Taking Charge of Your HealthChapter One

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Wellness: The New Health Goal• Health

– Usually refers to the condition of a person’s body (Absence of injury or illness)

• Wellness– Not limited to the absence of physical disease– Multidimensional state of optimal well-being determined

by the decisions you make• Six Dimensions of Wellness:

– Physical – Emotional– Intellectual– Spiritual– Social– Environmental

• .

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The Wellness Continuum

Wellness: The New Health Goal

• In the1900’s– ~Lifespan = 47 yrs.– Most died from

infectious disease– An Infectious disease

is: easily spread from one person to another (bacteria & viruses)

– After 1900’s vaccine & antibiotic development reduced # of infectious diseases

• Since the 1900’s– ~Life span has doubled– Currently, most die from

chronic disease– A chronic disease:

develops and continues over a long period of time

– Lifestyle choices increase or decrease the risk of chronic disease

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Wellness: Then and Now

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The Healthy People Initiative• Healthy People 2020 has several

objectives:– Eliminate preventable disease, disability,

injury and premature death– Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities

and improve health of all groups– Create social and physical environments that

promote health– Promote healthy development & behaviors

across all stages of life

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Factors That Influence Wellness

• Health habits• Heredity/Family history

– Genome: entire amount of genetic material (DNA) in a persons cells

– Favorable and unfavorable genes are inherited that decrease/increase risk of disease

• Environment• Access to Health care

Getting Serious About Your Health

• Examine current health habits• Choose a Target Behavior

– Defined as: One behavior you want to change; start simple

• Learn About Your Target Behavior• Find Help

Changing Your Behavior• Setting Goals

– Your behavior change goals should be SMART: SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, TIME-FRAME SPECIFIC

• Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change– Precontemplation

• No current intention of changing– Contemplation

• Recognize a problem and begin to contemplate the need to change

– Preparation• Close to taking action, and may have a plan

– Action• Begin to follow action plans or outwardly modify behavior

– Maintenance• Have maintained a behavior for at least six months;

Vigilance, attention to detail, and long-term commitment– Termination

• New behavior has become an essential part of daily living

Taking Charge of Your Health

Chapter One