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The Balance of Health. How to find a Balance

4.156 / ~13 sternsternsternsternstern_0.75 Rita S. . 2016
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Potsdam Brandenburg

1, Mr. Anderson, 2016

Rita S. ©
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Facharbeit


The Balance of Health


How to find a balance”


Facharbeit


Abgabetermin: 22/02/2016


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1.0 Introduction


    1. Nutrition

    2. Theories

    3. Energy Measurements

    4. Improvements

    5. Safe Weight Loss


Physical Health

2.0 Overall and Advantages

    1. Fitness

    2. Disadvantage

    3. Theories

    4. Why and how?


Sleep

    1. What is sleep?

    2. Facts

    1. Consequences of not enough

    2. Solution

    3. Describing the picture


Survey

    1. Interview

    2. Book and Internet answers


5.1 Conclusion


Introduction

The question that everyone has asked themselves once in their life, how can I live till a 100? A healthy 100 years well here's the secret, and It's not that hard to do. Your parents have said these things to you growing up, “Eat your veggies!”, “Do your best!” If you followed these rules, you're on your way to a good 100 years, but if you haven't, why? Which is what I'll be answering.

Why aren't teenagers taking their time to exercise for at least 30 minutes and eat what their body needs, and what harm does it do? Grown ups are doing the same exact thing, the things you put in your body and what you do with your body can either make it or break it, but it is never too late to start. What children are being fed today is determining their physical and mental health, not everyone will live to a 100 of course but just to feeding your body the right nutrients to grow and for you to be happy is very important, it can prevent diseases, cancer, many illnesses like anxiety.

Now, of course, it doesn't mean you should only eat healthily but it's about finding the balance and being truly happy mentally and physically. In this essay, I will also be doing a Survey asking: What do people think is healthy, what and how is their health reflecting their life? This Topic interested me because of my own past. Both my parents grew up in a time where there was only home made options, them or their parents would have to go out and go to their Local Farm and get their products every month or so, not having as many options as we have today in a grocery store.

Even though they did eat organic, they didn't exactly grow up eating strictly that. My Father started smoking in his 20s for 10 years but is now completely healthy. My mom has a little story, she met a man who opened her eyes, to raw, juice cleansing, and Veganism and it has changed her life in her finding a balance, which led my dad to find a balance. She noticed what foods or cleanses worked and didn't work for her. In my past, since my parents aren't necessarily unhealthy, I didn't grow up eating very bad, but with a lot of sweets and sweet drinks, especially last year, the unhealthiest time where my lifestyle was reflecting the way I looked.

All I did was eat, refused to exercise, which caused to unhealthy weight gain and unhappiness, then my best friend introduced me to a running team at school, which at first I refused, but the second semester when tryouts were up again, my dad encouraged me knowing it was a good idea. It was stressful at first but it changed my life. At first, it was me just becoming active but then my eating habits changed, more and more.

Over the summer, I wanted to be even “healthier” than I was, which became unhealthy, too much exercise and not enough food. To me now what I went through has thought me a lot, and it has helped me find a balance, which I want to share but with the right information.2

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Nutrition

'What we put into our bodies plays a big role in our life, it practically is central to our health. The nutrients in food give our bodies the information and materials they need to function properly. But our daily diets may not always be provided with all the information our bodies need. Eating the right foods will benefit you in many ways for example; more energy, feeling happier, it prevents diseases and is heart healthy, most likely keep you in shape' said by many sources.

It is very important to get all important vitamins in your body for it to function, but with social media sometimes the wrong messages get out.


Theories

Theories about what is not good for you or is good for you are being posted on the internet by “nutritionist” and magazines, creating deficiencies. One big theory is that fat you eat is the fat you wear, but it isn't. Our bodies actually need fat because we absorb vitamins only if we have enough vitamin E, 'they provide essential fatty acids, keep our skin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel but of course that comes from the good fats in nuts, avocados, chia seeds and many other foods.

The fatty foods high in sugar so-called junk foods are unhealthy and do make cause weight gain. Woman especially need fat to function properly to menstruate and have kids.' scientifically proven. Another theory is that juice cleansing is a good form of losing weight and “cleansing” your body, but the body (kidney and liver) already do that job themselves. Juice cleansing is actually not so healthy because it is low in protein which is important for muscles and other organs to function.

