The Importance of Health and Wellness
Assignment: Health and Wellness (30%)
Name: Manal AlSaif
ID: 200800621
Major: Management Information Systems
PHED 1112: Physical Education
Section 201
Instructor: Christina Sagawe
Spring 2012
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Assessment Criteria
CRITERIA
Introduction
Assessment Rubric for Individual Written Report
Contains thesis statement, states why assignment is
SCORES
4
important, a reference to justify assignment, outlines the
body topics (C)
Health and
Description of health and wellness, the dimensions of health
Wellness
and wellness, and factors influencing health and wellness (C)
Self-management
Definition of self-management skills, the five stages of
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lifestyle change, and factors that promote lifestyle change
(C)
Health benefits
Description of five of the health benefits of physical activity
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(C)
Self-planning
Description of the six self-planning steps (C)
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Tobacco
Health effects of tobacco, and strategies for breaking the
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nicotine addiction (C)
Diabetes
Description of the three classifications of diabetes, health
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problems associated with diabetes, and lifestyle changes (C)
Conclusion
Restate the thesis statement, include a summary of the key
4
points from the body paragraphs, and say how these key
points answer the assignment
Reference
Write the reference using APA style
2
Mechanics
Punctuation and spelling and capitalization are correct,
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words are well chosen, writer uses own words, use of
headings, topic sentences, first person, full sentences, no
bullet points, correct line spacing and font
TOTAL
60
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Introduction
The importance of this assignment lies in how to encourage us to read and get
informed about health, wellness, physical activities, self-management, diseases that can be
altered by following a healthy lifestyle and finally how bad habits such as the usage of
tobacco, can drastically change our life and wellness. Perhaps the quite obvious question we
all ask is how to stay healthy and well, which can be fully answered in the following
paragraphs. In this paper I will be conducting a full research and study by using the provided
textbook Concepts of Fitness and Wellness, A Comprehensive Lifestyle Approach by
(Corbin, et al.).
Health and Wellness
Health and wellness can be best defined separately to fully understand the meaning
and importance of each one individually then apply both as a whole, comprehensive concept.
Health is basically what contributes to our life quality, based on our best well-being state.
Not only does it mean being free of illness and diseases, but also achieving an optimal state
of high-level mentality, social, emotional, spiritual and bodily wellness, with regard of course
to our other personal affecting factors. Moreover, my best understanding of wellness can be
summed up as the combination of the various sides of a well being, we thrive to achieve.
Wellness affects our life quality and how we participate and achieve in our societies, it
generally reflects our inner feeling towards life, and how well we feel towards it, based on
our ability to functions optimally. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 3, 5)
Health and wellness consist of multiple dimensions, which are: Emotional-mental,
Intellectual, Physical, Social and Spiritual. Emotional/mental health and wellness, is being
free from any illness that may affect this dimension, in addition to us being capable of coping
with life challenges and stressors, with a positive outlook. Moreover, Intellectual wellness
and health is being free from any illness that can affect the process of learning. It is the
ability to gather information, process then use them to better our interactions in life. On the
other hand there is physical health and wellness, which is remaining free from any diseases
that can bear on our physiological system. It is when we can function well in everyday life
and manage time effectively. Furthermore, there is social health and wellness; it means us
being detached from any illness that affects our social life. When we interact well with
others, and build-up purposeful relationships, that affects our lives and others positively.
Finally, there is spiritual health and wellness; it is often based on our beliefs of the existence
of meaningful, higher forces in life, which further the quality of our lives. (Corbin et al, 2010,
pg. 4, 5)
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Numerous factors affect our health and well-being, some of which are: Heredity, Age,
Disability, Provided health care system, the environment and the way we lead and act in our
lives. The first two, which are heredity and age, cannot be escaped. However, concerning
the other factors, with strong well and determination we are as humans capable of altering
and defying, to acquire and maintain health and wellness. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 10)
Self-Management
Any skill that helps us acquire a healthy lifestyle consistently, are known as selfmanagement skills. However for those skills to be beneficial, we must use them persistently.
