Vocab Words: Total Health & Wellness
What is "health"?
The combination of physical, mental/emotional, and social well-being.
What does "mind–body connection" mean?
How your emotions affect your physical and overall health and how your overall health affects your emotions.
What are "lifestyle factors"?
Behaviors and habits that help determine a person's level of health.
What is "risk" in health terms?
The chance that something harmful may happen to your health and wellness.
What is "culture"?
The collected beliefs, customs, and behaviors of a group.
Define "wellness."
A state of well-being or balanced health over a long period of time.
Name one physical symptom that can result from stress.
Headache (other acceptable: stomachache, muscle tension).
Give two examples of healthy lifestyle factors.
Regular physical activity and balanced nutrition (others acceptable: adequate sleep, avoiding tobacco).
Define "prevention."
Taking steps to avoid something is the best way to deal with risks.
Define "heredity."
The passing of traits from parents to their biological children.
What is a "habit"?
Patterns of behavior that you follow almost without thinking.
How can regular exercise affect emotional health?
Exercise can reduce stress and improve mood by releasing endorphins and improving sleep.
What is a "sedentary lifestyle"?
A way of life that involves little physical activity.
What does "abstinence" mean?
A conscious, active choice not to participate in high-risk behaviors.
What are "genes"?
The basic units of heredity.
Define "behavior."
The way you act in the many different situations and events in your life.
Give a brief example of how poor sleep can affect emotions.
Lack of sleep can increase irritability and reduce concentration, worsening mood and social interactions.
Explain how media can influence lifestyle choices.
Media can shape perceptions of norms, promote (or discourage) behaviors, and influence what people see as desirable.
Provide an example of cumulative risk in teen behaviors and one prevention step.
Frequent alcohol use + driving = higher chance of accidents; prevention: avoid combining substances and driving, use designated driver.
What are "chromosomes"?
Threadlike structures that carry genes.
Explain "cumulative risk" and give an example.
Occurs when one risk factor adds to another to increase risk (example: not exercising + poor diet + high stress increases risk for chronic disease).
Describe how a long-term positive attitude can influence overall wellness.
A positive attitude supports resilience, motivates healthy behaviors, and can reduce the impact of stress on the body.
Describe one strategy to change an unhealthy habit into a healthier one.
Set specific, measurable goals, replace the behavior with a healthier alternative, track progress, and seek support.
Explain how heredity and environment together affect health.
Heredity passes traits and predispositions (genes/chromosomes), while environment and lifestyle influence whether risk factors manifest; together they shape overall health.
How can cultural background affect health behaviors?
Cultural beliefs and traditions shape diet, activity, attitudes toward healthcare, and family roles, affecting health choices and access to support.