Factors contributing to Well-being

3. To maintain a social well-being:

1. There has to be enough food, clothing, shelter, water and electricity where you live.
2. You have to have lots of friends and get support from them
3. Having a belief that you have a value in society.

  Some factors that can influence health and well-being are:

 

1. An unbalanced diet: This means that you aren’t eating the right amount and sort of food properly. A balanced diet includes the seven essentials and basic nutrients:

1. Carbohydrates- they provide the body with energy. They can be found in foodstuff like sugar, starches and fiber.  There are two types of carbohydrates and they are:

• Simple carbohydrates (sugars) found in food such as, cakes, candies, honey etc. with do provide the body with energy, but not a lot of nutrients.
• Complex carbohydrates (starches) found in food such as, rice, pasta, bread etc that provide the body with a rice source of energy including the nutrients.

     If we take too much, it can make us fat and have bad teeth. It isn’t healthy either.

     

2. Fats- this provides us with energy, but has a higher energy value than carbohydrates. It’s

an energy source when resting or sleeping, an insulator below the skin to keep us warm and  it also protects our vital organs. There are three main types of fats and they are:

• Saturated fat- they are found in animals and vegetables, meat, milk, cream etc.
• Unsaturated fat- found in vegetable oils, fish oils, margarine, Soya oils or corn oils, nuts etc. Another name for unsaturated fat is polyunsaturates. These help to make and repair body cells.

     

3. Proteins- these provide the chemical substances needed to build and repair cells and

tissues in the body. There are two types of protein and they are:

• Animal protein (essential amino acids)- they can be found in food such as lean meat, fish, egg whites, milk and cheese. These can’t be produced inside the body.
• Vegetable protein (non-essential amino acids)- these can be found such as lentils, baked beans and Soya beans. These can’t be taken in they are produced in the body.

4. Vitamins- they help to regulate the chemical reactions that are continuously taking place

in our bodies. They are found in most of the foods we eat. A lack of vitamins can lead to deficiency diseases. There are two groups of vitamins and they are:

• Water-soluble vitamins- they can’t be stored in the body and must be taken in daily. And they are vitamins B & C. Vitamin B helps in growth and repairs body cells. Can be found in food such as breakfast cereal, brown rice, nuts, eggs, kidney beans dairy products etc. Vitamin C aids in the healing of wounds and fractures, keeps gums and teeth healthy and it also protects from coughs and colds.
• Eat soluble vitamins- they can be stored in the body. And they are Vitamins A, D, E & K. Vitamin A helps prevent infections, keeps the skin and bones all healthy and also helps in night vision. They can be found in food such as cheese, butter, oily fish, milk, carrots etc. Vitamin D is needed for strong bones and teeth. It also aids in the absorption of minerals. They are found in food such as foods containing fats. Vitamin E is needed to keep the skin supple and elastic. They can be found in food such as vegetable oils, whole meal bread, rice, eggs, etc. And Vitamin K is needed to promote clotting of the blood when bleeding. Like a shield. They can be found in food such as liver, fresh green vegetables etc.

 

5. Minerals- they are needed to build and repair certain tissues and for control of body

functions. They are found in basic chemical elements such as calcium and iron. Calcium can be found in milk, ice cream, cheese, white bread etc. Iron can be found in red meat, egg yolk, liver, green vegetables etc.

6. Fiber- this doesn’t contain nutrients, but is very essential in the digestive system.  Fiber is found in such food, as vegetables, fruit, whole meal bread etc. Without fiber, our diet can turn out into constipation and poor digestion.

7. Water- water is essential to life. It is one of the five basic needs. Without water it would

lead to dehydration and death.  It takes up two thirds of your body. It is taken by fluids and lost by sweating, breathing and urine.

   If my interviewer doesn’t the right amount, she is certainly to be in danger. She is already very skinny, and eats lots of junk food. She says she doesn’t like to eat lots’ of healthy stuffs because since she was little, she has been brought up to eating junk food and the though of eating healthy all the time, puts her off, and she says she can’t stand vegetables. It’s very hard for her. She needs to eat all of the above in order to say healthy and from not getting disease or cancers. There are lots of sort of infections, viruses, diseases or illness that can happen if one doesn’t eat the type of food in their diet.

2. Environment: Everyone needs a good environment. If she doesn’t have a nice and clean environment, then she also has to have an unhealthy way of living and life.  In order to have a happy, healthy and well being environment we need to have clean water and air, proper waste disposal facilities (toilets) and good housing qualities. Other environment factors that affect well being are, where we live, how much money we get (if we have a job) and the sort of job that we have. If we don’t have a proper disposal facility, it will lead to all sort of uncomfortable infections and diseases.
3. Housing:  Everyone needs to have a good house in order to stay clean, healthy etc. If the house is overcrowded, damp, no central heating or poor disposal facilities, we do not have a good house. In may cause illness to people. Cold and damped houses can give people asthma, bronchitis, and arthritis. If the house is overcrowded it can lead to infections like tuberculosis and dysentery.  It also depends on where a person lives, if they live in the countryside or somewhere isolated, they can be depressed often and have a bad self-esteem.
4. Education: This is very important. It affects a person’s outlook on life, they way they treat people (their manners), how they look, their health and well-being. With a good education, it can get you a good job or occupation. Good education has a positive impact on the life chances and the health outcomes to an individual. If people want a good job, good house, good everything, they have to work for it, by getting good grades and achieving to their highest standard.
5. Employment: Having a good job and sort of job you have is very important. It needs to be a job you like doing. If it isn’t then it won’t be very fun and you might depress. If you have a good education, you will have a good job. An employed person uses the skills, knowledge and expertise which the person has already gained and has the opportunity to acquire new skills. It also gives you the opportunity to explore the outer world and get new friends, or learning new things in life. Work gives you confidence and self-esteem. People respect you and your ideas. And the better the job the better the money to keep you or the family happy and healthy. Some people need a job desperately, in order to buy food or to stay alive.
6. Rest and Sleep: When you are young, you need a lot of sleep and rest. This gives the heart and body time to relax and not to be stressed out and working. If you deprive sleep, you lose lots of energy and have a quick and high temper, like you want everything to go your way. Mistakes can occur a lot, because when you are tired, you can’t concentrate. You also loose attention to your surrounding and you seem to be dreaming a la la land. You also seem to have a few minutes ever time you see that the coast is clear, then wake up, feeling more tired. You also feel confused, because you are paying more attention to seeing yourself in a nice and warm bed and listen9ing to what other people say. And you have difficulty seeing and hearing. This is important, especially for a teenager because we need the sleep after a long time in school, and after being stressed out and tired. It helps us concentrate more in class.
7. Recreational Activities: Going out and having fun is an important thing in every life stage.  It takes all your problems away and helps you relax and also helps you to learn what the values of life are. It’s a good way for forgetting problems that has been getting to you.
8. Friends: We all have and need friends. They are their top support and love us back. They are there to listen and help during problems. Choosing your friends can be very hard, when you move into a new area, you talk to who ever talks to you. Having bad friends, can influence you into the bad things in life and they some how always encourage you into doing the bad things, like not studying for an important test, stealing or having attitude problems. It also depend in the environment, if you live in a bad environment there is likely to be rough and troubling making groups.
9. Exercise: When you exercise, this contributes to good health and well-being.