PHYSICAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Physical health and well-being encompass our body's ability to function effectively and maintain balance. It requires regular exercise, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and the prevention or management of illness. This domain emphasizes the importance of adopting healthy habits to support our overall vitality, resilience, and longevity, ensuring that we can engage fully in daily activities and achieve a balanced, fulfilling life. Maintaining physical health is closely linked to our emotional, mental, and social well-being, highlighting the interconnectedness of all aspects of life.
BALANCED NUTRITION
Nutrition fuels every bodily function, impacting our energy levels, immunity, and even our mental health. A balanced diet focuses on whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, while minimizing processed foods and sugars. This approach not only supports our physical health but also reduces the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Harvard
Harvard's Nutrition Source dives into how proper nutrition impacts our physical and mental health, focusing on balanced eating to prevent chronic diseases, maintain weight, and improve our longevity. This a comprehensive resource for understanding the scientific basis behind nutrition guidelines.
Link: Nutrition Source
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard’s extensive resources cover the importance of maintaining our physical health to reduce our risks of obesity, heart disease, and mental health issues. Their sections on diet, sleep, and exercise include detailed, research-backed strategies to achieve optimal physical well-being.
American Heart Association (AHA)
The AHA discusses the connection between our diet and heart health, offering resources for finding heart-healthy options to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease. They emphasize the benefits of nutrient-dense foods, whole grains, and healthy fats.
Link: Nutrition
Centers for Disease Control
The CDC’s nutrition page emphasizes how balanced eating supports our health at every stage of life, highlighting practical recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake, healthy fats, and whole grains. They also provide tools for meal planning and dietary assessments.
Link: Nutrition
World Health Organization
The WHO provides global guidelines on healthy eating, explaining how balanced nutrition is essential for our growth, immune support, and chronic disease prevention. Their resources cover everything from nutrient intake to the role of diet in addressing our global health challenges.
Link: Nutrition
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is fundamental for maintaining our physical and mental health, as it strengthens our cardiovascular system, improves our muscle and bone health, and supports a healthy weight. It also enhances our mental well-being by reducing stress, boosting mood, and improving our cognitive functioning, contributing to a more balanced and resilient life.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC’s resources discuss how physical activity and balanced nutrition are vital for reducing our risks of chronic illnesses, boosting our immune function, and supporting our mental health. They offer practical guidelines on recommended levels of activity and tips for a balanced diet.
World Health Organization
The WHO explains the broad impact of our physical health on our mental health, chronic disease prevention, and our quality of life. They provide guidelines on maintaining physical activity, balanced nutrition, and good sleep to prevent conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Mayo Clinic
In this article, the Mayo Clinic explains how physical activity and diet influence our immune health, mental clarity, and emotional resilience, with comprehensive sections on different forms of physical activity, stress reduction, and balanced nutrition.
Link: Health and Wellness
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard’s extensive resources cover the importance of physical health in reducing our risks of obesity, heart disease, and mental health imbalances. Their sections on diet, sleep, and exercise include detailed, research-backed strategies for achieving optimal physical well-being.
American Heart Association
The AHA highlights the role of physical health in our cardiovascular health and overall longevity, with guidelines for physical activity and tips on heart-healthy nutrition. Their resources emphasize the critical role of regular exercise and balanced eating for a strong foundation of physical health.
Link: Healthy Living Resources
Quality Sleep
Quality sleep is pivotal for our mental and physical restoration, enhancing everything from our immune function to our emotional resilience and cognitive clarity. During deep sleep, our bodies repair tissues, balance hormones, and consolidate memories. Poor sleep, however, is linked to higher risks of health issues like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes
Sleep Research Society
The SRS provides research-backed information on sleep health, sleep disorders, and the latest in sleep science.
Link: SRS
American Sleep Association
The ASA provides resources about sleep health, sleep disorders, treatment options, and tips for improving our sleep quality.
Link: sleepassociation.org
National Sleep Foundation
The NSF offers comprehensive resources on sleep health, including tips on good sleep hygiene, sleep disorders, and sleep recommendations by age.
Link: sleepfoundation.org
National Institutes of Health
The NIH offers educational materials on the science of sleep, sleep disorders, and the importance of sleep for our brain health.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Sleep and Sleep Disorders
The CDC provides scientifically backed information about sleep, its fundamental role in maintaining our health, and statistics on sleep disorders in the U.S.
Link: cdc.gov/sleep
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
This professional organization is dedicated to the science of sleep medicine; offering information on sleep-related research, guidelines, and resources for improving our sleep.
Link: aasm.org
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reveals the impact of sleep deprivation on our heart and lung health, sleep disorders, and strategies for healthy sleep.
Stress Management
Stress management is fundamental to maintain both our physical health and overall wellbeing. Chronic stress leads to a number of health issues, including heart disease, weakened immunity, and digestive problems. By effectively managing our stress, we can improve our mental clarity, reduce the risk of these health concerns, and enhance our overall quality of life.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Stress and Coping
The CDC provides resources on stress and its impact on our health, as well as coping strategies, including physical activity, relaxation techniques, and social support.
National Institutes of Health - National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
This resource focuses on complementary and integrative approaches to our stress management, covering techniques like yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises.
Link: Health and Stress
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
The ADAA provides resources on understanding and managing our stress, including techniques like cognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT), and mindfulness.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI offers guidance on managing our stress, highlighting practical steps for reducing our daily stressors and adopting healthier routines.
National Institute of Mental Health
The NIMH offers information about stress, its effects on our mental and physical health, and techniques to manage it better, including practical tips for identifying and coping with stressors.
Link: Stress
American Psychological Association
The APA provides research-backed resources on stress management techniques, including cognitive behavioral approaches, mindfulness, and other effective coping strategies.
Link: Stress
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic offers evidence-based techniques for stress management, including mindfulness, deep breathing, and physical activity, and explains how stress impacts our overall health.
Link: Stress Management
World Health Organization
The WHO provides information on the health impacts of stress, along with global recommendations for managing our stress.
Link: Stress and Coping
American Institute of Stress
The AIS provides extensive resources on stress management, including articles, research findings, and practical tips for managing our stress through physical, mental, and collective approaches.
Link: www.stress.org
Harvard Medical School - Stress Resources
Harvard’s Medical School offers a variety of articles and resources on stress reduction techniques, including mindfulness, and relaxation strategies.
Link: Health Topics: Stress