Thursday, November 1, 2012
Nutrition Class
In my nutrition class right now, we are learning a lot about what being "healthy" really means. My professor constantly brings up the fact that there are many components that define healthy. Many people think, "I am overweight, so I am not healthy." However, they are wrong for many different reasons. Health accounts for more than just body weight. Are you exercising? Are you eating the right nutrients? How is your spiritual life? What is your stress level? Do you feel meaning in your life? The list of questions can go on and on. A person could be overweight yet still be healthy. She told us that it is a proven fact that fitness level, regardless of weight, is the single strongest predictor of mortality risk. This relates to physical therapy in many ways. There are many patients who see a physical therapist because experience problems as a result of their obesity. As a physical therapist, it is my job to understand that eating is not the only reason people become obese. In order to help patients overcome the challenges they are experiencing, I need to take into account the other factors that affect their lives.
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This blog post was very interesting to me. For the longest time I have always thought of healthy as something regarding weight and eating habits alone. It's nice and reassuring to know that there is an emotional, spiritual, and physical component to one's health. This makes me think about some future students that I may have and the fact that they are restricted to a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. I wonder, is this also another factor that can also contribute to their shorter lives? But then I remember that is why we have physical therapists come into the classroom to work with them about 2 to 3 times a week with their walking and such. It's a good feeling to know that with the help their their physical therapists and teachers, they can stay healthy as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree, many people think health only has to do with body weight and image. Mental health, along with the body, is just as important. My father is a very healthy man for his age, knock on wood, yet he has a gigantic belly, but that is it. I am thankful for that. Good Post!
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