Module 1

Good Health and its balance for positive mindset:

What is Health?, Why is Health Very Important Now? – What influences your Health?, Health
and Behavior, Health beliefs and advertisements, Advantages of good health (Short term and long
term benefits), Health and Society, Health and family, Health and Personality - Profession. Health
and behavior, Disparities of health in different vulnerable groups. Health and psychology,
Methods to improve good psychological health. Psychological disorders (Stress and Health -
Stress management), how to maintain good health, Mindfulness for Spiritual and Intellectual
health, Changing health habits for good health. Health and personality.
What is Health?
Health can be defined as a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well
being, which consists in maintaining the body as much as possible by following daily advice
and preventive measures to reduce the possibility of diseases.

Why is Health Very Important Now?

Health is the factor that helps a person to perform his daily life tasks in a correct and right
way. A person's physical health means that the body does not have any diseases in all parts.
While mental and social health is represented by the ability of a person to accomplish social
tasks entrusted to him without defect or error. The importance of good health in a person’s
life is undoubtedly great.
 A healthy person is a person who is able to serve himself, his nation and his community.

 The importance of health for a person is that it saves him the costs of treatment and
the hassle of going to hospitals.
 Psychologically healthy people feel comfortable and happy in their lives and enjoy
lifewell.

What influences your Health?

Health begins from where we live, work, learn, and play long before we visit the doctor’s office or
walk in our local pharmacies. Our health is largely determined by the social, economic, cultural,
and physical environments we live in everything from where we work and live to our level of
education and our access to healthy food and water.

These conditions are known as social determinants of health: the social and economic resources
such as housing, education, food access, and transportation that support health and can determine
length and quality of life. too often, access to these health-determining resources remains outside
of individuals’ control. Many health inequities experienced by communities of color, low-income
individuals, and other vulnerable populations are due to the lack of appropriate distribution of
social resources, rooted in a history of discrimination at the individual, institutional, and structural
levels.

Other factors affecting health

There are many different factors that can affect your health.
Social exclusion

People can feel socially excluded for a number of different reasons. Factors may include
poverty, old age, mental ill-health or a physical or learning disability.
This exclusion can have an effect on their health and ability to fulfil their full potential.
We’re working hard to tackle social exclusion and help make health fairer for everyone.
Housing

Poor quality housing can have a huge impact on health. It can make existing health
conditions worse, cause injuries and prevent people from reaching their full potential.
Education

Helping young people achieve their potential from an early age, including getting
qualifications plays a vital role in making sure they are healthy in later life.
Employment

Employment plays a big role in health as it provides financial stability, promotes

independence and is known to protect against physical and mental health problems.
We’re working to provide people with as much support to get into work as possible.
Transport

In a largely rural community like Derbyshire, transport plays an important role in helping people
get to school, work and leisure facilities, as well as health services.

Health and Behavior

Health behaviors are actions individuals take that affect their health.

Behavioral health is the way your habits impact your mental and physical wellbeing.
That includes factors like eating and drinking habits, exercise, and addictive behavior
patterns. Substance abuse, eating disorders, gambling and sex addiction are all examples
of behavioral health disorders.

Health behavior refers to actions that an individual engages in that affect their health
either positively or negatively. These can be simple personal choices like hand washing
or more complex situations like choosing to live in an area with high air pollution.
Within the context of occupational health and safety, health behavior relates to how an
employee behaves affecting health and safety and the influences of employer behaviors
or programs upon employee health.
 The Health Behaviors area of the County Health Rankings we look at:
● Tobacco Use, looking at the percentage of adult smokers.

● Diet & Exercise, giving information on access to healthy foods and

exercise opportunities.
● Alcohol & Drug Use, measuring excessive drinking and drug overdose deaths.
● Sexual Activity, showing rates of sexually transmitted infections and teen births.