Many people think that since the juice cleanse is low in calories it is a great way to loose weight, but not getting enough calories makes your body turn to starvation mode meaning the next time food comes into the body it gets stored and conserves the calories because it doesn't know the next time it will be fed. Being deficient in calories can also play with your mood, leaving you without energy and a bad mood.

Another mistake people make is dieting, because it is temporary and will most likely be leaving you with yoyo weight and no energy; from eating not enough calories or carbohydrates because of calorie restriction or any restricting diet.


Energy Measurements

'Calories are very important they are a measure of energy and are mostly used to describe the energy content of foods and drinks. Your body is able to break down food molecules and use the stored energy for many different functions, including movement, thought and growth' Christian Nordqvist states. Calories also play a role in controlling weight, because eating more calories than your body is used to can lead to weight gain, but when wanting to lose weight; it is common to mistake that by not eating enough calories and going into a deficit which is bad for your health and can lead to damaging the body.

Carbohydrates are also another form of energy that are mistaken as the reason people gain weight because carbs turn into sugars turning into fat, but that isn't true because you use the sugars as energy, that's what they are also very important to athletes and, of course anyone, both calories and carbs are very important for everyone but extra important for athletes.

It can make people more energetic because it is just like fuel to the body. It is important to know the difference between simple Carbohydrates and complex Carbohydrates both trigger the body differently. Simple Carbohydrates are found in sugar which has no benefit to it. Complex carbs like pasta, bread, grains and rice are starches and they are beneficial but it is always the better option to choose Whole wheat instead of White Flour because of the way the body absorbs them.


Today it seems to be hard for many people to become healthy, not trying at all or restricting certain foods such as grains, meats and sugars and then going right back. Possibly seeing something easy to grab in the grocery store that is damaging to the body. So how can someone recover or better their eating habits? Personally, the first step is to get information, to know how bettering the habit of good eating can benefit everyday life in many amounts of ways but it is also important to get the right information. "Try to gradually incorporate new habits over time, and before you know it, you will be eating more healthfully and losing weight," says Keri Gans, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association spokesperson and a nutritionist in private practice in New York.

It is important to take baby steps at first, for example switching out sodas for water and drink enough of it. Eating mindfully without any distractions, switching white bread to whole grain, flavoring foods with spices, lemons, vinegar instead of fatty sauces, or just trying to make your own meals or plan them. Dr. Micheal Roizan,MD, Internal Medicine, said that, “Technically, experts say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit.” Cutting out the bad habit, like junk food, for 4 weeks can cause the body to understand the switch and make you4 lose appetite for it.

It is important to learn what foods are best for your body. For example, the women5 that was the boss of my Praktikum told me that some of the healthiest foods did not benefit her instead weaken her body, bananas, eggs and dinkel which are some of the things she was told to eat as a runner. Not everything that works for one person will work for another individual, every body is a lot different.

It seems that now it is easy to just pick up on something, that someone that you look up to is doing. In Social Media, there are many girls being looked up to who seem healthy and happy but following their diet doesn't make you feel like that. Some people react to more fat well but some might get acne and don't feel like they're digesting well. It is important to follow the way you feel after eating food if you notice there is foods that make you feel down or unenergetic then cut it out and add that food that makes you feel good, not your friend or the Instagram famous blogger.


Safe weight loss

Dr. Benjamin Spock, pediatrician, medical researcher, and teacher, advised in his book Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care that weight-loss programs for children should be based on changing the types of foods children eat rather than the amount of food they eat. He encouraged shifting the entire family away from oily fried foods, meats, and dairy products and toward low-fat, plant-based foods: grains, pasta, vegetables, legumes, and fruit.


Physical Health

Overall and Advantages

'The most important thing is exercise, yes nutrition is too but just getting a walk in every day can change lifestyles and get you healthy in many ways. But why is it so important? Because it boosts energy and mood, combats health conditions and diseases, promotes better sleep and it can be fun' science says. That sounds way better than going on medication for a health issue that can be resolved by just doing at least 30 minutes exercise everyday.

