Taking charge of your health

health

The overall condition of a person’s body or mind. The presence or absence of illness or injury

wellness

Good health PLUS the ability to live a rich, meaningful, and energetic life. Optimal health & vitality - living life to the fullest. Determined largely by the decisions YOU make about how YOU live

life span

how long we live

health span

how long we stay healthy

What is the biggest difference between life span and health span?

freedom from chronic or disabling disease

What do genes determine?

up to 25% of variability in life span

What are the three strongest correlations to lower life span?

1. smoking

2. obesity

3. drug use

lifestyle choices

People have some control over whether they develop chronic diseases. 

What are the three Leading causes of death in Americans aged 15-24?

1. Accidental death

2. Car crashes

3. Accidental drug overdose

What are the nine dimensions of wellness?

1. Physical

2. Emotional

3. Intellectual

4. Interpersonal

5. Cultural

6. Spiritual

7. Environmental

8. Financial

9. Occupational

physical wellness

Your body’s overall condition and absence of disease + Your fitness level and ability to care for yourself (ie. Not reaching feet to tie shoes from back pain and tight hamstrings—but was a basketball player in the past) 

examples of physical wellness

1. Eating well 

2. Exercising 

3. Getting enough sleep 

4. Avoiding harmful habits 

5. Practicing safe sex 

6. Recognizing symptoms of disease 

7. Getting regular checkups 

8. Avoiding injuries 

emotional wellness

Self-acceptance + Self-esteem + Self-confidence; fluctuates with the ups and downs of life.  

What is the most dynamic area of wellness?

emotional wellness

examples of emotional wellness

1. Optimism 

2. Trust 

3. Ability to understand and accept one’s feelings 

4. Ability to share feelings with others 

intellectual wellness

Regularly challenging the mind (ie. Frontal cortex; critical thinking) to ask questions, detect problems, and develop solutions regarding yourself and the world around you. 

examples of intellectual wellness

1. Openness to new ideas 

2. Capacity to question 

3. Ability to think critically 

4. Motivation to master new skills 

5. Sense of humor 

6. Creativity 

7. Curiosity 

8. Lifelong learning

interpersonal wellness

Having satisfied and supportive relationships. Requires participating in and contributing to your community and society. (ie. Social wellness)

examples of interpersonal wellness

1. Communication skills 

2. Capacity for intimacy (healthy conversations) 

3. Ability to establish and maintain satisfying relationships (be honest with people in your relationships) 

4. Ability to cultivate a support system of friends and family  

cultural wellness

The way you interact with others who are different from you in terms of ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, and customs. 

examples of cultural wellness

1. Creating relationships with those who are different from you 

2. Maintaining and valuing your own cultural identity 

3. Avoiding stereotyping 

spiritual wellness

Possessing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that give meaning and purpose to your life. (don’t have to be religious; guiding values/ beliefs) 

examples of spiritual wellness

1. Capacity for love 

2. Compassion 

3. Forgiveness 

4. Altruism 

5. Joy and fulfillment 

6. Caring for others 

7. Development of personal values 

8. Sense of meaning and purpose (why are you here: major, club; what are you doing towards that purpose in life) 

9. Sense of belonging to something greater to oneself (position in family, team, friend group; part of something; someone who matters somewhere in some area) 

environmental wellness

The livability of your surroundings (ie. Voting against something that affects quality of water, policies that support the planet; making more sustainable choices) 

examples of environmental wellness

1. Having abundant, clean natural resources 

2. Having safe and healthy neighborhoods to live and work in 

3. Maintaining sustainable development 

4. Recycling whenever possible 

5. Reducing pollution and waste (not littering) 

financial wellness

The ability to live within your means and manage your money in a way that gives you peace of mind 

examples of financial wellness

1. Having a basic understanding of how money works 

2. Living within one’s means (following a budget; not going into credit card debt) 

3. Avoiding debt, especially for unnecessary items 

4. Saving for the future and for emergencies 

occupational wellness

The level of happiness and fulfilment you gain through your work 

examples of occupational wellness

1. Enjoying what you do 

2. Feeling valued by your manager/boss 

3. Building satisfying relationships with coworkers 

4. Taking advantage of opportunities to learn and be challenged 

When do habits often take hold?