Health beliefs and advertisements

The growing concern for health is currently a global trend, so promoting healthy products
is an opportunity that companies can exploit to differentiate their products in highly
competitive markets.
Food industry advertising that targets children and youth has been linked to the increase
of childhood obesity. Advertising by other industries often objectifies girls and women,
contributing to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression.
The concept of “good advertising makes us believe that something is better than
actually is” doesn't have to do with buying things that we don't like just because we saw it
on the internet. ... Instead, advertisers think about what consumers want and need, and
how they can meet those wants and needs.

Advantages of Good health (Short term and long term benefits)

The health of a person helps him/her to realize his/her potential and gives the ability to
fight illness. A healthy person is an asset to the country, is more productive and helps' in
the progress of the country. A healthy person is able to earn more and improve his
standard of living.
 Decreased risk of disease.
 More life-force energy.
 Increased happiness, less depression.
 Increased feelings of self-worth.
 Fights Disease. Working out and eating right are a powerful duo when it comes to the longevity of
health because it helps the body prevent disease.
 Builds Confidence.
 Improves Brain Health and Mood.
 Reduces Stress.
 Optimizes Performance.

Healthy Organs.

Good health plays an immensely crucial role in our overall well-being. With an alarming
number of reports on different ailments, it has become simply impossible to overlook the
importance of good health in our lives. Yet, we often don’t heed healthy habits like eating a
balanced and nutritious diet, avoiding detrimental substances, exercising etc. Healthy habits
aren’t that much hard to develop provided you have the mindset.

Live a happier life

With good health, you feel happier. This is mainly because you won’t have any fear or concern
regarding your health condition. Also, you’ll be able to live a stress-free life compared to
people with chronic diseases. On the contrary, with poor health, you’ll be missing out on
various enjoyable activities that you may have pursued otherwise.

Increased longevity
Being healthy means that you’ll have a greater chance of living longer compared to people with
chronic ailments or poor health conditions, who not only have to deal with financial worries but
also face stress and depression – two key impacts triggered by poor health.
Improved energy
Everyone has experienced a lethargic feeling at least some point of time in their lives. But with
optimal health, your body becomes more capable of managing the energy level. Good health also
helps to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and makes the cardiovascular system
functioning more efficiently. It boosts your energy level to help you perform your daily activities
and even let you enjoy better sleep at night. When you’re in good health and full of energy,
common ailments associated with poor sleep quality like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart
disease etc get alleviated as well.

Enhanced self-esteem
When you’re enjoying good health, it’ll automatically improve your self-esteem. A balanced life
filled with nutritious diet and lots of physical activity greatly contribute to the improved
confidence level. In addition, being healthy also means that you’d be better able to help the others.
Knowing that you’re aiding other people will also increase your self-confidence. All these things
heavily contribute to enhance your self-image and give your self-esteem a big boost.
Increased capacity of fighting diseases
Good health helps avert certain diseases including high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease
etc. When you maintain good health, you’ll be able to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol
within a safe range. This makes your blood circulation smooth, lowering the risks of various
cardiovascular diseases. In addition, good health comprising of proper diet and regular physical
activity can also prevent or help you better manage health problems such as diabetes,
depression, metabolic syndrome, arthritis and certain kinds of cancer, among others.
Improved mental clarity
Having a healthy body and mind would make you think clearer. Whenever you’re experiencing
a crisis and you need to find out a solution quickly, you’ll tend to make a wise decision if
you’re in good health. This is because being fit – both physically and mentally, would let you
concentrate better on certain things and encourage clarity of thoughts.

Enjoy physical activities

Being in good health condition enables you to perform almost anything you want, especially
doing strenuous activities and sports. As a matter of fact, you’ll be able to enjoy the physical
activities when you’re fit. Regular participation in physical activities isn’t only great for your
mind and body but it also boosts the immune system and alleviates the symptoms of
depression.