Those skills are applied as concepts in our every day life, to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
(Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 22, 23)
It generally consists of five stages that were developed to explain negative lifestyles.
The stages are: First, those who are at the stage of Pre-contemplation are not considering a
change in their negative behavior. Second, people whom begun to think about changing
positively and abandoning their bad habits, are at the stage of Contemplation. Third, when
we actually attempt to change our bad habits, we are considered at the stage of Preparation.
Fourth, the action stage occurs when we actually make life changing decisions and start
working on improving ourselves. Finally, if we spent 6 months and more, sticking rigorously
to our positive changes then we are considered to be at the Maintenance stage. (Corbin et al,
2010, pg. 22, 23)
Furthermore, there are factors to be considered that encourage lifestyle change; those
factors can be classified under four categories. First, are personal factors in which age and
gender have an affect on our commitment to a healthy lifestyle, both are uncontrollable.
Second, can be identified as predisposing factors, what may fall under it is participating in
regular physical activity as a part of our everyday life. Third, are enabling factors, they can
be simply explained as the factors that aid us in the process of maintaining our new healthy
lifestyle. At last, there are reinforcing factors, which are factors such as physical activity for
example, that boost us and provide approval. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 24, 25)
Health benefits
Physical activities have a very remarkable affect on our health, and in preventing
widely known diseases. For starters, physical activity is proved to reduce hypokinetic
diseases or conditions. Hypokinetic diseases or conditions are basically the result of a “take
it easy” lifestyle. Furthermore, continuous regular physical activity may overcome any
family history risks. Studies show that active people are less likely to die at an early age.
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However it is a must that we focus on nutrition and stress management as well. (Corbin et al,
2010, pg. 66, 27)
Moreover, physical activity decreases the chances of one of the leading killers in
automated societies, which are cardiovascular diseases. There are many forms of
cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, a simple example of that is having a
heart attack. Another form is Hypertensions also known as high blood pressure; there are
also strokes, which are brain attacks and finally peripheral vascular disease. (Corbin et al,
2010, pg. 67)
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which it affects a person and lead to a heart attack.
Regular physical activity can increase HDL in our blood, which will result in preventing
atherosclerosis. HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein; it is simply a blood substance that
gets rid of cholesterol from our bodies by driving it out. Through maintaining a level of
physical activity we are keeping our cholesterol levels low. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 68, 69)
In addition, physical activity can affect type II diabetes by managing and treating it.
Diabetes basically is a group of disorders that lead to high blood sugar levels. When the
body fails to produce enough amounts of insulin, or does not use it effectively, diabetes
occurs. Studies show that people, who are physically active, are less likely to have it
compared to sedentary people. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 74)
Finally, physical activity is said to enhance fitness and functioning among older adults.
Our inability to function well as we advance in age is linked to our fitness and the lifestyle
we choose. Physical activity can delay illness and compact it into a shorter period of our
lives, it can also have a positive effect on Alzheimer’s cases that affect our elderly. (Corbin et
al, 2010, pg. 77, 78)
Self-Planning
I previously talked about self-management skills, now we will discuss what falls
under it, which is self-planning and the six steps we need to follow in this path. Step 1, is
clarifying reasons; it is essential to identify and become familiar with reasons of behavior
change. One of the most important reasons may be doctor’s recommendation; another reason
that is widely common is to achieve self-satisfaction by improving ourselves (lose weight,
quit smoking, etc.). (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 29)
Step 2, is to self-asses and establishing personal needs, also known as identifying
needs. Once our needs are mapped, we then need to plan a program, monitor, and evaluate
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progress. With practice, our self-assessment will become more accurate over time. (Corbin
et al, 2010, pg. 30)
Step 3, is setting our personal goals, to be familiar with what we hope to change and
value it over time, however it is important that the goals we set are reachable and realistic.
By following specific characteristics provided by the acronym SMART (*Specific,
*Measurable, *Attainable, *Relevant and *Timely) we ensure our goals are objective.
(Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 30, 31)
Step 4, is selecting program components, which is simply picking what suits you best
from other programs, thus creating a program that suits you and your goals best. There are
many types of lifestyle changes, some of which are physical activity, nutrition and stress
management. The components you choose however are solely dependent on the goals you
have set, meaning they must be related and relevant. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 32, 33)
Step 5, which is writing our plan, your commitment to the plan you have set, is
increased when it becomes physical (written down). A plan provides a promise or a pledge
that you will do your best, and follow clear steps you have set for yourself. It is considered
well written, if it consists of a daily plan with scheduled events and details. (Corbin et al,
2010, pg. 33)
Finally step 6, is to evaluate your progress, which is done through self-evaluation and
self-assessment. This step is needed to determine how will you stuck to the plan you have
written in step 5, and see how far you went from there, it can be simply done by keeping a
diary or records of your diet and/or activity. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 33)
Tobacco
Many deaths are linked to tobacco, in addition to it being the cause behind many other
chronic conditions. Recently however the number of smokers in the US has decreased due to
awareness campaigns and social norms. Tobacco has a negative effect on almost all body
organs, for instance it damages brain cells and increase risks of getting a stroke, it increases
the risk of cancers in the mouth in addition to gum diseases as well. In addition, it increases
the risk of coronary artery diseases and atherosclerosis. Moreover it affects the reproductive
system resulting in increased risks of breast and cervical cancer, birth complications,
unhealthy babies and sudden death syndrome in the babies of smokers. Tobacco affects eyes,
lung, kidneys, bladder, pancreas and the stomach as well. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 398, 399)
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Nonetheless, there are several strategies to break from the addiction of nicotine.
Generally five factors exist, that can guarantee your success in breaking from this bad habit,
those are: getting ready, getting support, learning new skills and behaviors, getting the right
medications and using it correctly, and finally being prepared for relapse and hardship. Other
examples of specific strategies are: being fully convinced about quitting, recalling the reasons
for your quitting, avoiding temptations and planning how to stop. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg.
405)
Diabetes
Diabetes occurs when the levels of glucose, which is a source of energy represented
as sugar in our blood, are high. Generally it exists in three specifications, first is pre-diabetes
in which our fasting glucose levels are high, but not high enough to be clinically identified as
diabetes. Second is Type I diabetes, it is defined by high blood sugar levels due to the
pancreas inability to produce insulin, this type is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes.
Third is Type II, which unlike type I does not require insulin, but however is likewise
characterized by high blood sugar levels, it is known as noninsulin dependent diabetes
mellitus. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 462, 463)
Diabetes has major affects on our health; it can lead to death, cause heart diseases,
high blood pressure and kidney failures. In addition it can cause a high incidence of
blindness and higher possibility of lower limb amputation. Pregnant women who have
diabetes may have a high chance of pregnancy complications. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 463)
Furthermore, there are multiple ways we can prevent and/or control diabetes, for
instance by planning and following a low fat diet we can prevent or reduce Type II diabetes.
In addition to regular testing to keep sugar levels considerably low, eating well by cutting
large quantities of the fat and carbs we eat, having regular physical activity, screening
ourselves, keeping an eye open for symptoms and finally committing to a stress management
skills plan. (Corbin et al, 2010, pg. 463)
Conclusion
All in all we must be fully aware or our lifestyle choices and try to maintain a level of
physical activity, in addition to monitoring our diet. Being conscious of our health and
wellness, how we manage and plan for ourselves, cutting bad habits and preventing chronic
diseases are our keys to being both healthy and well. The information I researched and read
about, are quite fascinating and actually beneficial not only for me but to my family and
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friends. In conclusion it is the simple steps we follow to live a healthy long life, resulting in
us aging gracefully and free of diseases.
Bibliography
Corbin, C. B., Welk, G. J., Corbin, W. R., & Welk, K. A. (2010). Concepts of Fitness and
Wellness: A Comprehensive Lifestyle Approach. McGrawHill.