Wellness is one of those words that gets tossed around because it sounds good even though we might not know exactly what it means. After all, how could wellness be a bad thing? But like many things in life, just using a word doesn’t mean you automatically reap its benefits. Like most good things, some form of work is involved.
Fortunately, Idaho Falls is a pretty good place to pursue your wellness goals.
Right now there is so much strife going on in the world in places like Gaza, Ukraine, and the Congo, that a place like Idaho Falls can almost seem like Shangri-La. Having been to the place in China that is now called Shangri-La, I can honestly say that with our River Walk and temple along the river we certainly have the right vibe going. If we could have those guys with the nameplates riding bikes swap out their suites for orange robes, we could nail it.
Wellness is the active pursuit of improving one’s health. When it comes to opportunities to improve physically, I like to think of Idaho Falls as a huge wheel.
In town, the hub of wellness is anchored in all the diverse types of gyms we have. We even have almost as many gyms as we do car washes which is important from a wellness perspective because a clean car means a clean soul of course. For those that seek to improve physically outside of the walls of a gym, we of course have miles of greenbelt along the river and the newly added canal trails for walking, jogging, and biking. Unfortunately, I don’t think zipping along on the rental electric scooters earns you karma points, even if you are drinking a soy fair trade coffee latte as you go.
If the city is the hub of the recreational wheel, then the spokes that radiate outward are almost too numerous to count.
Because of our climate, we are blessed with an enormous range of outdoor activities that we can use to strengthen our bodies and lift our spirits. Whether it be human or mechanically powered, every direction from Idaho Falls holds a playground of some sort. Often, the decision on what outdoor activity to pursue can be downright difficult because of all the options.
The second component of wellness has to do with the mental and spiritual, rather than the physical. To some, this internal growth is found through traditional religion. In this category Idaho Falls certainly has a wide variety of options. Some you must physically seek out; others will come right to your door to talk to you. Thanks to the pandemic, some options are available via streaming in the comfort of your own living room. There is no lack of organized betterment in our fair burg.
Seek and you certainly will find some form of spiritual enlightenment.
For those that are free spirits in search of their own path to cosmic consciousness, there are all types of establishments available to enhance one’s inner self ranging from our fine public library, city zoo, museum, and even aquarium. For those with a more artistic bent, muses can be found at our movie theaters, museums and downtown entertainment venues. Some people find the company of others as a balm from the world and we have a wide range of public houses where they can go to commune over a pint of beer or a fine cocktail.
While certainly not the Shangri-La of Hilton’s Lost Horizon, Idaho Falls is our personal happy place away from the strife of the world. When it comes to pursuing wellness Idaho Falls has just about everything you could want to make you a better person both inside and out, along with your car.