Overview
This lecture introduces the concepts of health and wellness, focusing on the health triangle and how balanced well-being requires attention to physical, mental/emotional, and social health.
The Health Triangle
- Health is a combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being.
- The health triangle consists of three sides: physical (base), mental/emotional (right), and social (left).
- Balanced health means all triangle sides are equally strong.
Physical Health
- Physical health is how healthy your body is.
- Improve physical health by eating nutritious foods.
- Regular physical activity keeps your body fit.
- Routine checkups with doctors and dentists maintain physical health.
- Avoiding harmful behaviors (e.g., smoking) protects physical health.
Mental and Emotional Health
- Mental/emotional health is about the health of your brain and emotions.
- Positive relationships strengthen mental/emotional health.
- High self-esteem or self-concept improves mental/emotional well-being.
- Managing stress positively (listening to music, talking with others) supports mental health.
- Expressing feelings through writing or drawing helps process emotions.
Social Health
- Social health means respecting, caring for, and valuing others.
- Positive relationships with friends, classmates, and teachers improve social health.
- Supporting and caring for family members enhances social well-being.
- Participating in community events (e.g., charity walks) builds social support.
- Spending quality time with family strengthens social health.
Healthy Balance and Unhealthy Balance
- A healthy triangle means physical, mental/emotional, and social health are balanced.
- An unbalanced triangle shows when one or more areas are weak, affecting overall health.
Wellness
- Wellness is a state of overall well-being or total health.
- Wellness exists on a continuum; it can rise or fall depending on daily experiences.
- Health is a part of wellness, and both are interconnected.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Health — A combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being.
- Health Triangle — A model showing the three parts of health: physical, mental/emotional, and social.
- Wellness — An overall state of well-being or total health, existing on a scale.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Be prepared to answer questions about the health triangle and wellness at the start of the next class.
- Review and memorize the positions and meanings of each side of the health triangle.