What is Health?A description of being healthy requires more

than just a “fine” or “ok” answer.Happy, Fit, Stable, Clean, Energetic, Strong,

Rested, Athletic, Responsible, Positive,….

Combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being

Health TriangleConsists of the three

elements of health Physical Health Mental/Emotional

Health Social Health

Physical HealthFocuses on how well your body functions

Being physically healthy involves: Getting enough sleep/rest Eating the right foods Being physically active Practicing good hygiene Avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs

Mental/Emotional HealthFocuses on your feelings about yourself

Being mentally/emotionally healthy involves: Being able to express their feelings in appropriate

ways Can deal with everyday frustrations without being

overwhelmed by them Will avoid dwelling on negative thoughts Make thoughtful and responsible decisions (Spiritual Health-a feeling of purpose and sense of

values)

Social HealthFocuses on the way you get along with others

Being socially healthy involves: Your ability to make and keep friends Work and play in cooperative ways Seeking and lending support when necessary Showing respect for yourself and others Communicating clearly and listening to others

Keeping A BalanceWhen your health triangle is balance, you

have a high degree of WELLNESS, an overall state of well being or total health.

The Health ContinuumA persons health is always at a constant change

Your health is like a point along a continuum

A health continuum spans from chronic disorders and premature death over to a high level of health

There are many points along the continuum where your health could be.

The Health Continuum (cont.)

Influences on Your HealthSeveral important factors that affect your

health are: Heredity Environment Culture Attitude and Behavior Media and Technology

HeredityRefers to all the traits that were biologically passed on

to you from your parents

Besides your eye color, hair color, and height, heredity will also influence your general level of health

Some genes may put you at a greater risk of certain diseases

Some genes may strengthen your resistance to certain diseases

EnvironmentBroken down into physical and social

environment

Physical environment consists of your neighborhood, school, or jobSocial environment consists of your family, friends, peers, and other adult role models

CultureRefers to the collective beliefs, customs, and

behaviors of a group

Some culture influences are: The languages your family speaks The foods that you enjoy The religion you practice

Attitude and BehaviorThe way that you view certain situations will have a

major role in your health and wellness

Studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude in situations are more likely to have better health than those who only see the negative

Behavior is the one factor that is completely in your control

Your behavior will affect all three aspects of health

Media and TechnologyMedia factors consist of

Radio Television Movies Newspapers Magazines and books Internet

Shapes the public opinion Technology advances have helped provide

information to make people live longer, healthier lives

Understanding Health RisksFirst step is to increase awareness of risk

behaviors

Risk behaviors – actions that can potentially threaten your health or the health of others

Second step is to look at your current behaviors and make any necessary changes

Understanding Health Risks (cont.)Certain risk behaviors can add up over time and

become cumulative risks

Cumulative risks – related risks that increase in effect with each added risk

Cumulative risks may also result from a combination of risk factors

The more risk behaviors you participate in the more likely you are to experience negative consequences

Abstaining from Risk BehaviorsThe only way to avoid the consequences of

cumulative risks is to practice abstinence

Abstinence – avoiding harmful behavior

Some risk behaviors to abstain from are tobacco, alcohol, other drugs , and sexual activity

Abstaining from Tobacco, Alcohol, and other drugsUsing these substances will affect all aspects

of health as well as having many negative consequences

Physical damages to body – physcial health Addiction to substance – mental/emotional health Isolation from family/friends – social health

There are also legal consequences for those people who are not of the proper age

Abstaining from Sexual ActivityProtects teens from many negative

consequences

Teens who abstain from sexual activity Never have to worry about unplanned pregnancy Will not have to worry about the responsibilities of

caring for a child Protected from STD’s and STI’S

Even though you are abstaining from sexual activity you can still develop a genuine sense of love, trust, and friendship with someone

Lifestyle FactorsFactors that affect a persons overall health,

happiness, and longevitySome factors can include

Getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night Starting the day with a healthy breakfast Being physically active for at least 20 minutes a day Avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs

Promoting HealthThe decisions you make every day can affect

your health

Being able to make responsible decisions about your health and developing healthy habits are very important when it comes to maintaining wellness and preventing disease

Wellness – an overall state of well-being or total health

Prevention – practicing health and safety habits to remain free of disease and injury

Health EducationHealth education provides accurate health

information to help people make healthy choices

Health education relates to more than just studentsNationwide health plan adopted in 1979 called

Healthy People (revised for 2000, 2010, and 2020)Healthy People is 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.

Health LiteracyRefers to a person’s ability to learn about and

understand basic health information and services, and use these resources to promote his/her health and wellness

A health-literate individual needs to be: A critical thinker and problem solver A responsible and productive citizen A self directed learner An effective communicator