Exercising releases dopamine which gets you on a so-called “high” of energy and a good mood, it also helps with the growth of brain cells! Spikes brain activity, prepares you for mental stress for the rest of the day, but also increases retention of new information, and better reaction to complex situations. It is so beneficial so why can't everyone do it? Just walking a few km a day is enough, walking the dog, walking to work or before, riding the bike to school.


Fitness

“Fitness has four dimensions: cardiovascular, strength, flexibility, and body composition. Activities that get the heart pumping, such as running, swimming, bicycling, aerobics, and playing sports or outdoor neighborhood games, improve cardiovascular fitness. Strength-training activities, such as weightlifting, push-ups, and sit-ups, as well as many daily tasks, such as digging in the garden, lifting boxes, carpentry work, and so forth, improve muscular development and bone strength.

Stretching ,yoga, gymnastics, dancing, and martial arts all promote flexibility.” explains the book Nutrition for Kids by PCRM


Disadvantages

Sadly, after all these good and beneficial things, there is also a disadvantage to it, overdoing it. To loose weight you need to eat less calories than normal for you to consume, when exercising you tend to burn a lot of calories. Many people misunderstand that it is very important to eat over 2,500 calories every day and more if your exercising regularly or growing.

Another mistake that many people make, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” quote said by Albert Einstein from the book 'Ten Tips for Healthy Living'. To get the best results, it is important to focus on different muscle types every other day, because when a muscle is overused, it can't build itself. For example, when active at the gym, doing Monday for Arms, Tuesday Legs, Wednesday Abs, or other things that is being wanted to be worked on.


Theories

The Myth, 'More is better': “Overtraining and poor nutrition are easily the most common pitfalls that beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts alike fall into. It’s not possible to say exactly how6 much is too much since many factors such as genetics, diet, sleep, training intensity, frequency, and7 duration all play a role. It’s best to watch for the following signs of overtraining: A halt in progress, chronic fatigue, decreased motivation, frequent injuries, and an increased resting heart rate, which is measured first thing in the morning before getting out of bed.” by many woman it is said that they don't want to do strength training because they are scared of getting too muscular, “First off, in case you didn’t already know, male and female professional bodybuilders (and most likely some of the bigger guys at your gym) all use steroids and other illegal substances.

The shape that your muscles take, as they change in size, is determined not by the specific exercises you do, but by genetics.”


Why and how?

Then again it was normal for a person to take 10,000 steps per day and what is required but now it's normal to take less than a hundred. The opinion many people have on exercising is that it hurts and is not fun and is not important enough to take their time to do it, but for many people it hasn't been brought to their awareness of the things it can do other than just losing weight.

Excuses can be that your not motivated enough or don't like to push yourself, but just doing over 5 minutes of exercise can improve your health and happiness a lot, instead of having to go to the doctors paying for “medication” that doesn't do the body any better and can costs a lot of money. “You want to be in great shape but you also don’t want to let go of your comfort for thirty minutes.

You want to be leaner but you don’t want to go through the hassle of breaking old eating habits. You want to workout but you also want to sit on the couch and relax.The examples are endless. Your mind can be simply awesome at manufacturing excuses.The bottom line is, what is more important to you: Your goals or whatever is in the way of


Sleep

Why is sleeping so important? Our body just shuts down for a couple of hours, till we wake up again. No, sleep is the time where your body is most active, restoring and rejuvenating, growing muscle, repairing tissue, and synthesize hormones. Sleep also makes us feel better, just as being hydrated, fed and exercising because it's just as important. It is the time the street cleaners in your brain start cleaning all the dirt from your head all day.

When we mess with our sleeping routines, it can mess up our concentration, causing bad grades, not doing good at the office, it isn't worth it to slack on sleep just because electronics are distracting you. Sleep can improve a lot of things if you get enough of it but can damage others if you don't. It is very important for baby's and just as important till your fully grown up to get their needed amount of sleep.

During sleep, a lot of changes happen to the body while growing, inside and outside the body.


Facts

Sleep is vital to your well-being, as important as the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat. 'It can even help you to eat better and manage the stress of being a teen' says the National Sleep foundation says. In the picture1, it shows the amount of sleep needed for different age groups. It is to be seen that when very young to the end of teen years the amount of sleep is higher than the adult years, because while sleeping, kids are also growing which adults are done with.