Health and Society

Social relationships are vital to maintaining good health. Conversely, social isolation creates
health risks. Good health is central to human happiness and well-being that contributes
significantly to prosperity and wealth and even economic progress, as healthy populations are
more productive, save more and live longer. Social and economic factors, such as income,
education, employment, community safety, and social supports can significantly affect how well
and how long we live. These factors affect our ability to make healthy choices, afford medical
care and housing, manage stress, and more.
The social and economic opportunities we have, such as good schools, stable jobs, and strong
social networks are foundational to achieving long and healthy lives. For example, employment
provides income that shapes choices about housing, education, child care, food, medical care, and
more. In contrast, unemployment limits these choices and the ability to accumulate savings and
assets that can help cushion in times of economic distress.
Social and economic factors are not commonly considered when it comes to health, yet strategies
to improve these factors can have an even greater impact on health over time than those
traditionally associated with health improvement, such as strategies to improve health behaviours.
Across the nation, there are meaningful differences in social and economic opportunities for
residents in communities that have been cut off from investments or have experienced
discrimination. These gaps disproportionately affect people of color – especially children and
youth.

Health and family

Family health is a state in which the family is a resource for the day-to-day living and health of its
members. A family provides its individual members with key resources for healthful living,
including food, clothing, shelter, a sense of self-worth, and access to medical care. Further, family
health is a socioeconomic process whereby the health of family members is mentioned.

As the basic socioeconomic unit of most societies, the family is the interface between societal
and individual health, and the economic interface between the family and society determines
what resources are available for a family's health. For example, in some families the father is the
primary income earner, yet his skills are marketable only in remote, resource-based communities.
In such families, members may have adequate financial resources for healthful living because of
the father's stable employment, though their shared geographic location has the potential to
negatively impact access to fresh foods, recreation facilities, and quality health care. Here, the
community plays a primary role in mitigating the effects of geographic location. In healthy
communities, many families will benefit from resources available in the community and, in turn,
will produce members who contribute in kind, with family dynamics mediating this reciprocal
process. While a family may have adequate resources to support its members' health-related
decisions, family dynamics influence if, how, when, and by whom resources are accessed.

Health and Personality – Profession

Personality refers to characteristics that make individuals unique, including their prototypical
thoughts, emotions, interests, habits, and behaviors. Almost every element of a person's career is
in part determined by his or her personality.
When pursuing your ideal career, considering your personality traits can help establish your
strengths and weaknesses. This reflection not only identifies your existing technical skills, but
how you interact or behave around others, and how to mesh this well with potential job options.
Research suggests that personality might determine the career path you choose, and it may
predict whether you are unhappy with your job. Several studies have shown that people who hold
jobs with characteristics and tasks related to their personality are more productive, happier.
 • A personality is a combination of all the small factors that add up to make a person's
disposition.
• Every human being has his very own unique personality. The way people react, respond,
relate, and retaliate to situations is what makes up their personality. It is our personality
that makes us different from others.
• However, psychological health is an important aspect for complete growth. A person who is
healthy on a mental and psychological level is what makes up for a healthy personality.

Disparities of health in different vulnerable groups

In India there are multiple socio-economic disadvantages that members of particular groups
experience which limits their access to health and healthcare. The task of identifying the
vulnerable groups is not an easy one. Besides there are multiple and complex factors of
vulnerability with different layers and more often than once it cannot be analyzed in isolation.
The present document is based on some of the prominent factors on the basis of which
individuals or members of groups are discriminated in India, i.e., structural factors, age,
disability, mobility, stigma and discrimination that act as barriers to health and healthcare. The
vulnerable groups that face discrimination include Women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled
Tribes (ST), Children, Aged, Disabled, Poor migrants, People living with HIV/AIDS and
Sexual Minorities. Sometimes each group faces multiple barriers due to their multiple identities.
For example, in a patriarchal society, disabled women face double discrimination of being a
women and being disabled.