before adulthood (ie. could be how your parents live life) 

human genome

Genes control the production of proteins that serve both the structural material for your body as well as the regulators of all chemical reactions and metabolic processes.

altered genes may cause disease and/or increase the risk of disease

cause- sickle-cell disease, celiac disease

risk- diabetes, cancer, heart disease

environment

the substances and conditions in your home, workplace, and community 

examples of environment in the home, workplace, and community

HOME 

• Exposure to tobacco smoke 

• Consistent food resources 

• Access to nature 

WORKPLACE 

• Indoor & Outdoor air pollution 

• Sedentary or physically demanding jobs 

• Exposure to chemicals 

• High stress workplace 

COMMUNITY 

• Air pollution 

• Water pollution 

• High crime or high violence areas 

access to healthcare

prevention and treatment of disease

examples of preventative care

• Regular physicals (early and complete treatment of diseases; health insurance; access to specialists) 

• Screening tests and monitoring of risk factors 

• Vaccinations 

examples of early and comprehensive treatment

• Health insurance 

• Access to specialists 

• Geographic location 

• Health literacy 

personal health behaviors

capable of tipping the balance toward good health (what you choose to follow or change) 

What are the steps to changing your behavior?

identify -> motivate -> prep -> plan -> act -> hit a speedbump -> stick with it 

self efficacy

your belief in your ability to successfully take action and perform a specific task 

What three things fall under self-efficacy?

1. locus of control

2. visualization and self-talk

3. role models and support

locus of control

Do you tend to believe that you are in control of your life or that something else is? Attributing too much influence on external forces can hinder your belief that change is possible.(internal- I have control to change -> more likely to succeed) 

visualization and self-talk

Visualize yourself SUCCEED. Listen to the way you talk to yourself. Counter self-defeating thoughts with positivity. 

role models and support

Social support makes a difference! Gain strength from the experiences of others and utilize accountability partners. 

What are the parts of the transtheoretical model regarding the preparation to change?

• precontemplation

• contemplation

• preparation

• action

• maintenance

• termination

precontemplation

• You see no problem and don’t intend to change your behaviors. 

• You believe there are more reasons NOT to change than there are TO change. 

• TAKE CHARGE: Raise your awareness 

• Do some research on the risks and benefits of the behavior 

• Identify your mechanisms of resistance 

contemplation

• You recognize your problem and intend to do something about it within the next 6mo. 

• You acknowledge the benefits of change but also recognize that there may be barriers to overcome. 

• TAKE CHARGE: Start a Journal 

• What have you done and what is your plan? 

• Do a Cost-Benefit Analysis 

• Identify barriers to Change 

• Engage your emotions 

preparation

• You plan to take action within a month. 

• You have started making small changes here and there, but are not yet acting with consistency 

• TAKE CHARGE: Create a plan & make change a priority 

• Start Date 

• Mini-Goals 

• Rewards 

• Specific Steps 

action

• You outwardly modify your behavior and your environment 

• This is your greatest commitment of time & energy 

• TAKE CHARGE: Monitor your progress 

• Continue journal entries or progress pictures 

• Keep up with an accountability buddy 

• Make intentional changes and find alternatives 

• DON’T GET DISCOURAGED 

maintenance

• You have maintained your changed behavior for at least 6mo 

• Lapses (speed bumps) have occurred, but you have been successful in quickly reestablishing the desired behavior 

• The maintenance stage can last months or years 

• TAKE CHARGE: Keep going 

• Continue the strategies that have worked in the past 

• Stay prepared for speedbumps and lapses 

• Be a role model to others attempting change

termination

• For some behaviors, you may reach this final stage 

• You have exited the cycle of change an no longer lapse back into old habits 

• You have a new self-image and control over your target behavior 

• TAKE CHARGE: Adapt continuously at other parts/ sections of the preparation to change 

• Life rarely stays the same. 

• Your healthy behavior is now the norm for you, but that does not mean it cannot adapt to life’s changing stages. 

 

What are the five steps when creating a plan for a change?

1. monitor your behavior and gather data

2. analyze the data and identify patterns

3. be SMART about setting goals

4. devise a plan of action

5. make a personal contract

What are SMART goals?

S- specific,

M- measurable,

A- attainable,

R- realistic,

T- time-sensitive.