'Not enough rest can limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems. You may even forget important information like names, numbers, your homework or a date with a special person in your life; Make you more prone to pimples. Lack of sleep can contribute to acne and other skin problems; Lead to aggressive behavior.' the Nation Sleep foundation states.


Solution

The best solution is making sleep your first priority. It seems as if many schools have decided to make school begin later and the results seem to be good, but it also seems as it can mess with after school activities and parents schedules. From my own experience, in my old schools, we had late start Wednesdays, school started at 10 am in Elementary School and at 9:30 in high school.

Many kids took8 advantage of it and slept longer, but some took it as a day to get breakfast with their friends. 'A solution9 to getting more sleep is trying hard to make it happen, if electronics are distracting you from getting sleep, shut it off an hour before you go to sleep or for kids; they can have their parents take their phones away before the go to bed.


Survey

I interviewed a few friends and family. Student 1 is from my class 14 years old and I asked her 2 of the same questions I asked everyone else. The two questions were, What is health to you? And how does food, sports, sleep and social life reflect your life? Student 1 answered that to her health is when someone is mentally and physically feels good and that exercising and to eat and sleep well is also very important, to the other question she answered saying that you should always eat what you feel like, that it is okay to have something unhealthy once in a while, to her sleep is important because when she doesn't get enough it affects her mood.

After she exercises, even if it was a hard workout she feels really good and it helps her get better sleep. Student 2 another girl from my class answered the first question the same as Student 1 but adding that there are no complaints someone has when healthy. She answered the second question by saying that when she gets enough sleep she often feels better and will be in a better mood.

Eating well to stay healthy, physical activity to boost mental and physical wellness and prolongs health. Sleeping helps with energy levels for being socially active and exercise. He also added every aspect of health can benefit each other or make it worse, it just has to be balanced.


Book and Internet answers

When I searched the questions up on the Internet I got answers that were quite similar: “What is health to you?” : “the state of being free from illness or injury. And/or a person's mental or physical condition.” is the first thing that came up on the top page on Google. When I searched up the second question, there wasn't really a answer exactly answering my question but it did answer this; For a balanced life you need this:

D-Diet and nutrition

R-Relaxation

E-Exercise

S-Sleep and adequate rest

S-Socializing with friends, having fun


Conclusion

I have noticed while doing this project that there is a lot of opinions, on what to not eat and what to eat. What causes us to get fat? I personally think everyone is different. Everybody has a different body, every body has different needs. Another thing is that many people aren't informed about the most important things needed for us to live a balanced happy life.

Don't stay on the media when your body is obviously telling it needs sleep. There are diets and health recommendations that your body may absolutely hate. Honor your body and listen to it speak. If you are getting a craving for something have just a tiny bit, delight in the taste and listen to what your body is saying.' said by P.J Lucking in his book Tops Tips for Healthy Living.

To live a balanced life, it is important to indulge, eat something that has been craved or take a day rest, go out with friends and have a cake, or bake your own cake! Making your own foods can make you feel less guilty and can make it more healthy. Go outside and workout with your family, dog, friends! Get whole foods for lunch and get rest, sometimes it sounds easier than it is but the question is if you really want to live a Balanced life, what's stopping you from trying? Eat whole foods, get real sleep, and get good exercise.

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11Sources and Citations

Balancing for Life | Student Health Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from


How to Help Teenagers Get More Sleep | Child Mind Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved from


The Importance of Sleep. (n.d.). Retrieved from


Lauren,M. (n.d.). You are your own gym. Retrieved from

Lucking,P.J. (n.d.). Top Tips for Healthy Living. Retrieved from

McKinley Health Center - Macronutrients: the Importance of Carbohydrate,Protein, and Fat - University of Illinois. (n.d.). Retrieved from


Nutrition for Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved from


Pollan,M. (n.d.). In Defense of Food. Retrieved from

School Lunches. (n.d.). Retrieved from

Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved from

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What Are Calories? How Many Do We Need? - Medical News Today. (n.d.). Retrieved from


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