Taking Care of Your Body and Health (Chapter 10-12)

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CHAPTER 10

Chapter 10, “Fitness”, talks all about getting motivated for physical activity, what it does for your health, and different components of fitness. The book defines physical activity as “any body movement that works your muscles, uses more energy than is used when resting, and enhances health”. Physical activity can come in many forms and vary greatly in intensity. A certain kind of physical activity is considered to be exercise. This is when physical activity is planned, structured, and repeated to improve and maintain physical fitness. Physical activity is beneficial for your health. At the same time, not participating in physical activity puts you at risk for health problems. Increased time sitting are linked to higher risk of things like cardiovascular disease, cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is measured in METS, which is the amount of oxygen the body uses during the activity.

There are different types of fitness that we can use to describe different things about ourselves. For example, cardiorespiratory fitness is used to describe the ability and effectiveness of our lungs, heart, and blood vessels as they supply the body with oxygen. On the other hand, muscular strength is used to describe the capability of our muscles to exert a certain amount of force. Other types of fitness include flexibility and body composition.

Regular physical activity can have many different positive effects on your body and health, affecting a wide array of health aspects. Aerobic exercise is good for reducing your risk for cardiovascular diseases by strengthening the heart muscle and supplying more blood to working muscles. By increasing the amount of oxygen going into and out of your body, regular exercise also improves the respiratory system. Another way in which exercise improves your health is by decreasing your risk of metabolic syndrome, which puts you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Among the many advantages, exercise also been proven to reduce your risk of cancer and improve immunity. It not only has an affect on your body physically, but it also is proven to improve mental health and decrease levels of stress. Overall, regular physical activity, and moving as much as you can in general, has shown to have profound effects and has even shown to increase the amount of year a person lives.

Getting motivated for physical activity begins with addressing our excuses or obstacles and coming up with solutions for overcoming them. For example, if faced with the obstacle of not having enough time, a possible solution could be engaging in physical activity during your lunch or study break. When looking to incorporate more physical activity into your life, you should choose things that you like doing and that best suit your lifestyle and goals. Starting slow and considering your current physical fitness is also key when looking to succeed with your program. Along with this, incorporating mindfulness into your activity, such as taking a nice walk or practicing yoga, is a great way to get both the physical and mental advantages of physical activity. Today, there are many gadgets that we can use to track and improve our physical activity. For example, a heart rate monitor can be used to measure heart rate during physical activity, which can allow us to track the intensity of our workout. Also, a treadmill can be used for walking and running, and provides a workout that is less impactful on our joints than running on regular pavement is.

When looking to be successful in our journey, setting SMART goals is a good way to follow our goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-oriented. We can also use the FITT principle to be successful when creating a workout plan. With this, you consider frequency, intensity, time to achieve your desired fitness. An example of the FITT principle is when it is applied to flexibility training. For the element of frequency, it is suggested that flexibility training should occur 2 to 3 times a week. For intensity, it is said that you should feel slight discomfort but not pain when you are stretching to improve flexibility. For time, positions should be held for 10 to 30 seconds and repeated 2 or 3 times. And lastly, for the element of type, the type of exercise that is recommended is static stretching. This type of stretching slowly lengthens the major muscle groups to increase their range of motion. FITT not only applies to improving flexibility, but for other areas including cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.

Setting SMART goals is something that I think would be great to apply to my own goals. I am going to write down my goals this week and make sure that they are SMART! I think that this will help me visualize my goals and make sure that I am on track.

A successful plan is one that is progressive, meaning that it increases in frequency as you train. Another key component is that it has variety. This allows for muscles to not become overused and prevents us from becoming bored with our exercise plan. A well planned workout should include period of warming up, cardiorespiratory and/or resistance training, and then a cool down period. To stay motivated throughout your journey, mindfulness should be practiced. To do so, you should keep in mind the benefits that you are receiving from your physical activity. Focusing on how you feel during and after your workout is also a way to stay mindful throughout your plan. Journaling is another way, which is something that I want to start doing to keep track of my own goals. I think that I could practice being more mindful by journaling about what I am eating and how the fruits and veggies make me feel. As the book says it does with exercise, I believe that being more mindful can keep me motivated to continue with my plans.