Health and psychology

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and
healthcare. It is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors
contribute to physical health and illness. Psychological factors can affect health directly. For
example, chronically occurring environmental stressors affecting the hypothalamic
pituitaryadrenal axis, cumulatively, can harm health. Behavioral factors can also affect a person's
health. For example, certain behaviors can, over time, harm (smoking or consuming excessive
amounts of alcohol) or enhance health (engaging in exercise). Health psychologists take a bio
psychosocial approach. In other words, health psychologists understand health to be the product
not only of biological processes (e.g., a virus, tumor, etc.) but also of psychological (e.g., thoughts
and beliefs), behavioral (e.g., habits), and social processes (e.g., socioeconomic
status and ethnicity).
 By understanding psychological factors that influence health, and constructively applying that
knowledge, health psychologists can improve health by working directly with individual patients
or indirectly in large-scale public health programs. In addition, health psychologists can help train
other healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians and nurses) to apply the knowledge the discipline
has generated, when treating patients. Health psychologists work in a variety of settings: alongside
other medical professionals in hospitals and clinics, in public health departments work on large-
scale behavior change and health promotion programs, and in universities and medical schools
where they teach and conduct research.

Methods to improve good psychological health

 . Take care of yourself. Take care of yourself by managing your stress levels, getting enough
sleep, staying active and eating healthy.
 Connect with others.
 Learn a new skill.
 Talk to your kids.
 Practice gratitude.
 Revisit an old hobby.
 Connect with others. Having deep, meaningful relationships helps mental health. ..
 Keep your perspective.
 Develop positive habits.
 Live up to your values.
 Be kind to yourself.
 Improve your work-life balance. ...
Psychological research has revealed a range of approaches that can help you stay mentally healthy
and make the most out of your life.

1. Connect with others

Having deep, meaningful relationships helps mental health. Build a rich social network by flexing
your communication skills. Really listen to others and be genuine, sharing your thoughts and
feelings. Your relationships need not be just about sharing difficulties. Celebrate everyday
positive experiences with friends. Research shows doing this boosts wellbeing by helping you
savour good things and make great feelings last longer.
2. Keep your perspective

Avoiding difficult emotions, keeping feelings to yourself, or stewing over problems reduces
wellbeing. Those able to process their emotions well typically experience better mental health.

Emotion processing involves being open to experiences and accepting all your feelings and
thoughts, including the difficult ones. It helps to look for constructive solutions, think flexibly and
see situations from different perspectives when you are confronted by everyday problems.

3. Develop positive habits

Positive psychology has introduced the concept of ‘flourishing’. This is when you enjoy positive
emotions, healthy relationships, meaning and purpose in life, and a sense of accomplishment.

What can help you flourish? Research suggests acting with kindness, generosity, forgiveness and
compassion towards others, cultivating a sense of gratitude and appreciation, savouring things you
love, knowing and using personal strengths, being creative and feeling optimistic.

4. Live up to your values

Living a life consistent with your values leads to improved wellbeing. Be aware of your own
values – of how you would like to lead your life, behave towards others, and treat yourself. Then
find ways to ensure your life is in keeping with those ideals. This is better for your wellbeing than
responding to events habitually, without awareness or purpose.

5. Be kind to yourself

Treat yourself with the same kindness, concern and support you’d show a good friend facing
struggles. Rather than reproaching yourself, recognise that life is full of mistakes and
inadequacies. This is the essence of self-compassion, which fosters resilience in the face of
adversity.

Mindfulness, which is the ability to take note of your own experience without being overwhelmed
by it, is an essential component of self-compassion. It allows you to maintain perspective without
judgement and helps you keep a healthy balance between the things that go right in life and the
things that go wrong.
6. Improve your work-life balance

We all have many roles in life. You might be a parent, a partner, an employee, a student, a church
member, a teammate, a carer or a volunteer. It is easy to feel pulled between responsibilities and it
can be tempting to sacrifice important parts of your life. This can leave you less satisfied and
more stressed. Researchers suggest that working towards greater balance fosters wellbeing.

Think about how satisfied you are with the different areas of your life: relationships, work,
recreation, health, exercise, self-development, and spiritual life. Are you devoting the amount of
attention you would like to each? Making more time for some, and putting boundaries around
others, might help create that balance.

Taking time to wind down and enjoy relaxing activities is an important part of a balanced life and
helps to reduce stress. Relaxing activities, such as gardening or reading, listening to music,
walking or singing, should be an important part of your routine.

