Making Healthy Decisions Chapter 1 Making Healthy Decisions

Class Assignment Define all the vocabulary words in section 1 beginning on pg. 2 This assignment should be put in your notebook and will be evaluated during notebook check.

Focus of the Chapter Health Today Identifying Health Risks Taking Responsibility for your Health Being a Wise Consumer

Health Today Health no longer means just the absence of illness. Health today means the well being of your body, your mind, and your relationship with other people. Two factors that can be used to evaluate health are life expectancy and quality of life.

Life Expectancy Life expectancy refers to the number of years a person can expect to live. In the early 1900’s, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years. Life expectancy increased by 30 years between 1900 and 2000. Reasons for this positive change were better healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and working conditions. .

Quality of Life Quality of life- refers to the degree of overall satisfaction that a person gets from life.

Aspects of Health Physical Health-refers to how well your body functions Mental Health-the state of being comfortable with yourself, with others, and with your surroundings. Emotional Health-refers to how you react to events in your life. Social Health-refers to how well you get along with others.

A Continuum of Health Continuum- a gradual progression through many stages between one extreme and another. In a health continuum, one end represents poor health or illness, while the other end represents perfect or ideal health, often referred to as wellness. The choices you make on a daily basis will decide if you move toward illness or move toward wellness.

Identifying Health Risks Heredity- all the traits that are passed biologically from parent to child. Gender- whether you are male or female. Environment- all of the physical and social conditions that surround a person and can influence that person’s health.

Identifying Health Risks Continued Physical environment- include both your outdoor and indoor surroundings. Social environment- includes the person you spend time with: family, friends, classmates and others in the community. Culture-a person’s culture is part of his or her social environment.

Identifying Health Risks Continued Media- are forms of communication that provide news and entertainment Healthcare-your health is influenced by the healthcare that is available to you and your family. Behavior- the choices you make

Evaluating Health Risks There are three ways you can evaluate a risk factor: Consider both short-and long-term consequences Decide whether you can or cannot control the risk factor Analyzing Benefits and Risks

Taking Responsibility for your Health Healthy People 2010- a group of over 500 national and state health organizations that developed a national health program with two broad goals: Increase the years of healthy life for each American Eliminate differences in health based on race, ethnic group, or income Healthy People 2010 also include a set of smaller goals aimed at reducing risky behaviors such as injury and violence prevention.

A Healthy You There are three steps you can take to help you meet your personal health goals: Gain awareness- you must first be able to recognize a health problem before you can do anything about it Gain Knowledge- once you become aware of a health problem, the next step is to learn all you can about the problem…causes, warning signs, and possible outcomes.

A Healthy You continued The third step in meeting your personal health goals is: 3. Build skills- developing the skills necessary to protect your health

A Healthy You continued When confronted with tough decisions about your health, use the Decide Process to make the best for you. The Decide Process involves 6 steps: Define the problem Explore the alternatives Consider the consequences Identify you values Decide and act Evaluate the results

Being a wise Health Consumer In order to become a wise consumer, individuals need to be able to evaluate the products for its safety, cost, warranty and the information from consumer testing to determine if the product is right for you. Find out if the person who is performing the service is qualified. Determine if the source of the information is credible.

The Effects of Advertising Advertising is the public promotion of a product or service Ads can let you know what products and services are available, but they rarely provide the information you need to make wise choices

Advertising Methods Scientific studies Bandwagon Approach Testimonial Comparison to other products Emotional appeal Price Appeal

Health Fraud When you think of health fraud, two terms come to mind: fraud and quackery. Fraud- when someone tells lies to obtain money or property. Quackery- people who sell useless medical treatments or products

Things to look for when Recognizing Health Fraud When someone claims that a product or treatment is the only possible cure for a health problem. The promised results are too good to be true. When a product or treatment is said to cure many different ailments. When a product is said to contain “special” or “secret” ingredients.

Responding to Health Fraud If you have any doubts about any products or treatments, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If you uncover any health fraud in your state, notify your state’s office of Attorney General and your Better Business Bureau. If you receive something through the mail, notify your local postmaster

Your Rights as a Consumer As a consumer, you have the following rights: The right to information The right to consumer protection by government agencies: FTC, FDA, CPSC The Right to Complain