Core strength training is a type of physical activity that works to improve the muscles of our lower back and abdomen. Several forms of core strength training that have become popular in the U.S are Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. Yoga, which blends the mental and physical aspects of exercise, incorporates focusing on breathing, physical exercise, and stretching in different postures. Tai chi, on the other hand, increases flexibility and decreases muscle tension by combining stretching, balance, muscular endurance, coordination, and meditation. Lastly, Pilates involves following sequences of strength increasing movements that work on building things like body awareness and good posture.

Physical activity can be altered for different individual who have different needs. Whether you have asthma, are obese, suffer from coronary heart disease, have diabetes, or are in old age, nothing should stop you from being able to participate in some form of physical activity. For example, older adults are encouraged to participate in swimming, water aerobics, or other forms of non-weight-bearing activity. Another example is with people who are obese. Individuals who are obese are recommended to engage in activity that can be done for 30 minutes or more. This could be things like walking, swimming, or biking. At the same time, they should pay close attention to heat, as they often have a hard time with heat tolerance and shortness of breath. No matter your disability or condition, physical activity can be modified to feed your own personal needs.

When engaging in physical activity, it is important that you take proper measures to prevent injuries such as shin splints and runner’s knee. The use of proper gear, variation in workouts, and overall just using common sense and listening to your body should help you avoid injury during physical activity. Certain measures should also be taken when exercising in both the heat and the cold. In the heat, it is important to replace lost fluids, acclimate to the conditions, and dress properly to avoid things like heat stroke and heat cramps. In the cold, avoiding hypothermia can be done by dressing in layers and always bringing a friend along.

When embarking on a fitness journey, many things come into consideration. You should choose a facility that works with your hours, offers classes that fit your goals, and is good for location and finances. When buying equipment, it is important to read reviews and be skeptical of promises that the equipment may be offering. Lastly, it is important to invest in a good pair of sneakers, choose comfortable clothing, and dress in things that make you feel best about yourself.

Overall, this chapter has reminded me how important physical activity is and has encouraged me to work out more this week. Along with eating healthy, which is my goal, working out is another way that we can protect and improve our bodies. Just because my goal is to eat healthy, I should not be negletting this other area of health. This week, I have made sure to workout at least 4 times to ensure that I am nurturing all aspects of my health.

CHAPTER 11

Chapter 11, “Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes”, goes into depth on the three main causes of death in the United States. The leading of these three causes, claiming 17 million lives a year, is cardiovascular disease. The part of the body affected by this disease, the cardiovascular system, is made of the organs and vessels in which blood flows and carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. This comprises of the heart, a four chamber muscle that pumps blood throughout your body, acting as a transporter, a temperature regulator, and protects the body against toxins and other harmful things. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, where they then branch off into arterioles and capillaries. The SA Node allows our heart to beat naturally, about 70-80 times per minute. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), although still the leading cause of death, has actually declined over the past decade. Many incidents of CVD that relate to death are instant and occur after almost no symptoms. The decline in occurrences are due to better treatment, early intervention, and our better understanding of diet and exercise. There is a profound economic impact of CVD, with costs that add up to more than 316 billion dollars. Poorer outcomes for many populations are increasing as health care options dwindle for them in the U.S. Some of the key cardiovascular diseases that plague populations throughout the world are hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, refers to a sustained blood pressure of 130 or higher. Hypertension can be avoided and improved through dietary changes to reduce sodium, exercise, reducing alcohol, good sleep, and relaxation techniques. With atherosclerosis, cholesterol and other blocking material builds up in the arteries, causing plaque to accumulate. This buildup, which can block blood flow or cause a rupture, can be treated with medicine, lifestyle changes, and medical procedures to open the arteries. Coronary heart disease is the most common killer of CVD, and occurs when the heart is damaged from a blockage of its blood supply. It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, which include shortness of breath, crushing chest pain, unusual fatigue, and jaw discomfort. Lastly, strokes occur when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Symptoms can vary from dizziness and weakness to more severe symptoms like impaired speech and loss of motor control. Other CVD’s include congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and angina pectoris.