7. Laugh loud, laugh often

Laughter really is good medicine. Humour that expresses positive emotion and messages (rather
than humour that puts yourself or other people down), is good for your mental health. It has been
found to release ‘feel good’ hormones, increase optimism, improve your mood over time, and
improve relationships by increasing connection and intimacy.

8. Look after your body

A good lifestyle supports mental health. Research suggests that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables,
and regular moderate exercise, boosts your wellbeing. Making sure some of your exercise occurs
in green spaces outside has extra benefits to mental health.

Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get out into nature, and avoid excessive use
of alcohol and drugs.
9. Get enough sleep

Getting quality sleep, and enough of it, is essential for physical and mental health. Your idea of a
good night’s sleep might differ from the next person. Some people need more than eight hours of
sleep to feel rested, others less. Your sleep patterns may vary as you age.

Stress, worries, big life events, changes to shift work or daily routines and changes in home life
can affect our sleep. Using electronic devices such as tablets, mobile phones or even the TV
before bed, can disrupt sleep, as can caffeinated drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, and some medications
and drugs. Your bedroom can affect your sleep, as temperature, light and noise can all disrupt
sleep.

Psychological disorders (Stress and Health - Stress management)

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological
strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. Stress can
cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often
struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or
depression.
Mental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of
your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to manage medication, heath care
appointments or treatments, can become extra sources of stress.
Signs of stress

Stress can be short-term or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress
can take a serious toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects.

Some common signs of stress include:1

 Changes in mood
 Clammy or sweaty palms
 Decreased sex drive
 Diarrhea
 Difficulty sleeping
 Digestive problems
 Dizziness
 Feeling anxious
  Frequent sickness
 Grinding teeth
 Headaches
 Low energy
 Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
 Physical aches and pains
 Racing heartbeat
 Trembling

Types of Stress

Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different types of stress that you
might experience include:

 Acute stress: Acute stress is a very short-term type of stress that can either be positive or
more distressing; this is the type of stress we most often encounter in day-to-day life.
 Chronic stress: Chronic stress is stress that seems never-ending and inescapable, like the
stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job; chronic stress can also stem from
traumatic experiences and childhood trauma.
 Episodic acute stress: Episodic acute stress is acute stress that seems to run rampant and
be a way of life, creating a life of ongoing distress.
 Eustress: Eustress is fun and exciting. It's known as a positive type of stress that can keep
you energized. It's associated with surges of adrenaline, such as when you are skiing or
racing to meet a deadline.

Stress Management

Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you understand the toll it takes on you
and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your health and reduce the impact stress has
on your life.

 Learn to recognize the signs of burnout. High levels of stress may place you at a high
risk of burnout. Burnout can leave you feeling exhausted and apathetic about your job.
When you start to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion, it's a sign that you need to find
a way to get a handle on your stress.
 Try to get regular exercise. Physical activity has a big impact on your brain and your
body, exercise reduces the stress and improves many symptoms associated with mental
illness.
 
Take care of yourself. Incorporating regular self-care activities into your daily life is
essential to stress management. Learn how to take care of your mind, body, and spirit and
discover how to equip yourself to live your best life.
 Practice mindfulness in your life. Mindfulness isn't just something you practice for 10
minutes each day. It can also be a way of life. Discover how to live more mindfully
throughout your day so you can become more awake and conscious throughout your life.9

Mindfulness for Spiritual and Intellectual health

.Mindfulness, which can be cultivated through meditation, is just one technique that can increase
mental health and wellbeing. Several therapeutic techniques have been based on these
practices, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive
therapy.
A small number of clinical studies have shown that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is associated
with increased aspects of spirituality, including personal faith, meaning and peace, and a sense of
engagement and closeness with some form of higher power.

Mindfulness can help you:

1. Understand your emotions better.
2. Cope better with difficult thoughts.
3. Feel calmer.
4. Boost your attention and concentration.
5. Improve your relationships.
Among its theorized benefits are self-control, objectivity, affect tolerance, enhanced flexibility,
equanimity, improved concentration and mental clarity, emotional intelligence and the ability
to relate to others and one's self with kindness, acceptance and compassion.

