Good health is perhaps the most important thing in anybody’s life. Without your health, you can’t enjoy the rest of your life and meet the challenges you face every day. Today, we’re going to talk about wellness and how to improve your health and the quality of your life.

Session Objectives

The main objective of this session is to provide you with a lot of good, useful information about wellness. By the time this session is over, you should be able to:

• Define wellness and recognize its benefits;
• Identify the six basic requirements of a healthy life;
• Take proper precautions to prevent illness; and
• Live a healthier life.

What Is Wellness?

Let’s begin by defining what we mean by the word “wellness.” Wellness is a word that has been created to cover all the things you need to do to stay healthy.

• It means not getting sick and preventing diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.
• But wellness is more than that. It is also a series of wise decisions you make about your health. It’s the choices you make each day to help you stay healthy.
• It’s also about replacing bad habits with good ones. Like quitting smoking and starting to exercise. Or cutting back on greasy and sugary foods and replacing them with fruits and vegetables.
• Finally, when you put all that together, you find that wellness is really a way of life that says you care about your health and about yourself.

Think about what wellness means to you. Are you making healthy choices every day?

Why Is It an Important Issue in Your Life?

Wellness is important to you because a focus on wellness helps you:

• Prevent illness and disease;
• Reduce medical bills;
• Feel more energetic;
• Look better; and
• Live a longer, happier life.

Six Basic Requirements For a Healthy Life

We all have different ideas about what constitutes a good life. But if you want to live a good, healthy life, certain basic requirements apply to everybody. These are:

• Proper nutrition;
• Regular physical activity;
• Enough rest;
• Preventive health care;
• A positive attitude; and
• A sense of balance.

Nutrition

A humorist once said that part of the secret of success in life is eating what you like and letting the food fight it out inside. Wouldn’t it be great if you could take his advice and fill up on all your favorite foods like candy, ice cream, and fast food? But if you want to be fit and healthy, you have to eat a well-balanced diet rich in a variety of foods that provide all the essential nutrients.

A healthy diet contains foods from all of the food groups:

• Fruits and vegetables;
• Whole grains in bread and cereal;
• Fat-free or low-fat milk products; and
• Protein in lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.

A healthy diet is also low in:

• Saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugar.

Nutrition (cont.)

Proper nutrition is a key part of fitness and good health.

• Eating more fruits and vegetables—and less saturated fat—reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke. It also lowers the risk of getting diabetes and certain cancers—for example, cancers of the mouth, throat, lung, esophagus, stomach, and colon.
• Proper nutrition also helps you maintain a healthy weight. Approximately 127 million American adults are overweight. Sixty million of them are obese, which means that they are more than 30 pounds overweight. Obesity is associated with more than 30 serious medical conditions, including heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as chronic health problems such as back pain and impaired sleep.
• Eating right also gives you the fuel you need to do a good day’s work and still have some energy to enjoy your personal time.
• And, good nutrition helps keep you looking fit and healthy. And that will probably make you feel better about yourself, too.

Think about the way you eat. Is it making you healthier, or could you improve your nutrition so that you can be more fit and healthy?

Exercise

• Exercise is also important for maintaining fitness and wellness. Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves muscle tone, helps circulation, and strengthens your cardiovascular system.
• Depending on your job, you might get lots of exercise at work. But most people need to make an extra effort to get enough exercise.
• You don’t have to be an athlete to engage in and benefit from regular exercise. Just pick a physical activity that you enjoy and get out and do it at least several times a week. For example, walking, bicycling, swimming, and jogging are excellent and inexpensive ways to get exercise. Other physical activities such as weight lifting, tennis, skating, and dancing will also help keep you fit. Even using the stairs instead of taking the elevator can help improve fitness.
• Finally, the important thing is to get at least 20 or 30 minutes of physical activity at least several times a week. Every day is even better.

Do you get some kind of physical activity every day? It’ll help keep you fit and healthy.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is another important ingredient in a healthy life. Unfortunately, many of us have such busy lives between work and family that we often don’t get as much sleep as we need. Here are some tips that can help.

