Influences on Health and Wellness Lesson 2

Heredity and Your Health Heredity- is the passing down of traits from a parent to a child. A trait is a characteristic that a person has. Traits passed down through heredity are often easy to identify. Eye and hair and skin color Height Other traits can be behaviors influenced by heredity that help develop your personality. Sense of humor

Heredity and Your Health Heredity can also affect your health Some conditions can be passed down from your parents and not be too serious Glasses/Contacts Other conditions can be more serious such as diseases can be passed down or make it more likely that you could also get those same conditions and diseases. Cancers, heart disease Cystic fibrosis- a disease of the lungs and digestive system.

Environmental Influences Your Environment- all the living and non living things around you. Also includes some things you cannot see. Air, germs, smells, noises. Your environment can affect your health Some you have little control over Particles in the air that cause allergic reactions Microscopic organisms that make you sick

Environmental Influences Ways you can make your environment healthier Dispose of trash properly to prevent pollution Walk, ride a bike, use public transportation to reduce the amount of pollution released into the air. Start a recycling program for paper, plastic, and aluminum cans to save natural resources Others?

How your Relationships Influence You Your family and friends are major influences on you and your health. How? Your peers also influence your health Peers are people the same age or in the same grade/school as you and has similar interests. Which part of health do they influence the most?

How your Relationships Influence You Friends can have a positive and/or negative effect on your health. Positive: source of support when you need someone to talk to. Study partners. Others? Negative: try to get you to smoke, take drugs. Get you to do things that may get you in trouble.

Other Factors That Influence You The media can provide both positive and negative messages Reliable news sources can pass in valuable information Advertising can influence you to purchase items that may not be the best for your health. Quick weight loss products.