HEALTH
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3John Chapter 2
HEALTH is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It involves more than just the absence of disease. A truly healthy person not only feels good physically but also has a realistic outlook on life and gets along well with other people. Good health enables people to enjoy life and have the opportunity to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. To achieve and maintain good health, people must have basic knowledge about the human body and how it functions. Only with such knowledge can you determine what will or what will not help or hurt their health. Therefore, learning about health should be a fundamental part of every person’s education. Current knowledge about health, together with good living habits, can help almost everyone maintain good health and improve the quality of life.
ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL HEALTH
1. NUTRITION
A balance diet provides all the food substances needed by the body for healthy growth and development. Nutritionists use the term [nutrients] for these substances and classify them into five main groups:
A.) Carbohydrates
B.) Fats
C.) Proteins
D.) Vitamins and minerals
Water is also essential for life, but it is often considered separately from nutrients. The national research council has established a list of recommended daily allowances (RDA), which provides information on how much of each nutrient a person needs each day. Good nutrition also includes eating the proper amount of food each day. a balanced diet consists of a wide variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals. Good nutrition also includes eating the proper amount of food each day. Overeating can lead to obesity (Fatness) The safest way to lose weight is to consult a physician and follow the reducing program he or she prescribes. Most reducing programs combine moderate daily exercise with a balanced diet that contains a limited number of calories.
2. EXERCISE
Helps keep the body healthy and fit. Vigorous exercise strengthens muscles and improves the function of the circulatory and respiratory systems. Physical fitness benefits both mental and physical health. It enables the body to withstand stresses that otherwise could cause physical and emotional problems. Daily exercise provides the greatest benefits, so it is important to choose exercises that can be performed every day.
3. REST AND SLEEP
Help overcome fatigue and restore energy to the body. Everyone needs rest and sleep, but the amount required differs for each individual. Most adults sleep from 7 to 8 1/2 hours a night, though some adults need less sleep and others need more. Young children may need to have more sleep at night plus a daytime nap.
Rest and relaxation are also as important as sleep. After strenuous work or exercise, a person may need a period of total rest. If rest and relaxation do not relieve fatigue and tension, the individual may have a physical or emotional problem.
4. CLEANLINESS
Cleanliness controls the growth of bacteria and other germs that can cause disease. A daily bath or shower keeps the body free from dirt and odor. In addition, it helps prevent skin infections that may develop if bacteria grow and multiply on the skin. The hair should also be washed regularly. Daily dental care is another important part of personal cleanliness. Brushing the teeth properly and using dental floss keep the teeth clean and help prevent decay and gum disease.
5. MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE
Regular checkups by a physician and dentist play an important role in safe guarding health; Doctors recommend that people have medical care at the first sign of any illness.
ELEMENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH
Physical health and mental health are closely connected. Mental health plays an important role in both the way people behave and the way they feel. Emotionally healthy individuals accept themselves as they are with all their weaknesses as well as their strengths. They remain in contact with reality, and they are able to deal with stress and frustration. They also act independently of outside influences and show genuine concern for other people.
1. Emotionally Development.
Experiences during childhood strongly influence a person’s mental health throughout life. An infant is completely helpless at birth and must depend on its parents for all its needs. Children remain dependant for many years, but they slowly mature and learn to do things for themselves. They make many mistakes during this long period of maturation. Through these errors, they learn certain guidelines for relating to other people. Children thus develop the knowledge necessary to deal with difficult situations in life. This knowledge helps them maintain good mental health throughout life.
Emotional development does not end when a person reaches adulthood. Similarly, an individual’s mental health continues to change from time from time. These changes result from daily circumstances that cause either pleasure or pain for the person.
2. Handling Stress
Handling stress is essential for avoiding both mental and physical illness. Feelings of stress are the body’s response to any threatening or unfamiliar situation. Most severe stress results from such serious events as a divorce or loss of job. However, stress can occur even in pleasant situations, such as watching a football game or waiting for a loved one to return from a trip. If not handled properly, stress can lead to physical or emotional illness. It may produce only mild symptoms, such as a cough, a headache, or a rash. But severe and prolonged stress can contribute to serious health problems, including high blood pressure and stomach ulcers.
No one can avoid stress, but a person can do certain things to help lessen the danger of becoming ill from it.
Regular exercise and sufficient sleep strengthens the body’s resistance to stress. Everyone should learn to relax by resting, taking a walk, and meditating. One should also consider working with a hobby, or by any other method that he or she finds successful. When serious stress occurs, a person should determine the source of the stress and try to eliminate or diminish it. Discussing a problem with a friend, relative, or some other person may also help relieve stress.
3. Social Relationships
Social relationships have an important influence on mental health. Close personal relationship with friends and relatives provides opportunities for communication, sharing, and emotional growth. Such relationships also can provide strength and support for dealing with challenging situations or personal problems.
An individual’s entire social environment also affects his or her mental health. Such social problems as poverty, racism, and overcrowding contribute to situations that influence emotional health. As a result, social and economic changes are needed to help reduce the rate of some types of mental illness.
HEALTH HAZARDS
The nature of health problems in the United States and Canada has changed dramatically during the 1900’s. Until then, most people died from infectious diseases, such as diphtheria or pneumonia. Today, however, infectious diseases are no longer the main killers in the United States, Canada, and other industrialized countries. Improved sanitation, immunization programs, and the development of antibiotic drugs have brought these diseases under control. Today, health specialists are concerned chiefly with diseases related to the aging process, unhealthy lifestyles, and environmental hazards.
1. Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Abuse.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], cigarette smoking is the principle cause of unnecessary and preventable illness and early death. Heart disease and Lung cancer and other lungs diseases occur at a much higher rate among smokers than among nonsmokers. Many individuals use various drugs in an effort to solve their problems or to improve their alertness, mood, or self-confidence. However, the regular use of alcohol, narcotics, or sedatives can lead to addiction and also serious damage to the body.
People may become psychologically dependent on a wide variety of other drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine, lsd, marijuana, and tranquilizers. These individuals may harm themselves further by neglecting their health and nutrition. In addition, drugs can distort a person’s judgment and so increase the risk of accidents.
Alcohol is the most widely abused drug in the U.S.A. A person who drinks a lot and decides to give up drinking can return to a healthy, productive, life.
2. Environmental Health Hazards
Environmental health hazards cause by modern technology can produce serious problems. Air pollution can worsen the condition of people who suffer such respiratory disease as asthma and bronchitis. It may even help cause health hazards in some areas, such as; insecticides and industrial waste contaminate food and water supplies. Excessive noise can also threaten people’s health. Noise from airplanes, construction projects, and industrial plants can cause hearing loss as well as emotional damage.
3. Occupational Health Hazards
Occupational health hazards can threaten the health of many workers. In some cases, substances involved in a person’s job may cause long-term damage that appears only after many years. For example, many coal miners develop a lung disease called [pneumoconiosis], or black lung, from inhaling coal dust. Dust also causes lung diseases among workers in the asbestos and cotton industries. Some industrial chemicals can also causes cancer.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Public health includes all actions taken to maintain and improve the general health of a community. Government health programs provide most public health services. In addition, many voluntary health agencies receive contributions to combat specific diseases, such as cancer and lung diseases. These agencies provide medical services, campaign for health legislation, and make important contributions to health education. Another important function of public health agencies is to provide health education to individuals, groups, and organizations.