June 6th, 2019
As I began my homework for this week, I read our assigned textbook “My Health” by Rebecca J. Donatelle. From reviewing the outlines of each chapter and reading through each page, it became clear to me that this textbook is not only filled with wonderful information, but that it is very easy to relate the information within it to my daily life.
Chapter 1 Section 1
The very first chapter immediately caught my attention (and not just because it was the start of this week’s homework). The very first section (1.1) was what I personally found most interesting. This section answered the question: what is health? With this course being centered around answering that simple questions in many ways, I found the explanation of what health is to be quite helpful. Health was described by using the term wellness. These two words are often used interchangeably to explain the “ever-changing process of trying to achieve one’s potential” in each of the following six categories: Physical Health, Social Health, Intellectual Health,Emotional Health,Spiritual Health an Environmental Health. It was explained that to be considered in good health, one must be succeeding in all (or most) of those six categories. Of course, having all six met is a great accomplishment however it is important to consider that each person’s definition of succeeding in a category is different. For example, one person’s physical health success may come from them completing a marathon whereas someone else who has just accomplished their first 5k would be considered equally as successful within their physical health. It is important not to compare your personal measures of success with others, as each one of us have different strengths and weaknesses.
Chapter 2 Section 9
The second chapter was very fascinating to me because it discussed anxiety disorders. As someone who has anxiety, I am always so interested in what there is to learn about the different kinds of anxiety disorders there are. This chapter described anxiety as “persistent feelings of threat and worry”(p.39). In this section I learned that anxiety is the largest mental health issue within the United States. An estimated over 40 million people in the United States live with anxiety disorders (and this is just the number based on who has been diagnosed). I was not surprised to learn that the most common ages of diagnosed anxiety range from 13 through 17 years old. The years from age 13 to 17 are incredibly stressful and young teens are growing and maturing so much at those ages. I learned that generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) are diagnosed when a person experiences at least three of the six symptoms of anxiety the majority of the time throughout a six month period. Symptoms of anxiety include: restlessness or feeling on-edge, becoming easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbances. It is also helpful to look at the medical history of relatives when considering a diagnosis of anxiety because anxiety can be passed down from family members. There are many different kinds of anxiety such as panic disorders, phobias, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although many of these disorders have very similar symptoms, they are very case-specific. No two people or disorders are exactly the same. There are no direct causes known to give people any of the disorders mentioned above however, a few suspected causes include: an individuals reaction to an anxiety-provoking event, environmental factors and cultural roles.
Chapter 3 section 2
The third chapter covered the topic of stress. The section that stood out as most interesting to me was section two, how the human body responds to stress. Similar to the balance mentioned within the first chapter, stress is measured by how balanced different aspects of the body are. When stress levels are low, the body is in what is called homeostasis. When stressful events occur or “stressors” become present, the body enters what is known as a crisis-mode. After crisis-mode, the body tries to return back to homeostasis. This process is better described as General Adaptation Syndrome (GAD). General Adaptation Syndrome can be broken up into three phases: alarm, resistance and exhaustion.
Alarm is the time at which crisis-mode occurs. This is the point where the stressor is identified and the body reacts with the fight or flight response. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is triggered and works with the body to prepare for action.
Resistance is the second phase. This phase is the point at which the body has completed it’s initial reaction, so it tries to return to homeostasis. Typically, the body is unable to calm down so quickly so it remains active and aroused until it reaches the next phase.
Exhaustion is the final phase. During this time, all action has been taken and completed and hormones, chemicals and stress response systems have become exhausted. This is the phase within which the body returns to it’s balance or homeostasis. An exception to returning to homeostasis is when a stressor is chronic. If a stressor is in fact chronic, then the body may remain in heightened arousal and not return to homeostasis. It is important to eliminate chronic stressors because when left unchanged, their effects on your immune system and health can be severe. The negative effects of chronic stressors such as increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases are a reminder as to why stress management is so important.
How do these topics relate to my health aspect?
Simply put, my health aspect of clean and regulated eating is relatable to many topics. One of the six dimensions of health mentioned within the first chapter relate to my health aspect because it is physical health. Physical health is effected positively or negatively depending on how well nourished a body is. By eating cleaner and more regularly I will succeed more in my physical health.
My health aspect relates to the topic of anxiety disorders because my anxiety is one of the main reasons why I chose to focus on this aspect. Knowing that my difficulty to eat regularly and not at such scattered times comes from my anxiety, I have made sure to address the ways in which this aspect is effected by my anxiety when it occurs.
My body’s reaction to stress shows exactly why my health aspect is something I am working on. The majority of the time when I find myself not eating regularly or healthy, it is during times of stress. This is my body’s way of reacting to stress and although it is a bit different from the GAD template, it is still easy to see how I experience alarm, resistance and exhaustion.
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