Influences on Your Health Heredity, Environment & Culture

Heredity  Heredity is all the traits and properties that are passed along biologically from both parents to the child.  The most obvious traits are physical ones.  The color of your hair, eyes, the shape of your nose & ears.  Tendencies towards disease

Environment  Environment is the sum total of your surroundings-your family, where you grew up, where you live now and all of your experiences  Environment also includes your physical environment- places you go/where you live.  It also includes the people in your life – social environment

Physical Environment  How would you describe your environment? Would a person living in Ventura enjoy good physical & mental health?  Factors which affect the physical environment are: high crime rate, smog, climate and access to medical care

Social Environment  Family and other people with whom you come into daily contact  A healthy environment is loving and supportive  A healthy social environment can help a person rise above an adverse physical environment  An important part of your social environment are your peers

Social Environment cont.  Peers are people the same age who share a similar range of interests  Peers are loyal and supportive friends who help you grow mentally and socially  Peers can also put pressure on you to participate in unhealthy activities  Standing up to peer pressure can be challenging.

Culture  Culture is the collective beliefs, customs, and behaviors of a group.  This group maybe an ethnic group, a community, a nation or an entire section of the globe  The language your family, the foods you eat and the traditions and religions you practice.  Culture gives you a sense of identity.