The greatest contributors of cardiovascular disease are poor diet, smoking, high BMI, high blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, and physical inactivity. Things like obesity and hypertension have even been linked to impairments of cognitive function and even may put people at higher risk for Alzheimer’s. Metabolic Syndrome is a term used to define a cluster of conditions, such as abdominal obesity and high blood pressure, that puts you at a greater risk for CVD. With changes to our lifestyle we can limit our risk for developing cardiovascular diseases. This includes avoiding tobacco, modifying our diet, and exercising regularly. Managing stress effectively and getting adequate amounts of sleep can also prevent these dangerous conditions. However, there are non-avoidable factors of CVD that we can do little to change. Race and ethnicity, age, heredity, and gender all play a role in our likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases. For example, African Americans have the overall highest rate of CVD and men are more susceptible until the age of 60, when women catch up and even surpass them.

The chapter then discusses cancer, which is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Cancer is the uncontrollable growth of cells which leads to something called a tumor. A malignant tumor is one that is cancerous and a benign tumor is one that is non-cancerous. Heredity leads to 5 percent of cancers while environmental factors attribute the rest. Some factors that lead to cancer are poor diet, tobacco use, lack of exercise, obesity, and even some use of certain drugs. The book defines four different types of cancer. Carcinomas are cancers of the epithelial tissues. This is the most common type of cancers. Sarcomas are cancers that occur in the bones and connective tissues. The third kind, lymphomas, occur within the lymphatic system. Lastly, leukemia is cancer that occurs in the blood-forming parts of the body. The most common places for this type of cancer to occur are within the spleen and bone marrow. This type of cancer is characterized by an increase in white blood cells.

Being aware of the risk factors and signs of cancer can allow you to spot cancer early and be prepared for cancers that you may be at high risk for. Age is one of these factors, as 78 percent of cancers are diagnosed at age 55 older. Lung cancer, which take 1 in 5 lives, is strongly linked to the use of tobacco. Smoking not only puts you at risk for lung cancer, but for 15 total cancers in all. This includes liver cancer and colorectal cancer. Overall, smoking tobacco puts you at an incredible risk for cancer, accounting for 32 percent of cancer related deaths here in the U.S. There are also many women-specific factors that put women at a greater risk for cancer. These factors include the use of birth control pills and not breastfeeding your children. Other environmental factors that put people at risk for cancer are chemicals that can be found on food such as pesticides. Because of this, it has been recommended by many to eat foods that are of the best quality and are organic, to limit chemical exposure through food. Although genetics plays a role in cancer, so does environmental factors that we may be able to control. Being aware of things that may put us at risk for cancer could save lives and lower our risk.

Melanoma is one cancer that plagues people across our nation, and one that is linked to genetics but can also be prevented in many ways. Melanoma is a type of cancer that occurs when the pigment producing cells in our skin become cancerous, Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body and usually presents in the form of an unusual or growing mole. The book goes over the ABCD’s of melanoma, which are different ways that we can look at moles to see if they may be cancerous. A stands for asymmetrical shape, B stands for border, C stands for color, and D stands for diameter. Some ways that we can avoid melanoma is by wearing sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and limiting out time in direct sunlight.

Another common cancer, especially among women, is breast cancer. For women, there is a 1 in 8 chance that they will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection is crucial for breast cancer, and can be done with the help of regular mammograms. Another important way to catch this cancer early is by doing self-examinations every month.

There are many different way that cancers are both diagnosed and treated. When there is a suspicion that one could have cancer, MRI’s and CT scans can be used to find the cancer within the body. The way that we treat cancer depends on the type of cancer that we have and the stage in which it is in. Different treatments of cancer include removal of the tumor, radiation, and chemotherapy. Mindfulness is also something that can be beneficial through cancer treatment, as it can provide relief from the stress of the diagnosis.

The third leading cause of death that follows cardiovascular disease and cancer, is diabetes. Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels. There are two types of diabetes: type one and type two. Type one diabetes is an immune disorder in which the individual is sometimes insulin dependent. In this type, the insulin making cells within the pancreas are destroyed by the body’s immune system. This type of diabetes is less common than type two diabetes. Type two diabetes is a metabolic disorder and is non-insulin dependent. With this type of diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin or it resists insulin. Because of this, cells begin to resist the effects of insulin and and causes a rise in glucose. Diabetes can have non-modifiable causes such as age, gender, ethnicity, and biology. It also has causes that we can control, such as diet, stress, physical activity, and sleep patterns. Some symptoms of diabetes, both types, are thrist, excessive urination, weight loss, blurred vision, poor healing of wounds, and infections. Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are high but not quite high enough to qualify to be diabetes. People who are prediabetic can control whether they later develop actual diabetes by monitoring their diet and exercise. There is also a type of diabetes that occurs when pregnant women develops high blood sugar, which is called gestational diabetes.

