Physical health affects mental health and mental health affects physical health. Of the many lessons I took away from my 19 years as a healthcare coverage professional, this is the lesson most profound and enduring.
Interconnection is the nature of life, and so it is no surprise that true health requires a holistic approach. For your consideration: a standard treatment for depression and anxiety is exercise. A typical treatment protocol for diabetes is also exercise. In fact, a complication of diabetes is depression. This brings us back to the prescription of exercise.
GETTING OUT FOR GETTING WELL
The World Health Organization reports that over 300 million people of all ages suffer with depression worldwide. Studies argue that the combination of being outdoors and physical movement support mental and emotional well-being in many ways, such as decreasing stress and increasing mood to name just a few. And yet there are real challenges we face when trying to get outside and get moving - weather, atmosphere, and safety in particular.
Making an outdoor workout a priority often means getting up early or heading out after work. These times we are able to carve out for ourselves are precious, but they are also notoriously dangerous. Low low-light level result in lack of visibility. It is no wonder that pedestrian fatalities are on the rise.
Getting outside means dressing the part. We need products that work for us, and products that protect us. To us, this means something that feels good, wicks moisture, and breathes. We need apparel that keeps us safe, comfortable, and is effortless. We looked for these products because we need these products. And like many others before us and many who will come after, we learned that necessity is the mother of invention. And so here we are, creators of these products.
WHAT’S IN A NAME
There is something about the word “habitat” that strikes me. “Habitat” is a term that is encompassing, and carries meaning beyond place or space. It is inclusive of everything that makes up where we are. And then we get personal. What is personal is our own - something private, but also something that can be shared for a connection. The two words together complement and connect into a bigger whole: Ours and ours to share. Personal Habitat.
I hope you'll take a look at our first product - a reflective soft wool wholegarment® knit cool-weather beanie. That is a long description but it's apt. The wool does everything wool does to breath and regulate temperature. The reflective yarn allows the wearer to be seen and aides the safety imperative. And the wholegarment® knitting results in a higher quality garment which has no seams and produces nearly no waste. This product has been a labor of love and intentionality. Our technique for this is an innovation - in fact, our technique is Patent Pending (and manufactured in the USA).
This product is only the beginning for Personal Habitat. We have a vision for how we can support people getting outdoors in new and meaningful ways through technique and fabric innovations designed around humans (and responsibly made). Our future includes products that support a diverse variety of people and needs, ages, and weather. For us, safety begins with visibility, but it does not end there. We invite you to try our product, spread the word, and stay interested while we grow as a company that applies innovation to support human needs.