• Develop a routine that helps you relax and prepare for sleep. Some people relax with a warm bath; others use quiet music or a good book.
• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This helps your body develop a sleep routine so you get a better rest.
• Create an atmosphere that helps you get to sleep and stay asleep. For example, keep your bedroom dark and cool. Select a comfortable bed and pillow. Use a fan to mask noise from outside.
• Watch what you eat and drink before bedtime. Avoid coffee, regular tea, soft drinks with caffeine, and alcohol before going to bed. A light snack is fine, but avoid heavy, greasy, or sugary foods.
• See a doctor about persistent sleep problems. They may be a sign of some other health problem.
• Also, be careful about using sleeping pills. Use them only under medical supervision and for short periods to solve specific sleep problems.

Preventive Health Care

Wellness also means seeing healthcare professionals for preventive care rather than just when you’re sick or have some kind of health problem.

• All adults should have regular physical exams so that the doctor can catch any health problems in the earliest stages. With most diseases, early diagnosis and treatment result in the best long-term outcome.
• You should also have regular eye care if you have vision problems like near-sightedness or far-sightedness. As your vision changes over time, your corrective lenses also need to be changed. Everyone should see an eye doctor at regular intervals to check for problems such as glaucoma and other eye diseases.
• Most dentists recommend a cleaning and checkup every 6 months. Regular preventive dental care can prevent gum problems and tooth loss. You should also brush teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day.
• And, if you work in a noisy environment or experience hearing problems, you should see a healthcare professional who specializes in hearing problems. People who work around loud noise should have their hearing tested at least once a year.

Attitude and Balance

In addition to taking care of your health in physical ways, you also have to consider your emotional health and well-being.

• Your attitude affects both your physical and emotional health. People who dwell on the negative are more prone to disease—both physical and emotional—and tend to live shorter lives.
• So try to maintain a positive attitude about your work and your personal life. You’ll be healthier—and happier.
• A well-balanced life also promotes wellness. For most of us, life is a tightrope walk, and that makes a good sense of balance essential.
• Focus on balancing work with family and social life. And don’t forget your own individual needs and interests. They need attention as well.

Think about how your attitude and efforts to balance all the different aspects of your busy life affect your health and wellness.

Smoking

Along with the things you should do to promote wellness in your life, there are a couple of things you should not do. One is smoking. The other is abusing alcohol and drugs. We’ll begin with smoking. If you don’t smoke or have already quit, congratulations. You’ve definitely made the smart and healthy choice. If you’re still smoking, listen carefully to what we’re about to say:

• Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer death in the United States for both men and women. Smoking can also lead to heart disease, stroke, and emphysema.
• When you stop smoking you will:

– Reduce your risk of illness and disease almost immediately. Within a few years after quitting, you’ll reduce the risk of a heart attack and lung cancer by 50 percent.

– Feel better – Have more energy

– Breathe easier

– And, have more money. Just think of all you are currently spending on smoking and what you could do with all that money.

• Finally, remember that millions of Americans have quit. You can, too.

If you’re a smoker, think about the damage smoking is doing to your health. Think about all the benefits of quitting.

Alcohol and Drugs

Alcohol and drug abuse also leads to serious and often life-threatening diseases. In addition, substance abuse can cause emotional turmoil and wreck a person’s life. Work, family, friends, money, home, and health can all go down the drain when a person becomes addicted to alcohol or drugs.

If you want to stay healthy, if you care about yourself, your body, and your life, you will:

• Drink in moderation, if at all;
• Follow doctor’s orders when taking prescription medications;
• Be careful with over-the-counter drugs; and
• Choose not to use illegal drugs of any kind. Consider the hazards of alcohol and drug abuse and then think about your consumption habits. Are alcohol and drugs negatively affecting your health?

