Questions & Answers Regarding Health

Please type up 5-10 questions regarding health on your blog. Then spend the period searching answers (and more questions) related to these interests. For instance - "What are some of the official definitions of 'health'?" Or - "How many people are officially 'mentally ill' in the U.S. and what does that mean?" Even - "What are some of the common suggestions in responding to emotional difficulties?"

1. What are some definitions of the word "health"?

-a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
-the general condition of body and mind
(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:health&ei=3IvTSfyqHKLNlQfj1Z37Cw&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title)

-a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health)

2. What does it mean to be healthy?

"‘protection from infection and injury; shelter, warmth, clothing; access to health care; intellectual stimulation; praise and recognition of achievements; social contacts; security; cleanliness; fresh air and sunlight; love and consistent and continuous affection; sleep, rest and activity; and food."

Figure 1: Six aspects of health (Meggitt 2001: 2) "Environmental health Environmental health refers to the general health of the society in which we live. In areas of famine – where the first priority for health is to obtain enough food – people may be denied access to health. Poverty and overcrowded living conditions are all negative aspects of environmental health. Physical health This is the easiest aspect of health to measure. It involves the physical functioning of the body and includes the growth and physical development of the baby and child. Emotional health Emotional health involves how we express emotions such as joy, grief, frustration, hurt and fear. This ability to express our own emotions and to react to other people’s emotions leads on to coping strategies for anxiety and stress. The six aspects of health Spiritual health Spiritual health involves personal, moral codes of conduct – as well as religious beliefs and practices. Mental health Mental health involves our ability to organise our thoughts logically, and is closely linked to emotional and social health. Social health Social health involves the way we relate to other people and form relationships. "
(www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/resources/downloads/rr444_114-117.pdf)

3. About, how many people are healthy in the U.S?

"In 2005, 62% of adults 18 years and over reported excellent or very good health. Sixty-two percent of adults never participated in any type of vigorous leisure-time physical activity, and 15% of adults did not have a usual place of health care. Twelve percent of adults had been told by a doctor or health professional that they had heart disease, and 22% had been told on two or more visits that they had hypertension. Twenty-one percent of all adults were current smokers, and 21% were former smokers. Based on estimates of body mass index, 35% of adults were overweight and 25% were obese."
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17252928)

4. About how many are mentaly ill?

" The Surgeon General's report estimated that 20% of the United States population was affected by mental disorders and that 15% use some type of mental health service every year. Community surveys estimate that as many as 30% of the adult population in the United States suffer from mental disorders. " (http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2996/Mental-Health-Illness-HOW-MANY-PEOPLE-ARE-MENTALLY-ILL.html)

Menally- Ill Children
"Studies of prevalence of mental illness, which included mental disorders and addictive disorders, estimate that more than one-fifth (nearly 21%) of U.S. children ages nine to seventeen suffer some degree of impaired functioning resulting from a mental or addictive disorder. Although the same research found that just 11% of this group suffers from significant impairment, this prevalence estimate translates into four million children and teens for whom difficulties at school and with their families and friends are attributable to mental illness." (http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2996/Mental-Health-Illness-HOW-MANY-PEOPLE-ARE-MENTALLY-ILL.html )

5. What is considered a healthy diet?

"The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.
Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.
You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.
Following these three basic steps doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and try to eat small portions of them..."

"1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the "good" carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can't get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients." (http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/fw/fwNut01HealthyDiet.html)