Introduction to Wellness

No knowledge is more

crucial than knowledge about health. Without it, no other life goal can be

successfully achieved--Andrew Carnegie

Your Turn

• If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? (No, you can’t say you would wish for more wishes)

• Now… If you had an incurable disease, would you make different wishes? If so, what would you change and why?

Then and Now

• 1900: average life expectancy was 47

• The leading cause of death was infectious diseases

• 2006: average life expectancy is 78

• The leading causes of death are:– Heart disease– Cancer– StrokeDue to lifestyle choices

Your Turn!

• List at least 5 things you like to do in your spare time.

It’s Physical

It’s Social

It’s Intellectual

It’s Spiritual It’s

Vocational

It’s Emotional

Health: It’s not just about your

body

7 Magical Keys to Good Health

Get between 8 and 9 hours of sleep each

night

Ages Sleep Needed

0-4 12-16 hours

5-12 10-11 hours

13-18 8-10 hours

Adults 7-8 hours

Sleep Facts

• About 100,000 car crashes are caused by drowsy drivers each year.

• Before the light bulb, people slept an average of 10 hours a night; today Americans average 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours per night on weekends

• Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders cost Americans more than $100 billion annually in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, and property and environmental damage

Refrain from smoking and using tobacco

products

Eat breakfast daily

• Regulates metabolism• Helps prevent diabetes• Makes you smarter

Eat nutritious foods from the various food

groups each day

Do 20 to 30 minutes of nonstop vigorous

activity at least three times a week.

Don’t use alcohol or other drugs

Maintain your recommended weight.

6 Major Risk Factors for Teens

• Unintentional and intentional injuries

• Tobacco use

• Alcohol and other drug use

• Sexual behaviors

• Unhealthy eating

• Physical inactivity

Cumulative Risk

Doing a harmful behavior repeatedly over time (suntanning, smoking, bad diet, etc.)

OR

Doing several dangerous things together (For example: Speeding and not wearing a seatbelt)

Your Turn!

Draw a timeline on your paper. Start with Zero and mark off 10-year increments, ending with 80. Put a dot on each end. It should look something like this:

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Once you have a total, subtract that number from 80 and mark a dot on your timeline showing your answer.

10 years:

10 years:10 years:

8 years:8 years:

7 years:5 years:

5 years:5 years:3 years:3 years:

3 years:

Drinking more than three ounces of alcohol in one week

Being overweight or obeseNot exercising at least 3 times a

weekSmoking 2 packs of cigarettesEat a lot of sugar (cookies, cakes,

pastries, candy, soda)Having a lot of stress in your lifeOvereating (more than 2,500

calories a day)Eating excess fat in your dietOften being depressed or unhappyOften handing firearmsOften working with or handling

toxic chemicalsDriving or riding in a car without a

seatbelt

Look at the following list of behaviors. Total the years for the behaviors that are

true for you.

Your Turn!

• Make a list of all the decisions you can remember making since you got up this morning

• Write down a decision you made in your life that turned out really well…

• And one that didn’t.

Six Steps to Great Decisions

1. Identify the problem (or situation)

2. List your options3. Consider the possible

consequences (pros and cons)

4. Consider your values5. Make a decision and act6. Evaluate the outcome

Check your Values

• Who will be affected by this decision?

• Will I be treating others the way I would want to be treated?

• Would I want an announcement of this decision on a billboard in my neighborhood?

• How would I feel if “Dateline” did a story on this decision?

• Do little bells in my head warn me that it’s not a good move?

More Values Questions

• Are there any laws about this decision?

• If everyone did it, would that be a good thing?

• Would I do it if my mom was looking over my shoulder? My little brother or sister?

• Is it an act of good citizenship?

Consider the Consequences:

The Decision

Pros Cons

If You’re Not Comfortable With Any of Your Answers to the

Nine Questions, It’s Probably Not a Good Decision.

Rule of Thumb: When in Doubt… Don’t!

Remember: You’re the One Who Has to Live With You.