Essay on Women\'s Health PDF

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Essay on Women's Health...

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Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity is among one of the big concerns in today’s world as well as a Leading Health Indicator. The WHO defines “health” as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Nowadays, people have become so engrossed in their daily activities that they tend to neglect their own health, exposing themselves to the risk of life-long diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Things get serious sometimes as neglecting ones health could also lead to life threatening diseases such as Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), cancer etc. Nutrition plays a key part in a person’s life right from the time they are born. A child needs proper nutrition to grow, make strong bones and have a good immune system while an adolescent needs proper nutrition for their body to be able to accept the adjustments being made. The reason I chose this topic is because not only have I been exposed to such risks, but because it made me realize the value of proper nutrition and physical activity at an early age and I want more people to be aware of them and educate themselves. In today’s world, it has become common practice for people to spend a lot of money on fine dining, unhealthy foods and sugary drinks. They do not realize the extravagant lifestyle they are leading is actually having a negative impact on their health. It’s ironic that when they realize they are at health risks because of weight gain or other health related problems, they spend even more enrolling themselves in weight loss programs and special diets. Often times when people reach the level of obesity, it becomes almost impossible for them to go back and it exposes them to an even greater risk of serious illness. Obesity is a growing concern in America with more than one third of adults being considered obese and childhood obesity on the rise. The main culprit cannot easily be pointed as there are various factors that contribute to obesity; be it in children or adults. Obesity and physical activity go hand in hand most of the times but sometimes it is not only obese people who are affected by physical activity, as a matter of fact many persons who have an adequate weight suffer from physical inactivity as well. Reasons range from competitive environment, such as jobs which require less physical activity. Persons such as office workers who spend eight hours at a desk, persons who have undergone surgery and as such must remain relatively inactive and women who have problems while pregnant which cause them to be placed on bed rest. These persons all after a while become de-conditioned and this affects their entire body from their metabolism to heart rate, the bones, muscles and blood volume. Physical activity, adequate weight and a proper nutrition play a key role in a person’s well-being. Weight gain not only causes chronic illnesses but can also greatly affect a person’s self-esteem and the way they perceive themselves. In teenagers, it may be the cause of depression because they feel socially unacceptable due to their physical appearance. Change begins at home, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be on a large scale. Small steps towards a healthy lifestyle are not only light on the person but also easy to make the smooth transition to healthier eating, and being more physically active. It is important that parents keep a watch on their children’s diet and exercise because the more they get physically inactive and gain weight, the harder it will be on them to change their lifestyle.

If it is the tech savvy fast paced lifestyle that is keeping a person from exercising, they must incorporate small changes such as investing in fitness trackers, etc. Nowadays, with the world at the touch of a fingertip, it is easy with health apps right on your phone. These apps not only track physical activity, but also help you watch what you eat and count your calories. If a person can’t find time to run a mile on the treadmill every day, they must choose alternatives such as parking their car a little farther than where they usually do and walking the distance instead. If they live or work on a higher level in a building it would be a good idea to switch from taking the elevator to stairs. Change must be made gradually so that it doesn’t get too hard on the person. These little changes make a huge difference not only on a person’s body and weight but also on a person’s motivation once they start seeing changes on the scale. As discussed above, obesity is the leading reason for numerous chronic diseases but together combined with intake of healthy food and the right amount of calories and good physical activity, a person will be free of almost 80% diseases and can lead a healthy and normal lifestyle completely satisfied with themselves.

Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948....