A lot goes into your health to make sure you feel "put together." In this module, you will discover how making good decisions is critical to your overall health. Then, you will explore the basics of nutrition, including essential nutrients, a balanced diet, healthy foods, and the relationship between sports and nutrition. Next, you will learn about the effects of harmful substances like drugs and alcohol. Moreover, you will discover information about communicable diseases and how to stay away from them so you can work toward lifelong wellness. You will also have the chance to explore recreational activities, individual sports, and team sports that are available in your community.

Overall, you will learn valuable skills to help you put the pieces of a healthy lifestyle together to build a foundation for lifelong health.

Getting Started

You make decisions every day. Sometimes, the decisions are small, such as deciding whether or not to visit a friend. Other times, you are faced with important decisions that could affect your health, either positively or negatively.

Think of a time when you made a decision that negatively impacted your health. Then, think of a time when you made a decision that positively impacted your health. Remember, your health involves physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Consider the following questions:

• What were your decisions?
• What were the health effects of your decisions?
• What could you have done to make a better decision for your health?

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

 

addiction	fat	pathogen
alcohol	fat-soluble vitamin	protein
bacteria	fungi	recreational activity
basal metabolic rate	health consumer	responsibility
binge drinking	immune system	sexually transmitted disease
carbohydrate	individual sport	smokeless tobacco
choices	inhalants	stimulants
communicable disease	marijuana	substance abuse
consequence	metabolism	target heart rate
criteria	minerals	team sport
decision	moral	tobacco
depressants	nicotine	values
discernment	nutrients	virus
drugs	nutrition	vitamins
experience	opportunity	water-soluble vitamin