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A Healthy Foundation. Understanding Health and Wellness. Health – The combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being. What power does the knowledge of health give us?. The Health Triangle. There are three different areas of health. Physical Mental/Emotional Social.
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Understanding Health and Wellness • Health – The combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being. • What power does the knowledge of health give us?
The Health Triangle • There are three different areas of health. • Physical • Mental/Emotional • Social
Why is it important to keep balance? • If you concentrate too much or too little on one area, the triangle can become unbalanced. • Balance is important as any area of severe weakness hurts overall health.
Physical Health • How well your body functions. • Energy, stress, and injuries. • Actions you can take to improve? • Sleep • Nutrition/Water • Activity • Abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. • Good hygiene
Mental/Emotional • Your feelings and thoughts. • Being mentally and emotionally healthy means. • I enjoy challenges as they help me grow. • I accept responsibility for my actions. • I understand I control my life. • I can express myself in appropriate ways. • I can deal with life’s stresses and frustrations. • I have a positive outlook. • I make thoughtful and responsible decisions.
Spiritual Health • An area of mental/emotional health. • A deep seated sense of meaning and purpose in life. • Does not necessarily mean you belong to a religious group. • Sense of purpose and values.
Social Health • Getting along with others. • Social Network – Friends, family, teachers, members of your community, etc. • Good social health does not necessarily mean you have lots of friends. • Being able to share your thoughts and feelings with others. • Seek and lend support, communicate and listen, and show respect and care for self and others.
Keeping Balance • Wellness – Overall state of well-being or total health. • Making decisions and practicing behaviors based on sound health knowledge and healthful attitudes. • Examples: • Someone who spends all their time working out. • Someone whose friends are the most important part of their life.
Influences on Health • Heredity – Traits that were biologically passed on to you. (From eye color to risk of diabetes) • Environment – The sum of your surroundings. • Physical • Social – Family and peers (people of the same age who share similar interests.) • Culture – Collective beliefs, customs, and behaviors of a group. (Ethnic group, community, nation, or part of the world.)
Influences on Health (Cont.) • Attitude – The way you view situations. (Optimist v. Pessimist) • Behavior – Healthful vs. Risk Behaviors • Media and Technology – One of the most powerful influences. • Media – Various methods for communicating info. • Technology – Radio, TV, Internet, etc. that delivers media. • Why is it important that we understand these influences? • What factors can we change and what factors can we not change?
Identifying Health Risks • Risk Behaviors – Actions that can potentially threaten your health or the health of others. • CDC identified 6 that account for most deaths and disabilities among young people. • Tobacco Use • Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors • Inadequate Physical Activity • Alcohol and other Drug Use • Sexual Behaviors that result in HIV infections, other STD’s, and unintended pregnancies. • Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries ndvioloence.
Risks and Consequences • Cumulative Risks – Related risks that increase in effect with each added risk. • Increase when several risk factors are combined. • Using a cell phone while driving. • Speeding • The more risk factors you participate in, the higher the likelihood that you will experience negative consequences.
Avoiding or Reducing Risks • Prevention – Taking steps to keep something from happening or getting worse. • Abstinence – A deliberate decision to avoid high-risk behaviors, including sexual activity and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
Abstinence • All areas of the health triangle benefit when you choose to abstain from high-risk behaviors. • Abstaining protects from chronic diseases. • Increases self esteem. • Shows that you value your well being. • Shows responsibility as you are taking an active role in promoting wellness.
Promoting Your Health • Every day you make decisions that affect your health. • Lifestyle Factors – the personal habits or behaviors related to the way a person lives. • Make a difference in health, happiness, and longevity.
Healthy Lifestyle Factors • Do you regularly practice healthy lifestyle factors? such as: • Sleep (8-10 hrs/night) • Healthy Breakfast • Eating a variety of nutritious foods • Being physically active for 30-60 min/day • Maintaining healthy weight • Abstaining from smoking or using other tobacco • Abstaining from alcohol and other drugs
Health Education • High Level of Wellness = Higher Quality Life • Feeling mentally and physically healthy and enjoying relationships • Avoidable wasteful healthcare expense (U.S. - $1.9 t/yr or $6,280 /person)
Health Education (Cont.) • Health Education – providing accurate health information and teaching health skills to help people make healthy decisions. • Why is health education important? • Healthy People – a nationwide health promotion and disease prevention plan designed to serve as a guide for improving the health of all people in the U.S.
Goals of Healthy People • Health disparities – Differences in health outcomes among groups (gender, race, education, disability, location, etc.) • Goals: • Promote the best possible health in order to end preventable death, illness, injury, and disability. • Eliminate health disparities. • Make wellness a way of life and enhance quality of life for individuals and communities. • Promote healthy places and environments.
Health Literacy • Health Literacy – a person’s capacity to learn about and understand basic health information and services, and to use these resources to promote one’s health and wellness. • Know where to find health info • Decide if it is correct • Assess the risks and benefits of treatment • Figure out how much meds to take • Understand test results
Health Literate Individuals • Critical Thinkers and Problem Solvers • Responsible, Productive Citizens • Self-Directed Learner • Effective Communicator • Being health literate influences your health greater than age, income, and education.