Well Rounded Wellness

Wellness is as multifaceted as human beings are. At Baylor, there is an endless supply of expertise and resources to turn to when looking for guidance on all types of wellness — spiritual, physical, mental, social and financial. 

Justin Adeyemi, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, and he sees a connection between these different realms of wellness. While Adeyemi’s expertise focuses on physical and spiritual wellness, he believes these two aspects can positively influence other areas of wellness.

Spiritual Wellness

He suggests that spiritual wellness is the most important, pointing toward 3 John 1:2: “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.”

“In this passage, the Apostle John is saying that Gaius [the letter recipient] is prospering spiritually because he’s walking in his faith daily. This essentially puts him in a position to prosper in other areas of his life — physically, socially, mentally,” Adeyemi said. “I think that’s key for us as believers — to keep the spiritual focus first because with that, everything else will flow.”

Physical Wellness

As an instructor of classes that include anatomy and physiology, athletic training and physical education, Adeyemi also has a few tips related to physical wellbeing to offer. He emphasizes one piece of advice in particular: move. 

“One of my first lessons for my anatomy classes is that our cells move. If the smallest parts of our bodies are designed by God to move, then I think, naturally, our whole being should move,” Adeyemi said. 

Research shows that moving can decrease anxiety and depression and increase brain function. Adeyemi recommends incorporating movement into daily activities, whether through recreational sports, taking the stairs or walking more by parking a little further away. Of course, every body is different, but accommodations can make movement more accessible to anyone.