Keeping your physical health on a high level is important for your body to function well. The most important things you can do about it are: get enough sleep; eat a “healthy diet” and drink enough water; don`t smoke, use drugs or drink alcohol; exercise regularly; maintain a healthy weight; avoid chronic stress; brush your teeth and take a bath every day.

The health continuum is a sliding scale detailing how our health changes on a spectrum with death and sickness on one end and a high level of health and well-being on the other hand. Through aging, individuals move toward the lower end of the continuum where they are more susceptible to disease and getting sick. In order to counter this, they can engage in healthful behaviors such as exercise, eating well, and not engaging in smoking.

Mental, emotional and physical health are interlinked in our health triangle. Maintaining good health means keeping a balance between the three components.

Poor mental health can lead to poor nutrition which in turn can increase our susceptibility to infections, thereby causing illness which affects our physical health.

Our health and wellness falls on a continuum and is never static at any moment in time. Our bodies change and behaviors will affect our position in the health continuum. If we do not get enough sleep, do not eat properly, do not exercise, or do not ask for support when times are tough, we will will get stressed or be at risk for chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or heart disease.

By being responsible for our health we can take preventive measures in order to be on the positive end of the health continuum. Our current actions and behaviors affect our health in the present and the future. If we exercise, do activities which reduce stress, eat healthy, and engage in other positive behaviors, we can have a healthier future which can avoid diseases and other health issues. Being responsible and proactive in regards to our health will help us achieve this.

Recall that there are three aspects of our health which influence an individual:

Physical
Mental and Emotional
Social Well-Being

The poster will have the key points for each area and should be in easy to understand language at a fourth or fifth grade level.

Physical health deals with making sure that your body is taken care of. This will include exercising, getting enough sleep every night (around 8-10 hours), eating healthy, not using harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, and taking care proper care of your hygiene (this includes taking a bath regularly and brushing your teeth).

Mental and emotional health deals with one’s thoughts and feelings. The things that are a part of this includes your own self-esteem and being positive about life. Individuals who are able to maintain positive mental and emotional health are able to take responsibility, can handle stress, make responsible decisions, and gain a sense of purpose and values spiritually.

Social health and well-being deal with the supportive environment an individual has. This includes family members, friends, peers and teachers from school, and the people in one’s community. Sharing feelings when one needs someone to talk to while also providing support to others are a part of social health. As long as one has a trusted group of people to talk to, that is important. You don’t need to have a large group for one to have positive, social health.

Recall that there are three aspects of our health which influence an individual:

Physical
Mental and Emotional
Social Well-Being

The poster will have the key points for each area and should be in easy to understand language at a fourth or fifth grade level.

(Please read solution for specific details)

How often have you thought about your personal health? It may seem like second nature to us when we go about our daily lives without consciously thinking about the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of our health. Keeping a positive balance for all of these factors is important to our well-being. When we focus on one area while neglecting others, we end up not fulfilling important needs. If we eat healthily but do not socialize with family and friends, our physical needs are met. However, it can take a toll on our mental, emotional, and social health.

This is why it is our responsibility to address each area appropriately and ensure that we take care of all of these aspects in our health. Maintaining this balance through healthful behaviors will help us stay positive in mind and body.