Mindfulness improves well-being. Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many
attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life. Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in
life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to
deal with adverse events. By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice
mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets
over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better
able to form deep connections with others.
 Mindfulness improves physical health. If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive,
scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number
of ways. Mindfulness can: help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce
chronic pain, , improve sleep, and alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties.

Mindfulness improves mental health. In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to

mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems,
including: depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, couples’ conflicts, anxiety disorders, and
obsessive-compulsive disorder.

What Is Spiritual Health?

Spirituality is the belief in something beyond yourself. The benefits of having good spiritual
health include:

 Feeling calmer, more centered and more mindful

 Decreasing anxiety
 Giving you a sense of community
 Developing your values and feeling more attuned to your emotions

Keep reading for ways you can invest in yourself and help achieve good spiritual health.

Ways to Boost Your Spiritual Health

1. Explore Your Personal Values

Your personal values are the characteristics that are most important to you. Think about what you
value in yourself and the people you admire.

Write down your top five values, why each is important to you, and how you incorporate them
into your life. For one person, it might be kindness, honesty, security, ambition, and community.
For another, it could be positivity, empathy, loyalty, adventure, and learning.

2. Start a Yoga Practice

There are many different types of yoga practices you can try, but most include breathing
exercises, meditation, and physical exercise.

Yoga is a time-tested approach to enhancing your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Yoga
can increase your strength and flexibility and reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety.
 3. Meditate

Like yoga, there are physical, emotional, and spiritual health benefits to meditating. Meditating
for as little as five minutes a day can reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety,
increase mindfulness, and possibly reduce physical conditions like headaches, high blood
pressure, and insomnia.

4. Increase Self-awareness

Self-awareness is a component of spiritual health. Self-awareness helps you:

 Process your emotions

 Understand your strengths and weaknesses
 Connect with others
5. Practice Mindfulness

When you are mindful, you focus on the present moment without worrying about the past or
future. You can try breathing exercises, praying or repeating a mantra. Like yoga, meditation, and
journaling, there are similar physical, mental, and spiritual benefits to practicing mindfulness.

7. Spend Time in Nature

Whether you are hiking, taking a walk, kayaking, or bike riding, spending time in nature can boost
your spiritual health. Enjoying nature can reduce stress, increase happiness, improve
concentration, boost your immune system, and even help creativity.

8. Volunteer in Your Community

Find a cause that matters to you and ways you can give back. You could foster a dog or cat, work
at a food pantry, or become a mentor or tutor for a student, for example.

Joining a volunteer organization can grow your community and connect you with like-minded
people. Volunteering benefits someone else and will give you a sense of purpose.
 Changing health habits for good health.

Healthy Eating
Pros Consequences
 have more energy  may spend more money and time on food

 improve my health  may need to cook more often at home

 lower my risk for health problems  may need to eat less of foods I love

 maintain a healthy weight  may need to buy different foods

 feel proud of myself  may need to convince my family that we all

 set an example for friends and family have to eat healthier foods

Physical Activity
Pros Consequences
 improve my health  takes too much time and energy

 reduce my risk for serious health  it is too hot or cold outside

problems  feel self-conscious
 feel better about myself  am nervous about my health
 become stronger  could hurt myself
 have fun  am not good at being active
 take time to care for myself  do not know what to do
 meet new people and spend time  have no one to be active with
with them
 am not young or fit enough
 have more energy
 keeps me from family and friends
 maintain a healthy weight

 become a role model for others

Preparation: Have you made up your mind?

If you are in the preparation stage, you are about to take action. To get started, look at your list of
pros and cons. How can you make a plan and act on it?

