Lesson 1

Introduction to Wellness

This important lesson defines "wellness" and the impact of wellness practices on quality of life. Because "wellness" is a contemporary concept, an understanding of it's many dimensions and lifestyle/behavioral determinants must be mastered before proceeding to the specific wellness practices discussed later in this course. All students should complete a lifestyle assessment found in the text or offered over the internet in order to determine their current practices and identify those most needing change.

Use the resources linked above in order to answer the following questions (which are the objectives to be mastered in this lesson):

	1. Define "wellness," and discuss the characteristics of the "wellness" concept.
	2. Identify and discuss the dimensions of wellness.

3. Describe the benefits of a wellness lifestyle.

	4. Identify the leading health problems in the United States for (1) all ages combined; (2) for your age group.
	5. Describe the differences between "infectious" diseases and "lifestyle-related" diseases.
	6. Explain the basic elements of behavior change.
	7. Analyze and discuss your personal lifestyle practices and identify those needing improvement (you need to complete a lifestyle inventory analysis, such as assessment 1.2 at the end of chapter 1, in order to complete this objective).

Assignments:
1. Answer the above questions (objectives). E-mail them to the instructor in MS Word format.

2. Complete the wellness and longevity potential test found in your textbook (assessment 1.2 at end of chapter 1) and assess your level of wellness using the special scoring system. Answer the two follow-up questions at the very end of the assessment and e-mail them to the instructor in MS Word format.

3. Scan the major news websites for health/wellness related articles. Write a brief description of at least 2 news stories related to wellness and how you feel about them. Your report should be about 1/2 page for each news story. E-mail them to the instructor in MS Word format. Some of the major sites include http://www.usatoday.com http://www.msnbc.com http://www.cnn.com and others of your choice.