] if you have any questions.
All information provided by Bloomhill is mainly based on research from the Qld Cancer Council and best practice guidelines. Our model of care utilizes the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) domains of wellness along with available clinical evidence. Always consult your care team regarding matters that affect your health. This is a guide intended for information only.
