Foundations of Wellness textbook presents mindful approach to wellness
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Bill Reger-Nash, Ed.D., professor emeritus in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, published Foundations of Wellness, a text for university health and wellness courses. The book was released January 8 by Human Kinetics.
In his work as a teacher, school counselor, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, and wellness professional, Dr. Reger-Nash experienced first-hand the huge societal health problems, including rampant obesity and diabetes. Despite the $3 trillion the United States spends annually on health, health indicators, such as infant mortality and life expectancy, lag behind more than 30 other nations. Reger-Nash observed that wellness is more than physical lifestyle behaviors and health screenings.
“As a society, we are stressed and become desensitized to what is happening to us. We have deadlines we cannot meet, are over stimulated by television, Internet, smart phone, radio, newspapers, and billboards and become preoccupied with the material world that surrounds us,” Reger-Nash said.
Foundations of Wellness presents a new approach to wellness, focusing on mindfulness and positive psychology. The text recommends standard wellness practices, such as regular physical activity; eating more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains; sleeping better; and living with fewer addictive substances -- but within a mindful context. The book also incorporates optimism, gratitude, compassion, kindness, selflessness, and generosity.
Ultimately, the book strives to equip readers and students to live their lives with more awareness, peace of mind, purpose, and effectiveness.
“Our wellness focus is positive and grounded in the theory of wellbeing. We help students and readers learn the skills of mindfulness and positive psychology. Our goal is to help people live with rip-roaring good health and move beyond the absence of disease,” Reger-Nash said.
Reger-Nash retired from the WVU School of Public Health in 2012 and worked full time with his writing team synthesizing the latest relevant scientific literature for this textbook.
The text is co-authored by Gregory Juckett, M.D., professor of family medicine at the WVU School of Medicine, and Meredith Smith Ludden, M.S., M.A., who has worked as a family and marriage therapist as well as a drug and alcohol counselor and is currently a health educator for the State of New Mexico.
Foundations of Wellness may be purchased directly through Human Kinetics in paperback ($44) or eBook ($24) or through standard retailers.
Foundations of Wellness is also the name of a graduate course that has been offered by the WVU schools of Medicine and Public Health for more than 20 years. The course (SBHS 630) will again be offered during the 2015 summer session by Reger-Nash and Janet K. Reger-Nash, M.S.W. For more information about the course, contact Bill Reger-Nash at wreger@hsc.wvu.edu or 304-685-6740.