Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of illness.” Therefore, it is important to remember that when we refer to health, we are referring to the three health areas (physical, mental, and social).

Physical Activity

Anything that refers to the movement, interaction, and practice of the human body would be physical activity.

Definition: “Physical activity is any action that requires the body to make movements.“

Relationship Between Physical Activity and Health

There are three perspectives: therapeutic, preventive, and welfare-oriented.

The first two are related to the disease, but the third gives us comfort and therefore improves the quality of life. Physical activity would be something that we enjoy, that brings us satisfaction.

There are many types of physical practice. That is why all people can perform some from which they obtain health benefits or experience well-being.

Important Aspects to Ensure that the Chosen Physical Activity is Healthy

• Must adapt to the personal characteristics of each individual.
• The intensity should be moderate. If the intensity is too high, the health benefits are reduced.
• The benefits are in the habitual and frequent practice, that is, when physical activity becomes part of the normal life of people.
• Relational.
• Respects the environment.

Physical activity would be healthy for a person who performs it frequently, and that is a satisfactory practice and allows the relationship with others and is respectful of the natural environment.

So not every physical activity becomes healthy. Improving the physical condition does not necessarily imply better health. Physical activity of high intensity that often pursues an increase in the physical condition is far from a health improvement.

The practice of physical activity performed adequately, we can bring a range of benefits that significantly improve health:

Physical Benefits

• Increased life expectancy
• Prevention and control of obesity
• Cardiovascular protection
• Improvements in respiratory function
• Reduction of respiratory failure and muscle weakness
• Development of the locomotor system
• Prevention and improvement of diabetes

Psychological Benefits

According to some authors, one of the most important benefits of physical activity is improved self-esteem. Many other speakers also mention improvements in symptoms of anguish, stress, depression, and anxiety.

Social Benefits

We could re-discuss self-esteem regarding the achievement of sociological well-being, strengthening individual character and behavior within a collectivity. Physical activity can be a useful means of connection with others, learning social norms, and internalization of social values.

In short, we can say that physical activity carries a large number of comprehensive health benefits for individuals.

Healthy Lifestyle

Lifestyles are ways of behaving, individually and collectively, that affect health positively or negatively.

The acquisition of good habits is of great importance if we consider the negative trends that have suffered the leisure time habits of teenagers in today’s society.

The realization of physical activity is staying in the background of strong and appealing protagonists who monopolize many activities with less physical involvement or none (Internet, computer games, etc.).

A phenomenon that is emerging and consolidating into teen society today is the acquisition of sedentary leisure habits.

Healthy Habits

Related to Food Habits

Food is healthy when it is balanced. A balanced diet would be based on the food pyramid. The food pyramid tells us which foods are ingested more frequently and which less. So the foods that should be present within a balanced diet are at the bottom of the pyramid. However, those that have been avoided and therefore must be ingested to a lesser extent would be at the top.

Habits Related to Physical Activity

There are two characteristics that must be met: 1) that the physical activity is aerobic (low-moderate intensity) / / 2) is performed in frequency. It is also important to refer to aspects such as the beginning of the activity of putting into progressive action (heating), make a return to calm also gradually reduce the intensity, not contraindicated activities, taking into account the security tasks, etc.

Related to Hygiene Habits

Wash your hands before meals, brush your teeth, do physical activity with the appropriate clothing, wash after physical activity, hydrate during the effort, respect time of digestion after meals, etc.

Unhealthy Habits

Tobacco

Tobacco is a legal drug with easy access. This drug can be derived from many social and economic problems and serious health repercussions. Often the reasons are curiosity, peer group pressure, or social pressure. It creates a state of dependence because tobacco contains substances that create addiction. Tobacco becomes a member of the social and psychological life of the person. Tobacco meets social, psychological, and biological needs. This is accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, problems with loss of sense of taste and smell, dysphonia, frequent coughing, altered color of the tongue and teeth, nasty breath, etc.

It can create very negative effects on health: chronic bronchitis, obstruction of blood circulation, internal hemorrhages, heart attacks, mouth cancer, larynx cancer, and lung cancer, etc.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug also legalized and with easy access. At first, it may cause a stimulating effect, facilitates contact with others, produces fluency and body sensation, and a slight sensation of euphoria that facilitates the festive atmosphere. But these effects are momentary, in fact, alcohol is a very depressive drug and after a time, violent reactions, fights, tears, and vomit can occur.

If alcohol is consumed steadily and it becomes a need to feel good, then there is a physical dependence on alcohol. The continuous consumption of alcohol leads to alcoholism and it always brings physical health problems, mental and social.

Consequences

Physical: Stomach irritation and stomach pain, loss of appetite and vomiting, cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, cardiovascular disorders, and anemia, etc.

Mental: Status changes, anger, bad mood, confusion and hallucinations, brain damage, loss of intellectual abilities, loss of the ability of attention and concentration, memory loss, etc.

Social: Loss of professional ability, family discussions and aggression, antisocial and criminal behavior, etc.