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HW410: Unit 1 Exercises

EXERCISE

1.2

My Health Philosophy

Life is a kaleidoscope of the infinite variety. No two things are the same. Everyones life is individual.
--Paramahansa Yogananda
We all have philosophies. Philosophies are nothing more than our opinions, dressed
up with an introduction and conclusiona way to present to someone, even ourselves,
what we really think about some topic or ideal. We have philosophies on
everythingthe types of music we like and listen to, the state of world affairs, and
even the foods we eat at restaurants.
Now its time to examine your philosophy about your health. Based on what
you already know, and perhaps have been taught or exposed to, define as best you can
what the words health and wellness mean to you. After having done this, ask yourself
why health is so important and write a few lines about this.
Given the premise that every issue is a health issue, identify some seemingly
nonhealth issues such as the global economy, deforestation, or TV programming. See
if you can discover the connection between these issues and your state of well-being.
How is your state of health influenced by stress? Finally, where do you see yourself
twenty-five years from now? If you were to continue your current lifestyle for the next
three to four decades, how do you see yourself at that point in the future? Your health
philosophy guides your state of health. What is your health philosophy? What has influenced
your philosophy up to now (e.g., parents, teachers, friends, books)? Be specific.
Take some time to write it down here now. If you need additional space to write,
use the extra pages provided at the back of this book.
My Health Philosophy
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EXERCISE

1.6

The Wellness Paradigm Revisited

Ageless wisdom tells us that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that all
parts must be looked at equally as part of the whole. In terms of health and wellness,
the whole is made up of four components: mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Additionally,
ageless wisdom suggests that holistic wellness is composed of the integration,
balance, and harmony of these four componentsthat each aspect of our being is so
connected to the other three that no separations exist. Looking at one component
say, our physical healthmerits paying attention to the other three because of the dynamic
interconnectedness of the mind, body, spirit, and emotions. What might seem
like common sense has not always been so well accepted in American culture. For
over three hundred years, the Western mind has focused on the physical aspects of
health, leaving the other three components in the shadows. Beginning in the early
1960s, the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of health were looked at with
somewhat distant interest; only in the past decade has the interconnection of mind,
body, and spirit gained respect (and popularity) in Western science.
It has been said recently that every issue is a health issue, meaning that issues
such as economic downswings, political instability, rainforest depletion, and moral
bankruptcy all ultimately affect our health. To recognize our own health status, we
must remind ourselves that we are more than just our physical bodies. We must come
to appreciate the true integration, balance, and harmony of mind, body, spirit, and
emotions.
Here are some questions to ponder as you explore your own health philosophy,
values, and beliefs. If you need additional space to write, use the extra pages provided
at the back of the book.
1. Given the dynamics of the wellness paradigm, how does it compare with the
common notion that health is the absence of disease?
2. What is your definition of wellness? Do you believe that the whole is greater
than the sum of the parts? Can you think of an example in music, politics, or
the arts that demonstrates this ageless wisdom?

3. What do you think it means to be an integrated person, to enjoy balance and

harmony among your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects? Do
you feel this within yourself? If not, why not? Can you identify which aspect(s)
you feel are not in balance?
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EXERCISE

Survey

1.7

College Students Daily Stressors

Its a safe bet that you will hear the expression real world more than once while attending
collegethe real world being the noncollege world of long hours, hard work,
and umpteen responsibilities. Years ago, the college experience was considered a luxury
of the wealthy. For many rich kids, going to college was like taking a four-year vacation
during which worldly responsibilities could be postponed, with the promise of
a great job waiting after graduation. Times have changed since those Ivy League days
of long ago. Going to college may not be the same thing as working on Wall Street or
the emergency room of a local hospital, but college constitutes its own real world
nonetheless. Being a college student comes with its own list of stressors, big and
small. The following worksheet invites you to rank these typical daily student stressors
(from 1 being low stress to 5 being high stress). In doing so, you take the first
step in recognizing what issues need to be addressed in your current life situation.
Part I: How do these typical college student stressors rank in your life?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Coping with roommates, living

conditions
Balancing schoolwork with job
hours
Making ends meet financially
Academic load (credits, exams,
papers)
Social needs (friends, family,
etc.)
Health status, health issues
Food, body image, and weight
issues
Transportation (car, traffic,
gas, tickets)
Parental issues, child care
issues, etc.
Girlfriend, boyfriend issues
Girlfriend, boyfriend issues
Purpose-in-life issues

LOW
1

HIGH
5

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

5
5

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

5
5

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

5
5
5

Part II: Please list any and all additional daily or weekly stressors and rank these as well.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

LOW
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4
4
4
4

HIGH
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

8.
9.
10.

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

5
5
5

Part III: Additional comments you wish to make:

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