Steps to a Healthier Life: Q & A

• Let’s take a minute now to review some of the key points we’ve just discussed about wellness. See if you can answer these questions.
• First–What are the benefits of wellness? [PAUSE] Here is the answer. A focus on wellness helps you prevent illness and disease, reduce medical bills, feel more energetic, look better, and live a longer, happier life.
• Here’s another question–What are the six basic requirements of a healthy life? [PAUSE] The six requirements are proper nutrition, getting regular physical activity, getting enough rest, using preventive health care, maintaining a positive attitude, and keeping a sense of balance.

How did you do? Did you get both of them right?

Steps to a Healthier Life

Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far. Do you understand:

• What wellness is and why it is important?
• The six requirements of a healthy life?
• How smoking and substance abuse are harmful to your health?

If you want to be well and lead a healthy life, you need to understand all this information.

Let’s continue to the next slide now and discuss the steps you can take to prevent illness. We’ll start with preventing heart disease.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the number-one killer of both men and women in the United States. More than a million Americans have heart attacks every year, and half of them don’t survive the attack. Millions more are heart attacks waiting to happen—and many don’t even know they have heart disease. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to prevent heart disease.

• First, know your family’s heart disease history. People with parents and grandparents, uncles, and aunts who have had heart disease are more likely to have heart attacks.
• Whether or not you do have a history of heart disease in your family, you can help prevent heart disease by eating foods low in cholesterol and fats.
• Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight also help prevent heart attacks.
• Smoking is a major contributor to heart disease, so, of course, don’t smoke. And if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
• Also, be sure to get regular medical checkups, especially if you have a family history of heart disease, are overweight, are getting on in years, or have experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain.

High Blood Pressure

It’s estimated that one in every four Americans suffers from high blood pressure—also called, “hypertension.” Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage. With proper treatment you can lead a normal life, usually with the help of daily medication.

To prevent high blood pressure:

• Reduce sodium intake;
• Maintain a healthy diet and weight;
• Exercise regularly;
• Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption;
• Don’t smoke; and
• Get your blood pressure checked regularly.

Cancer

While your risk of dying from cancer has decreased in recent years, the rate of new cases of cancer has remained stable. This means that although you’re less likely to die from cancer today, your risk of getting cancer is about the same. So don’t be complacent about cancer prevention. Anyone, of any age, can get any one of numerous kinds of cancer. If you have a history of certain kinds of cancers in your family, your risk increases. Here are some important preventive steps to take.

• Smoking is the number-one preventable cause of cancer deaths. So if you smoke, quit. And don’t use other forms of tobacco, such as chewing tobacco, either. It causes cancer of the mouth.
• Use sunscreen when you’re out in the sun, particularly during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Use SPF 15 or higher.
• Maintain a healthy weight. You’re probably tired of hearing this, but excessive weight is a contributing factor in many different kinds of illness. Keeping your weight down is an important part of wellness.
• To prevent cancer, also eat vegetables, fruits, and low-fat foods.
• Get regular exercise.
• Finally, get regular checkups to screen for cancer, especially if you have a family history of cancer.

Stress

Stress-related physical or mental conditions account for 75 percent to 90 percent of visits to primary-care physicians. That probably comes as no surprise. We’re all potential victims of stress these days. A little stress keeps us on our toes, but too much can make us sick.

• To manage stress, identify the things that cause your stress. Knowing the enemy is always half the battle. Once you know what bothers you, you can try to do something to minimize the impact.
• Try to avoid small annoyances, like traffic on your commute to work or lines in stores. You might, for example, find an alternate, less traveled route for your commute or do your shopping during off hours.
• Maintain a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at some of the situations that are causing you stress. It may not change the situation, but it can change your attitude about it and relieve the stress.
• Finally, another important stress management technique is to plan ahead. Plan for personal and work obligations so that you won’t be going crazy at the last minute.

Stress (cont.)