This chapter remind me a lot of why I am motivated to eat healthy. A lot of these diseases can be avoided with a healthy lifestyle, which is why I want to start healthy habits. I want to take care of my body and get into a habit of healthy eating so that I lower my risk for things like these in the future.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12, “Infectious Conditions”, covers different diseases, infections, and other things that the human body is able to contract. Pathogens, or disease causing agents, are found throughout the world and are constantly being created. Most diseases are multifactorial, which means that certain conditions must occur both within the host and the environment for the disease to occur. Different ways that pathogens can enter the body are through sex, kissing, touching, or through indirect contact such as touching a doorknob that has been infected. We do have some control over whether or not we are likely to get sick. Stress, inadequate nutrition, low fitness levels, lack of sleep, misuse or abuse of legal and illegal drugs, poor personal hygiene, and high-risk behavior are all things that we can control that attribute to our susceptibility. There are also things that we cannot control, such as heredity, age, and environment.

Our immune system is our defense against different pathogens. It forms antibodies that are able to fight the specific antigens of the pathogen. Once we have survived a specific disease, we are unable to contract the same disease again. This is the basis around which vaccines work. With vaccines, a weakened version of a disease is put into an individual so that their bodies develop antibodies to fight it off in the future. When the immune system misfires, it attacks our own healthy tissues. This is called an autoimmune disease. Our immune system works to fight off infection with inflammatory, pain, and fever responses.

Bacterial infections are caused by harmful bacteria that the body comes in contact with. Some example of these types of infections are staphylococci, streptococcal, meningitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. However, many bacterial infections are being resistant to antibiotics.

Another kind of infection is caused by viruses. Viruses are the smallest kind of pathogen and cause viral infections in the body. Some of these viruses have incubation periods, which are periods of time required for the virus to fully develop. Hepatitis is one example of a virus caused disease, which causes inflammation of the liver. Chickenpox is another example, which causes fever, fatigue, and itchy blisters. Other example include mumps and mononucleosis. The cold and flu are also example of illnesses caused by viruses. The common cold is the main reason that people miss school and work in the U.S. Covering your nose is one way to avoid spreading the common cold to others. To avoid it, it is important to eat a healthy diet, wash your hands, and manage your stress. Body aches, fatigue, and fever all indicate that an individual may have the flu. The flu, or influenza, is usually not life threatening, but can be very dangerous in very young or very old individuals.

There are also other pathogens that may cause harm to our bodies. One of these is fungi. Fungi are multicellular or unicellular organisms that obtain food by infiltrating the bodies of other organisms. Many fungi are actually useful to humans. However, some, such as ringworm, are harmful and can cause illness. Other pathogens that can make the body sick are protozoans, parasitic worms, and prions.

There are many infectious diseases that have grown rapidly within recent years. One example of this is West Nile virus. West Nile is spread through infected mosquitoes and can turn deadly. This can be avoided through wearing mosquito repellent and avoiding mosquito-infested areas in general. Another infectious disease that has grown rapidly in recent years is Avian Flu. This flu infects those who may come in contact with bird droppings or fluids. Other emerging diseases include E. coli, Ebola, and Malaria.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are infections that are caused by pathogens transmitted through sexual contact. Some STIs are increasing in alarming rates. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Women, minorities, and infants are all more likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection. When left untreated, STIs can have alarming consequences, including blindness, sterility, and even death. One example of an STI that threatens populations worldwide is AIDS. AIDS is caused by the HIV virus and has been the cause of 35 million deaths. Another example of an STI is herpes, which is a group of infections characterized by sores on the skin. Practicing safe sex is huge in preventing these and many other STIs.

A lot of these infectious diseases and illnesses can be avoided through healthy eating and taking care of your body. This is something that motivates me to eat healthy. Feeding my body with good, nutrient-rich foods helps me feel better and hopefully will protect me against illnesses that may come my way.

Sources: Donatelle, R. J. (2018). My health. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.