The chart below lists common roadblocks you may face and possible solutions to overcome
roadblocks as you begin to change your habits. Think about these things as you make your plan.
Roadblock Solution
I don’t have time. Make your new healthy habit a priority. Fit in physical activity whenever and
wherever you can. Try taking the stairs or getting off the bus a stop early if it is
safe to do so. Set aside one grocery shopping day a week, and make healthy
meals that you can freeze and eat later when you don’t have time to cook.
Healthy habits cost too You can walk around the mall, a school track, or a local park for free. Eat
much. healthy on a budget by buying in bulk and when items are on sale, and by
choosing frozen or canned fruits and vegetables.
I can’t make this change Recruit others to be active with you, which will help you stay motivated and
alone. safe. Consider signing up for a fun fitness class like salsa dancing. Get your
family or coworkers on the healthy eating bandwagon. Plan healthy meals
together with your family, or start a healthy potluck once a week at work.
I don’t like physical Forget the old notion that being physically active means lifting weights in a
activity. gym. You can be active in many ways, including dancing, walking, or
gardening. Make your own list of options that appeal to you. Explore options
you never thought about, and stick with what you enjoy.
I don’t like healthy Try making your old favorite recipes in healthier new ways. For example, you can trim
foods. fat from meats and reduce the amount of butter, sugar, and salt you cook with. Use low-
fat cheeses or milk rather than whole-milk foods. Add a cup or two of broccoli, carrots,
or spinach to casseroles or pasta.

Once you have made up your mind to change your habits, make a plan and set goals for taking
action. Here are some ideas for making your plan:

 learn more about healthy eating External link and food portions

 learn more about being physically active

 make lists of
o healthy foods that you like or may need to eat more of—or more often

o foods you love that you may need to eat less often

o things you could do to be more physically active

o fun activities you like and could do more often, such as dancing

After making your plan, start setting goals for putting your plan into action. Start with small
changes. For example, “I’m going to walk for 10 minutes, three times a week.” What is the one
step you can take right away?
Action: Have you started to make changes?

You are making real changes to your lifestyle, which is fantastic! To stick with your new habits

 Review your plan

 Look at the goals you set and how well you are meeting them

 overcome roadblocks by planning ahead for setbacks

 reward yourself for your hard work

Track your progress
 Tracking your progress helps you spot your strengths, find areas where you can
improve, and stay on course. Record not only what you did, but how you felt while
doing it—your feelings can play a role in making your new habits stick.

 Recording your progress may help you stay focused and catch setbacks in meeting your
goals. Remember that a setback does not mean you have failed. All of us experience
setbacks. The key is to get back on track as soon as you can.

 You can track your progress with online tools such as the NIH Body Weight Planner.
The NIH Body Weight Planner lets you tailor your calorie and physical activity plans
to reach your personal goals within a specific time period.

Overcome roadblocks
 Remind yourself why you want to be healthier. Perhaps you want the energy to play
with your nieces and nephews or to be able to carry your own grocery bags. Recall
your reasons for making changes when slip-ups occur. Decide to take the first step to
get back on track.

 Problem-solve to “outsmart” roadblocks. For example, plan to walk indoors, such as at

a mall, on days when bad weather keeps you from walking outside.

 Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it, and always try to plan ahead.
For example, if you know that you will not have time to be physically active after
work, go walking with a coworker at lunch or start your day with an exercise video.
 Reward yourself
 After reaching a goal or milestone, allow for a nonfood reward such as new workout
gear or a new workout device. Also consider posting a message on social media to
share your success with friends and family.

 Although you should be proud of your progress, keep in mind that a high-calorie treat
or a day off from your activity routine are not the best rewards to keep you healthy.

 When negative thoughts creep in, remind yourself how much good you are doing for
your health by moving more and eating healthier.

Maintenance: Have you created a new routine?

Make your future a healthy one. Remember that eating healthy, getting regular physical activity,
and other healthy habits are lifelong behaviors, not one-time events. Always keep an eye on your
efforts and seek ways to deal with the planned and unplanned changes in life.

Eating healthy and being physically active are lifelong behaviors, not one-time events.

Now that healthy eating and regular physical activity are part of your routine, keep things
interesting, avoid slip-ups, and find ways to cope with what life throws at you.

