Can you imagine living in a world where diseases and illness were never spoken of until they occured? This was reality before our time and no one ever considered the possible diseases that may appear nor did they have them in mind. Chapter 1 analyzes how much our health system has improved, once it became obvious that the health system was not improving that is when research began. When examining someone that was ill, researchers began to factor in where they were from and if they were poor. Once these researchers started to dig deeper than just physical aspects regarding ones health they realized that there was so much more to consider “Over time, public health officials began to recognize and address other forces affecting human health, including hazardous work conditions, negative influences in the home and social environment, stress, unsafe behavior, diet, and sedentary lifestyle.”
Everyone’s adaptability to health is different and understanding that can be easier when broken down into the six interrelated dimensions
- Physical health- This includes the shape and body sizes of individuals, how responsive one is, how active one may be, and also our susceptibility to disease and disorders. The newer definition includes simple tasks such as being able to get out of bed, bending over to test flexibility, testing someone’s memory/being able to write their own name, etc.
- Social health- Being able to interact with others and the ability to maintain interpersonal relationships with your family, friends, and co-workers. Ones acceptance to receiving and giving love in their life is essential to their social health.
- Intellectual health- Having a clear mindset and being able to make healthy and rational decisions so when faced with life challenges one can effectively use their brain power. Have the ability to accept, adapt, consider and having interest in new things.
- Emotional health- It is very important for one to have a good sense of themselves and knowing when or when it isn’t appropriate to express their emotions. Having a good head on your shoulders, being confident, self-esteem, self-efficacy, trust and love all factor into ones emotional health.
- Spiritual health- Knowing that you have a purpose in your life and this can be the cause of believing in an higher power, religion, culture or whatever it is or even if it is nothing but being able to experience peace, contentment and explore what life is all about and showing respect to the living/non-living things that surround you.
- Environmental health- This last dimension is being able to consider and recognize the impacts of where you live has on your health. Considering the hazards in your environment and protecting yourself from them.
When considering and including these six dimensions of health one can get to know themselves better because they begin to realize their strengths and weaknesses and where they may need improvement in their health.
Health in the United States
The U.S has dramatically increased its survival rates within the last century, because of new discoveries we have made that were unavailable to those who lived in the 1900’s. Compared to the last century if one was to get ill it was very likely that they were not going to make it due to the lack of resources we have now. Since then we have discovered vaccines, antibiotics, advances in medications, diagnostic technologies, surgery and cancer treatments and this improvement has of course increased the life expectancy. Although what amazes me but actually does not surprise me when I think of all the factors is that the U.S has one of the lowest survival rates compared to other countries. The U.S offers many harmful things to us that may be addicting and life altering leading to sooner deaths such as obesity, tobacco, alcohol abuse and drug overdose. Another factor to consider is the health care system because it limits health care access to ones who either can not afford it, are not mobile or so on but because of this non-support we have, it leads to our lower life expectancy.
What Influences Your Health?
Biology and Genetics- This is out of our control and something we do not chose. Biology is ones gender, ethnicity and age which is something we do not change. Genetics can be passed down but also refers to biology, for example a father and a mother may be a carrier for cystic fibrosis which will lead to their child receiving this disease at birth.
Individual Behavior- Depending on how one takes care of them self determines their influence on their health. Watching how they eat, what they drink, what they inhale into their lungs (tobacco)
Social Factors-What one may be exposed to and depending how they adapt to it and this may not always be in their own control. Living in a wealthier community vs. a low class community can tremendously impact ones health.
Health Services- This goes back to social factors, what part of the economic class does one belong to? what is available to them? and what kind of quality do they receive.
Policymaking- Having a set of rules in a community or on a campus it can be anywhere things such as a non-smoking campus, having multiple stop signs on busy streets to prevent more accidents, etc. These policies provide a set of rules which can keep a community more intact.
Health Disparities- Depending on who you are can determine your health disparities and it is based off of your gender, health insurance, race and ethnicity, economics/education, geographic location and disability.
Our health is a major key to our well-being and health does not just mean how you eat, if you smoke, or if you drink but there are many factors that we need to consider when thinking of our health. Our social circle is a very major key, who you surround yourself with can cause negative or positive results in your health. Effective brainpower can impact the decisions you make of whom you surround yourself with. Being mindful of others and also yourself can go a long way, when someone is able to take a second to breathe and become present with the current moment it can impact how they make decisions. Say you have depression, anxiety or sleep issues if you take just a few minutes to breath and come to the present moment and allow your mind to throw a million different thoughts at you but not letting them control you, it really can benefit you. This chapter is very important because it brings up the topics we typically ignore everyday because that’s how we have adapted in life. It’s important that we consider who we are and where we come from, and where we come from effects us, loving yourself and being able to love others, not discriminating against others, and being mindful and aware of those around you. Taking steps to better ourselves can only lead to wanting to help others, not ignoring the main issue our world faces when it comes to disparity but taking charge and trying to contribute in change. When we want to better ourselves it can only lead to positive change.
My goals and experiences during the week of chapter 1..
Well this is when I began my process of quitting cigarettes, so of course it wasn’t easy. The first steps I started with were telling myself that I could do this and that if I had the right mindset and power of will then I would be able to accomplish quitting cigarettes. When I first began to quit there were quite a few things I noticed that worked and did not work, for instance being around others that smoked or going out to the bar definitely pushed me back in my process. Keeping myself busy and occupying my mind whenever I felt the urge for a cigarette coming on definitely did help though and even some days I would stay in the house the majority of the day and that would also decrease the amount of cigarettes I smoked that day.
Lizzys Truth 