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Health, Behaviors & The teenage brain. Mary Markowski. What are your thoughts on this?. What does it mean to be healthy? What/who impacts our health? Is health important to you? Why/why not?. Health
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Health, Behaviors &The teenage brain Mary Markowski
What are your thoughts on this? • What does it mean to be healthy? • What/who impacts our health? • Is health important to you? Why/why not?
Health • "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" • Who would you describe as “healthy”? Why? • Wellness • Behaviors an individual chooses that helps determine one’s health • Which wellness choices you have made today? • Physically • Socially • Emotionally Review of Key Definitions
Remember the 4 main influences on health? • Heredity • Environment • Behavior • Culture • Which do we have the most control over?
Behavior • Choices we make EVERY DAY • They will bring us closer or further away from health • at least 51% of all deaths are a direct result of our choices in our lives • Bottom line: Choose healthy behaviors OR deal with the consequences.
Behavior and choices • Think of all the little and big decisions you have made within: • The past 24 hours • The past week • The past year • They all add up to • shape our life!
Getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night (9-13 hours for teens) Eating a healthy breakfast Eating a variety of healthy foods each day Being physically active 60 minutes per day; 6 or more days per week. Maintain a healthy weight Avoid tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs Abstaining from sexually activity (or use a condom) Managing stress in a healthy way Have positive relationships Practice safe behaviors to prevent injuries Top 10 Wellness Behaviorsthat promote good health
Let’s talk • So if this is all we need to do to be healthy, and health is important to us, why don’t we always do these 10 simple things?
Teen brain Differences • 1. Prefrontal cortex (decision making) not fully developed yet • Tough to make good, logical decisions for the long term • 2. Amygdala (seeks pleasure and avoids pain) is swollen • so it’s sensitive to new, exciting experiences and overreacts to negative experiences • Makes Addictions PEAK now!!!!! • 3. Brain is STILL GROWING as a whole • usually finishes growing by age _____ • Bottom Line: TEENS are PHYSIOLOGICALLY impaired • HEALTHY DECISIONS are more difficult to make now
Making Decisions in our lives • SO, now that we know about the brain and how it impacts our choices/behaviors, • What can we do to make better choices for ourselves? • Focus on what we CAN control!
Healthy Decision Making Process • Identify decision to be made • Think about options. • **Predict consequences of each option. • Advantages/Disadvantages or a Pro/Con list • Is it against the law school or family rules, or teachings of my religion? • Is it harmful to me or others? • Would it disappoint my family or other adults important to me? • Would I be hurt or upset if someone did this to me? • Choose best option. • Do it. • **Rethink your decision • How did things turn out? You can always decide differently and learn from experieinces!.
Practicing healthy decision making process • You (or your partner) gets pregnant and does not know what to do. • • You want to drop out of school. • • You are really angry and hurt at your best friend and want to “tell them off”. • • You feel pressured into having sex with a boyfriend/girlfriend.
Summary of what we know so far • - Behavior is the most significant part of our health • We are in control of our behavior • We make tons of behavior decisions each day • Our brains are still growing and that impacts behavior/decisions • We can choose to think about our reaction (use the healthy decision making process)….or not • So let’s put this to use!
Decision making and goal setting – making it real • .If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. • You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we • call .failure. is not the falling down, but the staying down..” • - Mary Pickford • Research shows that people who use goal-setting effectively suffer less from stress, are better able to concentrate, • show more self-confidence, and seem to feel happier. (Baylor University, 2012) • Let’s each set specific goals throughout the semester and help each other achieve those goals.
Let’s play a game: “wants” • In your journals, write “WANTS” and date it 1/31/13 • I’m going to give you about 60 seconds to write down everything and anything you want to achieve in your life • Include short term and long term “wants” • Somet things to think about: • - physical health (eating and exercise) • - career/education goals • - people you admire and want to be like • - happiness/peace/excitement • - family/friend relationships • - romance/marriage/partnership • - where to live • - hobbies/sports • - ways to deal with stress
Let’s figure out how we can achieve those things we want! • Pick your top 3 • Pick the most important one to focus on TODAY
S.m.a.r.t. Goals and behaviors • Specific • A SMART goal identifies a specific action or event that will take place. • Measurable • The description of a SMART and the outcome should be quantifiable. • Achievable • A SMART goal should be attainable given available resources. • Realistic • A SMART goal should require you to stretch some beyond your normal • routine and regular abilities, but allow for likely success. • Timely • A SMART goal should have a time period when it will be accomplished