Health Education Program Health & Wellness 1

Lesson 1: What is Health?Done by: Nagham Al Hashimi

Lesson Objectives:

• Define health• Identify the six components of health• State the importance of striving for optimal health • Describe four influences on wellness• Recognize three ways to take charge of your

wellness• Describe the ways you can improve the six

components of your health

What is health? What are health components?• Health: is the state of well being in which all of the components of health

– Physical, emotional, social, mental, spiritual, and environmental – are in balance.

• Six Components of health:1. Physical health:• refers to the way your body functions; it includes eating right and getting

regular exercise, and being at your recommended body weight.•

Health components2. Emotional health: is expressing your emotions in a positive,

nondestructive way. Everyone experiences unpleasant feeling at one time or another

3. Social health• Social health is the quality of relationships with friends,

family, teachers and others you are in contact with. A socially healthy person also stays clear of those who do not treat him or her with respect and tolerance.

4. Mental Health

• Mental health is the ability to recognize reality and cope with the demands of daily life. Phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of something that average people do not get afraid of such as fear of heights.

5.Spiritual Health• Spiritual health means different things to different

people. Sometimes it’s defined by the practice of religion; sometimes it is the understanding of their purpose in life.

6. Environmental health• Environmental health is keeping your air and water clean,

your food safe and the land around you enjoyable and safe• The environment is made up of living and nonliving things in

your world. It includes air, water and land.• Your environment is your surroundings

Health Components

Wellness: Striving for optimal health!

• Wellness: Is the achievement of person’s best in all six components of

health? It will be unrealistic that a person could achieve complete wellness all the time.

Health and Wellness Continuum:1. Wellness Continuum

– Health falls somewhere on a line (continuum) from a high level to a low level.

– Choices determine whether YOU have a High or Low level of Health. 2. Low Level of Health• Lack of Energy, inattention, minor aches and pains• Chronic Disorders

• Disability 3. High Level of Health• Exhibit a high degree of responsibility, discipline, and positive direction in

life.

• Accept responsibility for their health.

Influences on Your Health• Social influences: • Your health is also influenced by the relationships you have with other people , for

example, if you your friend convince you to go to the party where alcohol is available , your friends are influencing your health in a negative way.

• Heredity influences:• Your health can be influenced by your heredity – the traits you inherit from your

parents. For example, if several members of your family have developed diabetes, you may be at risk of diabetes.

• Environmental influences: • Your surroundings, the area where you live and all the things you have contact

with are part of your environment. Pollutants, safety regulations and the availability use of the medical care are aspects of your environment that affect your health.

• Cultural influences:• Culture is the values, beliefs and practices shared by people that have a common

background. Your culture can strongly influence your health. For example, some Asian culture eat a lot of vegetable and sea foods in their diet.

Taking Charge of your Wellness• Knowledge an important way to improve your health is through your knowledge.

Health literacy is the knowledge of health information needed to make good choices about your health. Studying health in school will certainly increase your health literacy.

• Lifestyle one of the most important ways to improve your health is to make behavioral changes in your lifestyle. Putting your knowledge into action is a sure way to take charge of your wellness.

• Attitude A person’s way of thinking or attitude greatly affect’s that person’s health. By changing your attitude you can act in ways that make you a healthier person. For example, you could try to change your attitude toward stress. You can try to relax and stop let- things the” little things “bother you. if you can keep stress from affecting you, you will find that you will feel better mentally and physically.