Add variety and stay motivated

 Mix up your routine with new physical activities and goals, physical activity buddies,
foods, recipes, and rewards.
Deal with unexpected setbacks
 Plan ahead to avoid setbacks. For example, find other ways to be active in case of bad
weather, injury, or other issues that arise. Think of ways to eat healthy when traveling
or dining out, like packing healthy snacks while on the road or sharing an entrée with a
friend in a restaurant.

 If you do have a setback, don’t give up. Setbacks happen to everyone. Regroup and
focus on meeting your goals again as soon as you can.
Challenge yourself
 Revisit your goals and think of ways to expand them. For example, if you are
comfortable walking 5 days a week, consider adding strength training twice a week. If
you have limited your saturated fat intake by eating less fried foods, try cutting back on
added sugars, too. Small changes can lead to healthy habits worth keeping.
Health and personality
Personality guides the behaviors and habits, and both play a big part in overall health. The way
you handle stress, your activity level, how often you socialize or see your doctor all of these
things are affected by your personality traits, starting early on.

Optimistic
Optimists or people who “look on the bright side,” tend to give themselves credit for
achievements and assume good things will last. Optimists often cope better with disease, trying to
find humor in tough situations. Optimism can lower blood pressure and risk of heart attack, which
makes people healthier and helps them live longer.

Pessimistic
Pessimists often blame themselves for negative outcomes and feel like bad things will go on
forever, which creates stress. Studies have shown that highly pessimistic people are more likely to
develop high blood pressure and heart disease and may not live as long. On the other hand,
research shows that when people expect the worst, they might also be more careful, which could
lead to fewer accidents or illnesses, and they are often better prepared to cope with challenging
situations.

Extroverted
People who are social and outgoing may have stronger immune systems. Scientists aren’t sure
why, but extroverts’ bodies tend to react more quickly to inflammation, which may help prevent
infection. Extroverts may also be more willing to seek medical help when they need it.

Introverted
Social support is a big factor in developing healthy behaviors and coping skills. Introverts people
who are typically quiet, reserved, and introspective may be slower to seek medical help when they
need it, particularly for mental health issues. However, introverts also enjoy examining their own
thoughts, which can make them more self-aware and satisfied.

Impulsive
Impulsive people act on their whims, often without considering the consequences. This can lead to
unhealthy behaviors, including substance abuse or compulsive activities such as gambling.
Impulsive people also tend to be spontaneous, creative, bold and courageous. Successful
impulsive people learn how to recognize and foster good impulses and resist bad ones.
 Narcissistic
Narcissists are people who admire themselves excessively, or think the world revolves around
them. That can have negative health implications, especially for men. Narcissistic men those who
take advantage of others and feel they deserve special treatment are more likely to have health
issues such as heart problems. Experts think this may be due to high levels of the stress-related
chemical cortisol in their system.

Neurotic
People who have neuroticism often experience anxiety, self-doubt, depression and shyness. All
people are neurotic to some degree, but those who have strong neuroticism may experience mood
disorders, loneliness and self-consciousness.

Conscientious
People who are conscientious those who do things carefully, well and thoroughly tend to eat well
and exercise, are less likely to abuse substances, and generally live longer. Conscientious people
are high-achieving, dependable, and likely to be in stable relationships, which improve health.

Agreeable
Agreeable people are thoughtful, compassionate and social. They are dedicated to resolving
confrontations, which makes them happy and well-adjusted. Agreeable people are also
accommodating, so they may be more likely to follow their doctor’s orders, which is good for
their health.

Resilient
Resiliency may be a new term for some people, but it’s something the medical community has
long valued. Being resilient means adapting well to adversity, trauma, tragedy or stress. People
who are resilient are also often curious, sociable, and cooperative. Resilient people are more likely
to exercise, stay engaged with people and with the world, and enjoy exercising their brain, which
keeps them mentally sharp.

1. More positive than negative emotions in daily life.

2. Openness and flexibility of emotional expression.
3. Trust in one's own experience.
4. Self-acceptance.
5. Resistance to stress.
6. Healthy self-assertion.
7. Responsibility and competence.
8. Warm, authentic connection to others.

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