The Twenty Competencies: an Intro to Personal Wellness

August 09, 2007

The Twenty Competencies: an Intro to Personal Wellness Competency # 1 - 20 


Reference: Aurora Sinai Wellness Institute 


 This is the 2008 list we have developed.  We believe this list is a reasonable start of concepts that each of us should be good at.  Take this list, put it in a three ring binder.   Each week add the new email to your binder.  You will accumulate information on each topic as it comes out.  If you are thoroughly modern, save it to an email folder. Each week we try to refer to one of the competencies.  From time to time, a topic will fit two of them.  And we will give you the literature reference that we are investigating.  We are looking at the world from the perspective of prevention and wellness.  As you progress on your personal health journey, you will find that the themes start weaving together.  


 Instead of Cardiac Rehab, we are working on Cardiac “Prehab.”  Brain health before your get Alzheimer’s, sugar control before you get diabetes.  As you go down our list, we would like you to think about candidates to be added to the list.  We would like to take Trans Fats off the list because they get banned everywhere.  Then we can move on and add other new ideas.  Give us yours.  We would love to hear from you. We always end with “WWW: What Will Work for Me”.   Make one little change each week.  


The change research literature shows that when you make tiny changes in a positive way, and keep adding to with them, you succeed.  Reward yourself for your changes.  Do something four days in a row, and it becomes a tiny habit.  Do it 10 days in a row and you have it down pat.  Each day, try and make one decision that is on your journey to wellness.  Benjamin Franklin had a list of 14 virtues that he kept track of.  In any given week, he made a table of which virtue he wanted to attend to, and what he did that day to address it. (He obviously was NOT virtuous on all virtues at once). 


 My Inner Elephant:  We refer to the concept of our inner elephant as that raging primordial beast that represents all our inner urges and basic drives.  Our brain stem reflexes are not always well suited to suits and ties.  We would rather gorge and stuff, wallow in chocolate and revel in cream puffs at the Wisconsin State Fair.  We will talk about how to tame your elephant.  But he doesn’t go away, and given enough opportunity, will stampede through your freezer and find the ice cream.  We are on a journey to control the beast.  If you have any tricks on how to train an elephant, please let us know.  We will share them. So, here is the list.  Pass it on.  Forward this email.  We want to make Aurora Health Care the healthiest place to work, and your life a rich and full one with a healthy future ahead of you. 


 WWW:  What will Work for Me?  I'm off to State Fair this weekend.  I may not be good.  I'm trying to resolve ahead of time.  Just one cream puff, one corn, one bratwurst, one beer, one ice cream, one funnel cake, ...just one.  Maybe if I meet you we can do a little better.  Ask for help if you get in too deep. Wellness Program The 20 Core Competency Standards Version 2008 


 1.  Know Thyself:  “Your size is a terrible thing to waist”  A. BMI   (wt in lbs)/(Ht in inches)2  x 703  =  < 25 B.Waist to Hip Ratio < .9 for men, .85 for women. C.Waist size  Men < 37,  Women  < 31.5 

 2.   DASH/Omni Heart Diet: Evidence Based Diet a.Designing the Diet that works for You b.Eating Breakfast and other good habits 

 3.   Energy Balance: “Earning and Burning” Meal size, portions and exercise 

 4. Flowing Fluids: The Facts on Liquids 

 5. Insulin, Sugar and the Glycemic Index: the Science 

 6.     Fiber Fiber: The Miracle Food 

 7.  Brain Health 

 8.   Good Fats and Bad Fats 

 9.     Trans Fats: The Modern Poison 

 10.     Avoiding Being a “Sugar Junkie” (Fructose and other sugars) 

 11.     Flavonoids and Antioxidants 

 12.     Vitamin D: The Supervitamin 

 13.     Vital Vitamins 

 14.     Mighty Minerals:  Potassium, Calcium, ….. 

 15.     Sinai’s Fabulous Foods List 

 16.     Nutritional Density Score: Power-packed Eating 

 17.     Food Strategy: Eating Out, Learning Change Behaviors, Dealing with Temptation and Sin! 

 18.   Interpreting Food Labels: Exploring the Jungle 

 19.     Food Safety 

 20.   The Cuisines of the Long Lìved



This column is written by Dr. John E. Whitcomb, MD, Brookfield Longevity, Brookfield, WI, (262-784-5300)

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