Health Triangle Study Guide
Health & Wellness:
Total health is defined as a combination of physical, mental, and social health. All of these are
needed for a person to possess total health. Wellness is defined as actively making choices and
decisions that promote good health and is an overall state of well-being, or total health.
Physical health- includes total care of the body. This involves keeping your body fit by
exercising, keeping clean by practicing cleanliness and good grooming habits. A well balanced
diet is also needed to have Physical health.
Mental health- includes liking who you are and accepting yourself. This involves expressing
emotions in a healthy way, facing life’s problems, and dealing with its pressures or stresses in a
positive way.
Social health- involves getting along with others. This includes working in a group, making and
keeping friends, and giving and getting support when it is needed.
The Health Triangle- The health triangle is made up of the three different areas of health;
physical, mental, and social.
Making Healthy Decisions- our everyday decisions will affect our health for years to come.
Daily habits can have a long-term effect.
Taking Responsibility for our health is the first step to becoming a person with total health and
wellness. There are some outside factors that can affect our health even if we make good
decisions. Some of those factors are heredity, environment, and available health care:
-Heredity is the passing of traits from your parents as a result of the transmission of genes.
-Environment is the sum total of your surroundings, where you live, the school you attend, and
the people that you see often.
-Health care can be determined by where you live, large cities have more doctors and hospitals
so health care is more abundant.
Our health is mainly up to us and is affected by our behavior. Our behavior is defined
as the way we act in many different situations and events in life.
12 Healthy Habits
Healthy people:
1. Get at least sixty minutes of physical activity daily.
2. Avoid using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.
3. Sleep at least 8 hours daily
4. Eat at least 3 well-balanced meals a day
5. Express their feelings in positive ways
6. Treat others with respect
7. Are able to handle stress
8. Have good personal hygiene
9. Snack on healthy foods such as fruits and veggies
10. Can say “no” to their friends
11. Ask for help when they need it
12. Generally keep a positive attitude
Steps to Responsible Health1) Find out how much you know about your health. Knowing where you are on the health
triangle.
2) Get good, reliable information on how to stay healthy or improve your health.
3) Take action, become actively involved in your health.
Lifestyle Factors- Positive lifestyle factors like these can affect your health now and for years to
come.
1) Never missing breakfast
2) Eating three meals a day at a regular time
3) Getting 8-9 hours of sleep a night
4) Staying at a recommended level of weight
5) Avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs
6) Exercise for 20-30 min a day at least 3-4 times a week