Chapter 1 Leading a Healthy Life Section One Health and Teens Health Today (DWT) What does being healthy mean to you? Does it mean: Being physically fit? Free from disease? Eating nutritious food? Health in the past In 1800s-1900s leading cause of death was “infectious diseases” Infectious disease are passed from one person to another (bacteria). Examples Polio Tuberculosis Pneumonia Influenza (The flu) Advancements in Medicine Better living conditions have helped control these diseases. “Lifestyle Diseases” Today, most health problems are a direct reflection of how we live our lives. Caused by partly by unhealthy behaviors and other factors. Examples are diabetes, heart disease, cancer (some types) Health Risk Factors All health problems have risk factors A risk factor is anything that increases the likelihood of injury, disease, or other health problems. Risk factors are considered controllable or uncontrollable. Risk factors of heart disease History of heart disease in your family High-fat diet Stress Being overweight Smoking Lack of daily exercise Controllable risk factors Risk factors that you can do something about. Uncontrollable Risk factors Some risk factors cannot be controlled by your behavior Examples include: Age Race Gender Heredity Risk factors and your health Leading causes of death for teens in the U.S.A. Motor vehicle accidents Homicide Suicide Other accidents These 4 make up almost ¾ of all teen death (MVA) are #1 cause of death for children and infants. The leading cause of death for adults between 19-65 years of age is “cancer” The leading cause of death for adults over 65 years of age is heart disease. Health Risk Behaviors There are six types of risk behaviors that cause the most serious health problems Sedentary lifestyle Alcohol and other drug use Sexual activity Behaviors that cause injuries Tobacco use Poor eating habits Sedentary lifestyle Not taking part in some form of physical activity on a regular basis. You do not have to be overweight to live a sedentary lifestyle Sedentary people raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Alcohol and other drug use can lead to liver disease, types of cancer, heart disease, and brain damage. They are also major factors in car accidents, physical fights, depression, suicide, and mental disorders. Also big factors in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) What are STD’s Diseases spread through sexual activity. Examples Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Sexual activity Risk behaviors include: Sexually transmitted diseases Unplanned pregnancy Behaviors that cause injuries Can be eliminated, if you decrease the controllable risk factors Examples: Wear helmets on all ATV vehicles Wear seatbelts while in cars Do not drink and drive Tobacco use Smoking is the single leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.A. It is a controllable risk factor for heart disease, cancer, and respiratory disease. These are 3 of the leading causes of death for all age groups. Poor eating habits Can increase you chances of developing many diseases. Eating foods high in fat increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke You should refer to a food guide pyramid for a recommended daily dosage of food. Section 2 Health and Wellness Six components of health To be truly “healthy” you must take care of all 6 components. Physical Health Physical health refers to the way your body functions People with good physical health: Eat a well-balanced diet Exercise regularly Avoids tobacco, alcohol, and drugs Is free of disease Emotional Health Expressing your emotions in a positive, nondestructive way. People with strong emotional health can: Express emotions constructively Ask for help when sad Social Health The quality of your relationships with friends, family, teachers, and others you are in contact with on a daily basis. People with strong social health: Respects others Has supportive relationships Expresses needs to others Mental Health Is the ability to recognize reality and cope with the demands of daily life People with strong mental health are: Free from mental illnesses Have high self esteem Enjoys trying new things An example of a mental illness is a phobia. A phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of something. Examples Fear of closed areas Fear of heights Fear of germs etc….. Spiritual Health Maintaining harmonious relationships with other living things and having spiritual direction and purpose. People with good spiritual health: Has a sense of purpose in life Follows morals and values Feels a unity with other human beings Environmental Health Keeping your air and water clean, your food safe, and the land around you enjoyable and safe. People with strong environmental health: has access to clean air and water has a clean and uncrowded living space recycles used paper, glass products, and aluminum. Healthy? Being “healthy is defined as balance of all the components of health Wellness is the achievement of a person’s best in all six components of health. Well fluctuates on a daily basis. The wellness continuum Represents the idea that a person is neither completely healthy nor completely unhealthy. The higher you reach on the wellness continuum, the greater chance you have to reach optimal health. example Optimal health Improved Health Average Health Illness Death Influences on your wellness Factors that can influence your wellness are: Hereditary Influences Social Influences Cultural Influences Environmental Influences Hereditary Influences The traits you inherit from your parents. These influences are uncontrollable, but not 100 % guarantee you will get them. You can help focusing on controllable risk factors. Social Influences Influenced by the relationships you have with other people (friends) Cultural influences Values, beliefs, and practices shared by people that have a common background. Environmental Influences Your surroundings, the area where you live, and all the things you have contact with are part of your environment. Taking charge of your wellness Three ways you can take charge of your health are: Knowledge Through your lifestyle Through your attitude. knowledge Health literacy: knowledge of health information needed to make good choices about your health. How do you increase your health literacy? Health classes in school settings Research health information Read Journals on health related topics. Lifestyle Now you have acquired knowledge on health issues; therefore, it is time to put it to use, this is known as lifestyle Example: You research that eating healthier can decrease obesity and cardiovascular disease, so next time you go to the store, you do not purchase items that are “unhealthy” “ Health knowledge is useless without positive health behavior. You must put what you know into action for it to work”!!!! Section 3 Health in your community Public Health Is the practice of protecting and improving the health of people in a community. 4 ways Medical advances Technology Public policy education Medical advances Is conducted through research. Example is the insulin pump, which is commonly used with diabetes patients Implanted insulin pumps replace daily insulin shots, which are mandatory for the survival of diabetes patients. If blood sugar level gets low, insulin pumps automatically pumps insulin in the body to regulate the blood sugar level. Technology Through computers, lasers, and other revolutionary technologies. Ex: glucose meter (diabetes patients) Drop some blood on the meter and it reads the amount of glucose in your body and automatically supplies that number back to you. Public Policy “government policies” to address health problems Example: tobacco regulation The government can place taxes on cigarettes, age limits for purchasing, advertisement restrictions, and limitations on public smoking facilities. Education “health education” has been a key factor in the prevention of disease and illness in this country. Example: most states require students to participate in a health education class, while they are in high school These classes teach you about heath promotion, health awareness, and health prevention. End of Chapter 1 Congrats!!!!