Running head: RISK REDUCTION

Risk Reduction
April K. Greene
Ferris State University

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Health habits can either add or subtract years of life. It is important to assess and
evaluate ones own health habits if living a healthy lifestyle is important. By taking tests such as
the RealAge test, one can gather information on their strengths and weaknesses and build upon
them. The test does not only give results, it provides tips on how to improve ones lifestyle
based upon how the questions were answered. The test looks at not only nutrition and exercise,
it evaluates mental, emotional, and interpersonal relationships.
Risk Reduction
Brookes RealAge is 17.3. This is a 6.3 year age difference from her actual age of 23.
Aspects of her life that are making her younger include her maintenance of her sense of purpose,
her ability to stay positive, her ability to keep on top of stress, her positive communication with
friends, her maintenance of her waist size, the avoidance of tobacco smoke, her effective sleep
schedule, her consumption of fruit, nuts, and fish, as well as a diverse diet, her practice of
flexibility exercises, cardio, walking, and other effective workouts. There are also things that are
making her older. These include her lack of toning exercises, satisfying sex, financial worries,
ineffective coping strategies, her lack of grains in her diet, her inconsistent morning meal, the
lack of variation of vegetables and vitamin D, and too much junk food and red meat in her diet.
There are a few things that keep her on track, including the protection of her joints, her
cholesterol levels, her avoidance of sunburns and aspirin, her regular visits to the doctor, and her
love of her pets.
Wellness Diagnoses
Two wellness diagnoses were formulated based upon the results of the RealAge test. One
wellness diagnosis associated with her ineffective coping skills is the readiness for enhanced
coping related to stressful life events as evidenced by the RealAge assessment. With

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implementation of this, Brooke will define stressors as manageable, seek knowledge of new
strategies, seek social support, use a broad range of strategies, and use spiritual resources (Sparks
& Taylor, 2012).
The other health issues work their way into the wellness diagnosis of readiness for
enhanced knowledge related to dietary deficiencies as evidenced by the RealAge assessment.
With this, Brooke will demonstrate an interest in learning, explain knowledge of the topic,
behave congruent with expressed knowledge, and describe previous experience related to the
topic (Sparks & Taylor, 2012).
Goals
Based upon these wellness diagnoses and the previous assessment, two SMART goals
were formulated for Brooke. The first goal was based upon her need for more nutrients. It was
stated as Individual will eat a balanced breakfast every day, for one week. The second goal
reads Individual will keep a journal for a week, recording one positive way that she coped with
her stress.
Intervention: Increasing Nutrients
Although some aspects of Brookes diet are healthy options, many are not. She does not
get enough grains and vitamin D in her diet, nor does she make sure she gets a healthy breakfast
at the beginning of every morning. She eats lot of vegetables, but not enough of a variety to get
the nutrients that she needs. Excess processed foods and red meats are also outweighing her
healthy choices. A meal at the beginning of each day gives one a jump start on filling their daily
nutrition quota, as well as getting one energized for the day and reduces hunger pangs later in the
day. Incorporating grains and colorful vegetables in the diet protects against many health
problems, particularly cardiovascular disease, and improves memory and immune system

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function. The excess intake of red meats increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
And the lack of vitamin D in the diet can cause cancer and many other diseases as well (Roizen
and Oz, 2013).
Healthful fats, fiber, and proteins in the diet at breakfast time can help you feel full and
satisfied. Sweets and sugar should be avoided at breakfast. Too much can cause an energy burst,
followed by an energy crash. Eggs and lean meats are great choices for a breakfast meal. And if
you are in a rush, find a healthy option that you can grab and go with. Grains can be added in at
every meal, and even snack time; putting peanut butter and a banana on a whole-grain tortilla is a
great way to add in whole-grain. Make sure to read the nutrition labels; not everything bolded on
the front is true. Vegetables can be added to almost any meal; sneak them in. Build your menu
and shopping around vegetables and dont forget that beans count as vegetables too. In order to
lower the intake of junk and processed foods, reinvent your taste buds; remind them that healthy
foods can taste good too. Find replacements for those guilty pleasures and read the fine print.
And be reasonable; dont think you have to ban all junk food at once. Replace some of your red
meat meals with poultry. And when choosing red meat, know the cuts and which ones are leaner.
You can also get your sources of protein from other foods. Vitamin D can be added to the diet
through eggs, fish, milk, fortified foods, and supplements. When added with calcium their
effects increase. If necessary, get vitamin D levels tested. This will help one determine how
much needs to be added into the diet (Roizen and Oz, 2013).
Intervention: Improving Coping Strategies
Excessive amounts of stress can have a negative impact on ones health. If stressors are
not dealt with effectively, ones immune system and libido can begin to weaken. It can also
affect sleep patterns, cause weight gain, and cause one to age faster (Roizen and Oz, 2013).

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Finding supportive relationships with friends and family members can be effective in
coping with stress; turning to others that can help you work through your anxiety is essential.
Without outside support, one can become emotionally and physically drained. It is also essential
to take time to relax and rest ones mind. Setting aside quiet time allows ones mind to be clear
and make smarter decisions. Exploring ones spirituality and finding faith to assist in coping, as
well as developing new relationships with others that use this strategy (Roizen and Oz, 2013).
Transtheoretical Model
The Transtheoretical Model is indicative of how willing the individual is to change a
behavior. According to this theory, Brooke is in the contemplation stage. She always plans on
and wants to eat a meal in the morning, but sometimes life and other events get in the way. After
completing the assessment, Brooke was able to gain some knowledge about the importance to
consuming a well-balanced breakfast. This knowledge will allow her to be more willing to make
a positive change in her life. The same goes for her lack of positive coping strategies (Velicer et.
all, 1998).
Evaluation
After one week, Brookes progress was reviewed and evaluated. She had a journal with
an entry from every day that past week. In that journal, she had written what she ate for
breakfast and one positive coping strategy. A copy of this is provided in appendix A.
Overall, improvements of her bad health habits were improved. Although it is only a
small step, it is one step closer to a healthier lifestyle and the reduced risk of future disease.

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6
Appendix A

Monday
Gluten-free

Tuesday
Banana and

Wednesday
Fruit salad;

Thursday
Omelet;

Friday
Omelet;

Saturday
Bagel and

Sunday
Oatmeal and

oatmeal

bowl of

coffee

coffee

coffee

eggs;

yogurt; coffee

and an

Cheerios;

orange;

coffee

coffee
Had dinner

Family

Talked to a

Took a nap

Spent time

Watched a

Spent an hour

with a

dinner

close friend

to rest her

with a

movie to

reading a book

on the

mind

group of

relieve

friends

stress

friend

coffee

phone
Appendix B
Dear Brooke,

It seems that you made a lot of progress in your goal of becoming healthier just in one
week! Keep up the good work! We discussed how much more energized you have felt when
you have eaten breakfast; just remember that when you are struggling. And with the stress of
nursing school and the end of the semester nearing, your use of positive coping strategies will get
you through.

References

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Ouellette, C. (2012) Assessment of nutrient adequacy with supplement use in a sample of healthy
college students. (J Am Coll Nutrition) PubMed NCBI. National Center for
Biotechnology Information.
Roizen, M. and Oz, M. (2013). RealAge. Retrieved from http://www.realage.com
Sparks, S. & Taylor, C. (2010.) Nursing diagnosis reference manual. New York, NY:
Lippincott & Williams.
The Transtheoretical Model. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2015, from http://web.uri.edu/cprc/aboutttm/