Grade 10 Health and Physical Education: Lesson 1

Total health involves the physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and factors such as health services, physical environment, genetic composition, personal behavioral patterns and social and economic background affect total health.

We can include several life styles and behaviors that will contribute towards maintaining total health.

• Good eating habits – the intake of nutritious food and avoid artificial, unhealthy food
• Active life style and exercise
• Maintaining an appropriate body mass index (BMI)
• Adequate sleep and rest – adults require 8 hours of sleep where children require more than that
• A simple life style – lead a life full of modesty and satisfaction.
• Minimizing mental stress – identify the causes that lead to stress, sharing and expressing the feelings , proper planning,  time management , inculcating simplicity and attempting to find means of reducing stress.
• Refraining from alcohol, smoking and  drugs

 

• Prevention of  the use of alcohol, drugs and smoking

• Raise the price of alcohol and cigarettes
• Control the places that sell them
• Prohibit the advertisements that promote the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes
• Organize programs and campaigns to make people aware of the ill effects of consuming them
• Take proper legal action against the use and illegal drug trade
• Sell the cigarettes and alcohol only to the adults

 

• Responsible accepted behavior – obey the law and follow the rules and regulations as expected.  This will safeguard the safety and wellbeing of the public.
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There are several challenges to maintaining total health. Competition has resulted in mental stress, depression and decline in relationships among people to a greater extent. The family system is affected from this where their bonds decline due to the lack of communication and time spent together. During the situations of crisis such as war and natural disasters, the health of internally displaced people are challenged in a vast scale. Problems pertaining to education and socio-economic conditions like availability of water, nutrition, income, spacious ventilated housing, proper sanitary facilities and cleanliness too can be cited as threats to the health and the well-being of the society. We know that the health services of Sri Lanka are equipped with high standards and quality. However, as modern society mostly follows unhealthy habits, non-communicable diseases are common among them.  The increase of such diseases and the rise of the elderly population of the country are major challenges posed at the health services today.  Rise in population density has led to the deterioration of health and today, respiratory diseases, diseases relating to the digestive system, depression and stress are often seen among people. The tourists and the tourist trade have damaged the social and moral values where tourism has led to the rise in prostitution, illegal trade of drugs, and pollution of the environment and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. Any message with a positive or negative influence on the lifestyles and attitudes of the society can be communicated faster to a larger audience through  the concept of the global village and media.  Addiction to computer games and watching TV programs that consume a lot of time pose a threat to the wellbeing of adults and children. Apart from all the positive aspects technology has gifted this world, it has also challenged the total health of human beings today. This has led to the physical inactivity and obesity in people. Technology has also created psychological issues like depression, anxiety and isolation while affecting the social and cultural values in the society.  

 

We can overcome the above challenges successfully and maintain good standards in health within the society. When the problems in relation to education is considered, appropriate action can be taken to improve the level of education where health education could be specifically made mandatory for everyone. The problems in health services could be minimized by strengthening the units that deal with the prevention and treatment in health services. The staff involved in health services can be increased as a measure to overcome issues relating to the increase of population density. Awareness programs that convey the ill effects of competitive lifestyles, media, technology, tourism , concept of the global village and  means of overcoming and facing the related issues. The welfare of the people who are displaced during war and natural disasters can be improved where their overall wellbeing is ensured.  Steps can be taken to uplift the economic status of people and implement projects in the pursuit of ensuring the socio-economic wellbeing of the society. Housing projects equipped with proper sanitation and ventilation can be cited as an example. However, it is important that the government implements a suitable policy with the aim of overcoming the challenges mentioned above and ensuring the total health of the public.

Therefore, the maintenance of total health play a role of paramount significance in building a healthy society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Mekhala Egodawele

Photo source : Internet