advantages of staying healthy

8/3/2019 Advantages of Staying Healthy

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Introduction

-STAYING HEALTHY

Health is the level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the

general condition of a person in mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to being free from illness,

injury or pain (as in good health or healthy). The World Health Organization (WHO) defined

health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being

and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

These days people seem more interested in health than they used be. There is a steady volume of

information in newspapers and magazines, as well as on television, radio and the internet. People

are better informed and more ready to talk about health and illness. However, being interested in

health is one thing, being prepared to do something about it is another. As you get older it

becomes even more important to try to stay healthy, to help you to maintain your independence

and have a better quality of life.

Being healthy is more than being free of disease, being a certain weight or wearing a certain jean

size. According to the World Health Organization, "Health is a state of complete physical, mental

and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Health is a state where

you feel good and can maximize your goals and potential. Benefits of staying healthy include

functioning for yourself and your family, finding satisfaction in your personal and professional

circles, remaining free from preventable illnesses and choosing to engage in behaviors that

promote your physical and mental health.


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Mental Health

Your mental health affects your physical health. Stress can increase your blood pressure, which

increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. The ways you choose to cope with stress can affect

your physical health positively or negatively. If you deal with stress by smoking, drinking oreating unhealthy foods, you could be compromising your physical health. Dealing with your

stresses in positive ways -- such as through exercise, meditation or therapy -- will help you stay

healthy. In turn, having a healthy body helps you to have a healthy mind.

Physical Health

The benefits of staying healthy physically include being able to participate in your activities of

daily living. When you are able to walk, move, bend and carry items, you can take care of

yourself and the people who depend on you. Regular exercise protects your heart, bones, joints

and lungs. Taking care of your physical health is also financially beneficial. Chronic illnesses

such as diabetes can be costly to you personally.

Staying healthy has a wide range of benefits, affecting both the length and quality of your life.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise prevents diseases, saves you money and

gives your body the energy and flexibility you need to live a full life. A healthy person is free

from disease, is not overweight and can fully participate in physical activities. The American

Heart Association reports 17,600,000 Americans were unhealthy in 2010 due to coronary heart

disease. More than one-third of Americans are unhealthy because they are obese. A healthy body

reduces your risk for developing these medical conditions, along with other benefits.


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Disease Prevention

The foods you choose to eat may have a direct impact on your ability to stay healthy.

Phytochemicals are important substances that may protect you from heart disease, certain types of

cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. You cannot buy a bottle of phytochemicals; they areavailable only in certain foods, such as berries, spinach, olives and kale. The American Heart

Association advises a low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains as a strategy to

protect your cardiovascular health.

Many diseases are rooted in an unhealthy lifestyle, resulting in an unhealthy body. Smoking

cigarettes causes lung disease, including emphysema and lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the

leading preventable cause of death in the United States. A poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are

root causes of obesity, which increases your risk for developing a whole host of diseases,

including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Activities ofDaily Living

A healthy body is equipped to do all the bending, standing, running, lifting and stretching most

people need to do each day. Obesity can lead to osteoarthritis, according to the Arthritis

Foundation, which makes the simple chores painful. Smoking cigarettes often results in shortness

of breath during even the most modest of physical exertion.

Longevity

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer are the leading causes of death

and disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of these

diseases are closely linked to lifestyle choices. These lifestyle choices include controlling your

weight, the foods you eat, the exercises you engage in and how you deal with stress. Some health

problems may be out of your control, but many of the most significant ones are directly under

your control. A primary benefit of staying healthy includes leading a longer, more productive and

satisfying life.


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Economic

Illness costs a lot of money. Heart disease and stroke, the two most common and deadly forms of

cardiovascular disease, cost Americans more than $500 billion in health care and related costs in

2010, according to HealthyPeople.gov, a website managed by the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services. Loss of wages from missed work, doctor visits, medicine, hospitalizations and

treatments are very expensive. Diabetes costs Americans $174 billion in 2005, according to the

American Diabetes Association. Smoking costs another $96 billion in medical expenditures,

according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emotional

A person with a healthy body may be happier than someone with a chronically unhealthy body.

Depression is the most common complication for those battling a serious medical condition,

according to the Cleveland Clinic, with up to one-third of these patients experiencing some

symptoms of depression. Patients are most likely to suffer from depression if they are in pain, are

disabled or suffer social isolation because they are unhealthy. People who are unhealthy because

of heart disease often tend to have high rates of depression.

Confidence

Self confidence is directly related to how you feel about yourself. If you look good, your self

confidence will radiate when you step into a room. It may sound obvious, but basic things like

clean teeth, groomed hair, smelling good, clothes that flatter your body, and a simple smile go a

long way. Exercise should also be a part of your weekly routine to look your best, and keep your

energy level up.


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SelfEsteem Improvement

Exercise gets those endorphins flowing and helps promote a more positive attitude. Besides,

when you look good and feel healthy, you feel more positive about yourself. Exercise will help

our brain as we age by keeping it active. It is very important that we take care of the brain to help

the anti-aging process.

The best six doctors anywhere

And no one can deny it

Are sunshine, water, rest, and air

Exercise and diet.

These six will gladly you attend

If only you are willing

Your mind they'll ease

Your will they'll mend

And charge you not a shilling.

~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990


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References

y World Health Organization; WHO Definition of Health; 2003y WomensHealth.gov; Women's Mental Health; March 2010y Stanford Medicine Cancer Center: Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risky American Heart Association; Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet; February 2010y Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion;

July 2010

y American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statisticsy Arthritis Foundation: Who Gets Osteoarthritis- and Why?y HealthyPeople.gov: Heart Disease and Strokey American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Statisticsy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Targeting the Nation's Leading Killer: At A

Glance 2010

y Cleveland Clinic: Chronic Illness and Depression


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OneSpirit, One Heart, OneMind

Advantages ofStaying

Healthy

School Name: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Daya

Assignment: 1

MUET: Advantages of staying healthy

Name: Lim Khang

Form: 6BS1

Year: 2011

Teacher In Charge: Pn. Anandamala

advantages of staying healthy

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