1. Making Healthy Decisions
Chapter 1
Making Healthy Decisions

2. What is Health? Health refers to the overall well-being of your: body
mind
relationships with other people
Two factors that can be used to evaluate health are:
life expectancy
quality of life

3. Life Expectancy Life expectancy is
the number of years a person can expect to live
Between 1900 and 2000, life expectancy increased by 30 years. A few reasons for this are:
better healthcare
nutrition
sanitation
working conditions

4. Quality of Life Quality of life is
the degree of overall satisfaction that a person gets from life
For example, two men are born in the same year. One man is physically active and mentally alert through out his life. The other man has a series of health problems during his life that reduces his ability to enjoy life. Although the men have the same life expectancy, they have a different quality of life.

5. Aspects of Health
The aspects of health that are important to overall well- being are:
physical health
mental health
emotional health
social health

6. Physical Health Physical health refers to how well your body functions
When you are physically healthy, you are able to carry out every day tasks without becoming overly tired.

7. Physical Health What’s important for physical health? a healthy diet
regular exercise
adequate sleep
proper medical and dental care

8. Mental Health Mental health is
the state of being comfortable with yourself, with others, and with your surroundings.
You are mentally healthy when your mind is alert, you can learn from your mistakes, and you recognize your achievements.

9. Emotional Health Emotional health is
how you react to events in your life.
You are emotionally healthy when the feelings you experience are appropriate responses to events.
To maintain your emotional health, you need to take time to relax, and you need to share your feelings with others.

10. Social Health Social health refers to
how well you get along with others.
When you are socially healthy, you have loving relationships, respect the rights of others, and give and accept help.
Good social health doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it by getting involved with others at school, in your community, and building strong relationships with family members.

11. Influences on Health Factors that can influence health include:
heredity
environment
culture
media
technology
healthcare
behavior

12. Heredity
Heredity is
all the traits that are passed biologically from parent to child.
For example, your skin color can affect your risk of skin cancer.
Another example is that some women inherit a higher risk for breast cancer.

13. Environment Environment is
all of the physical and social conditions that surround a person and can influence that person’s health.
Types of environments:
physical environment
social environment

14. Physical Environment Physical environment includes:
both your outdoor and indoor surroundings
Examples:
the quality of air you breathe
the water you drink
exposure to disease-causing organisms
loud noise
radiation from the sun and other sources

15. Social Environment Social environment includes:
the people you spend time with (family, friends, classmates, people in your community).
Most people learn the basic health lessons from their family, such as, wash your hands before you eat, brush your teeth before bed, etc.
Your social environment is healthier when you choose friends who show concern for their own health and yours.

16. Culture (part of Social Environment)
Culture is
the beliefs and patterns of behavior that are shared by a group of people and passed from generation to generation
Examples how culture can influence your health:
the foods you eat
the way you show your emotions

17. Media
Media are
forms of communication that provide news and entertainment.
Media can have a positive or negative influence on your health.
Examples of media are:
television
newspaper
magazine
internet

18. Technology Technology can
also have a positive or negative influence on your health.
Positives of Technology:
advances in technology helps doctors
internet sites give information about health topics
Negatives of Technology:
spending many hours on the computer limits time for other activities (exercise)
internet predators

19. Healthcare
Your health is influenced by the healthcare that is available to you and your family.
Healthcare includes medical services provided by:
doctors
nurses
dentists
therapists

20. Behavior
The decisions you make and actions you take often have the greatest impact on your health
Sometimes behaviors become
habits.
A habit is
a behavior that is repeated so often that it becomes almost automatic.
Examples:
brushing teeth after meals (good habit)
staying up late watching TV (bad habit)

21. Evaluating Health Risks
There is no such thing as a risk-free life.
Risk factors you CAN NOT control:
heredity
Risk factors you CAN control:
level of physical activity
intake of fat, sugar, or salt
use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs
use of protective gear (seat belts)
choice of friends