• Another helpful way to manage stress is to share your problems with a friend, family member, or co-worker. Getting things out in the open is a good way to put them in perspective and relieve the pressure. Talk to a professional counselor if you’re really stressed or the other people you might talk to are the source of the stress.
• Know your limits and set boundaries. Remember that you’re not superman or superwoman. You’re only human, and there’s only so much you can do in a day. Know when to ask for help.
• One of the biggest sources of stress is trying to control things over which we have no control—and unfortunately, that’s often a whole lot. We can’t control events or other people. All we can do is work with what we’ve got and have reasonable expectations.
• Finally, as hard as it may be, set aside a little time each day to relax and do something you enjoy. And don’t forget to get enough sleep, too.

Think about all the stress in your life and the steps you take to manage it. How successful are you at managing stress? What else could you do to make your life easier and less stressful?

Depression

Too much stress for too long can sometimes lead to depression. It’s estimated that 10 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population suffers from depression. Depression is a serious illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. Without proper treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Symptoms of depression include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood;
• Feelings of hopelessness or extreme pessimism;
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness;
• Loss of interest or pleasure in life; and
• Less energy, difficulty concentrating, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns.

Of course, we all have bad days. And being a little depressed from time to time is normal. It’s when the feelings persist that you have a problem. So, if you experience any of these symptoms for more than a week or so, talk to your doctor. Medication and/or counseling can effectively treat the problem.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone the body needs to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. Some people get diabetes early in life, but many develop it in middle or old age.

• Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision.
• To prevent diabetes maintain a healthy weight. If you are even 10 to 20 pounds overweight, your risk of getting diabetes increases.
• Eat a proper diet and make sure you are eating good, nutritious food, not foods with a lot of empty calories that contain a lot of sugar and fat.
• Exercise regularly. The combination of proper nutrition and exercise will help you keep your weight down and help prevent diabetes.
• Finally, have your blood sugar tested when you have your regular physical exams.

Back Injuries: Causes

If you’ve ever experienced back pain, you’re not alone. Eight out of 10 people experience back problems at some time in their lives. Some of the common causes of back injuries and pain include:

• Being out of shape;
• Incorrect lifting;
• Being overweight;
• Sudden twisting;
• Bending too far forward or backward without proper support; and
• Strain from poor sitting or standing posture.

Back Injuries: Prevention

To prevent back injuries and pain:

• Exercise regularly to gain strength and flexibility;
• Lift with your strong leg muscles, not your back muscles;
• Maintain a healthy weight;
• Avoid overreaching, twisting your body, or making sudden moves that can strain back muscles;
• Support your back with an arm when you bend, if possible, and be careful as you rise not to strain your back; and
• Maintain proper posture when you sit or stand. And if you experience back pain, get help early. Prompt treatment can alleviate pain and heal the injury more quickly.

Illness Prevention: True or False

Let’s test your knowledge of disease prevention now with a quick true or false quiz. Read each of the statements on the screen and decide if it is true or false. Here goes.

• Exercising and maintaining a healthy weight are two keys to wellness. True or false? The correct answer is true. They help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers.
• There’s nothing you can do about stress except learn to live with it. True or false? The correct answer is false. There are many effective strategies for managing stress.
• One of the best ways to prevent back injuries is to exercise regularly. True or false? The correct answer is true. Exercise strengthens your back muscles and makes you more flexible.
• Heredity has nothing to do with most diseases. True or false? The correct answer is false. A family history of some diseases, like heart disease or cancer, might increase your risk.

How did you do? Did you get all the answers right?

Illness Prevention

Do you understand all the information about how to prevent illness presented in the previous slides? Do you understand what we’ve said about:

• How to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure?
• How to lower your risk of getting cancer?
• How to manage stress?
• Symptoms of depression and diabetes?
• Causes and prevention of back injuries?

You need to understand all this information in order to help prevent disease and live a healthy life.

Now let’s wrap up the session with some key points to remember.

Key Points To Remember

Here are the main points to remember from this session on wellness:

• Wellness involves a healthy attitude and a healthy lifestyle.
• Living a fit and healthy life will make you feel better, look better, perform better, and live longer.
• It’s never too late to change bad habits and start making healthy choices.

This concludes the wellness training session.