Topic X Role of the

Individual and
Family toward
Health and
Wellness and
Healthy Living

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1.

Explain the concept of healthy living;

2.

Describe the role of the individual in maintaining personal health;

3.

Discuss the role of family in maintaining family health; and

4.

Describe the health-related functions of family.

X INTRODUCTION
In the previous topic we have looked into several factors affecting health status.
Factors that affect health can affect health behaviours. However, people can
usually control their health behaviours and can choose healthy or unhealthy
activities. Now let us have a look at the concept of healthy living.

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5.1

ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY TOWARD HEALTH AND

WELLNESS AND HEALTHY LIVING

HEALTHY LIVING

Not only is the absence of disease a sign of health, the ability to function at an
optimal level of productivity is also indicative of it. Now, let us look at what
healthy living means.
The concept of healthy living is about the steps, actions and strategies one puts in
place to achieve optimum health. Healthy living is about taking responsibility
and making smart health choices for today and for the future. Eating right,
getting physically fit, having emotional and spiritual wellness, and taking
preventive actions from diseases are all part of creating a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy living focuses on incorporating into ones life the eight aspects of wellbeing, which are:
(a)

Physical;

(b)

Emotional;

(c)

Spiritual;

(d)

Environmental;

(e)

Financial;

(f)

Intellectual;

(g)

Occupational; and

(h)

Social.

Since the whole YOU, meaning all aspects of ourselves, must work in harmony
to achieve wellness, an individual needs to put balanced energy into each of
these aspects. We will only look at three out of the eight aspects  physical,
emotional and spiritual.

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From the physical aspect of healthy living, our bodies require good nutrition,
appropriate weight, beneficial exercise, adequate rest and proper stress
management. What happens when our physical health is out of balance? We all
know when our physical health is out of balance. Our bodies will tell us right
away through the feeling of fatigue or catching a cold or maybe becoming
chronically ill.
For the mind or the emotional aspect, an individual needs self-supportive
attitudes, positive thoughts and viewpoints and a positive self-image. As a
person we need to give and receive forgiveness, love and compassion; we need to
laugh and experience happiness and need joyful relationships with our self and
others.
As for spiritual health, a person requires inner calmness, openness to our own
creativity, and trust in our inner knowledge, and for some this requires having a
relationship with a higher power.

5.1.1

Why is Healthy Living Important?

Healthy living is important for the following reasons:

(a)

Reducing the incidence and impact of health problems;

(b)

Recovering from health problems;

(c)

Coping with life stressors, and

(d)

Improving our quality of life.

Why is healthy living so important? At an individual level, healthy living will

enable the individual to perform his daily activities on his own, for example,
walking, eating, working, praying and many other activities, according to the
individuals life-span or life-stage, which is determined by his growth and
development (Dela Cuesta, 2014).
Health is not only important to a person at the individual level, but health and
being healthy definitely contribute towards the advancement of society if more
people are performing closer to their fullest potential (Dela Cuesta, 2014).

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There is a growing body of scientific evidence which shows that our lifestyles
play a huge part in how healthy we are. Healthy living should encompass from
what we eat and drink, how much we exercise, to whether we smoke or take
drugs. All aspects of our lifestyle will affect our health, not only in terms of life
expectancy, but how long we can expect to live without experiencing chronic
disease (Lewis, 2014).
Conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, joint disease and mental
illness are responsible for a vast number of deaths and disabilities. Currently,
most of us rely almost exclusively on the provision of clinical care by highly
trained health professionals as our major strategy to deal with these conditions.
Many health problems can be prevented, or at least their occurrence can be
postponed, through healthy living (Lewis, 2014).

SELF-CHECK 5.1
1.

In your own words, describe what is meant by healthy living.

2.

Why is healthy living important?

5.2

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH

It is very important to keep healthy at the individual level. Individual health

depends on what one does throughout the day, every day. Healthy living is
absolutely vital to slowly improve our lifestyle. Let us have a look at a simple
step-by-step solution to individual healthy living. Improvements do not have to
be large steps; one can take one small step for health and keep going from there
on. To do this, it is important to have a plan.
Whatever our age, fitness level or body shape, it is never too soon or too late to
start thinking about living healthily. We can take a step towards healthy living by
making one change now to our daily life. There are several components to
healthy living. These components will be explained in the next subtopics.

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5.2.1

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Components of Individual Healthy Living

The seven components of individual healthy living are summarised in Figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1: Components of individual healthy living

Now, let us discuss these components in greater detail.

(a)

The Right Nutrition

The right nutrition is necessary in healthy living. Our body requires a wellbalanced diet every day in order to maintain the adequate amounts of
vitamins, nutrients and minerals needed for a healthy body. Diet plays a
huge role in our self-image and well-being. It is pointless to spend hours at
the gym or a sports field and then eat a meal with poor nutritional diet (e.g.
a fast food meal of burgers and fries).
A typical nutritionally balanced diet consists of plenty of fruits and
vegetables, enough carbohydrates for your energy expenditure, low intake
of fats, sugars and salt (less than 6 grams a day) and protein. Since protein
is responsible for the rebuilding of muscle tissue, it is still important for
everyone, including vegetarians, to eat some sources of protein. We can get
from soy, milk or meat.

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Plenty of wholegrain foods, which are high in fibre, are a must especially
for breakfast (wholemeal bread, oats and etc.) and a great way to start the
day. Water is the next requirement, where an adult requires about 75ml per
kg of bodyweight, or roughly about 8 glasses drunk regularly throughout
the day. Always read food labels as they are important guides as to what
are in the products. Avoid processed foods as they often contain many
additives and are often packed with salt.
(b)

An Active Lifestyle
We need to consider fitness as part of our life. Physical fitness keeps our
body weight in check. It helps us to sleep better at night, prevents heart
attacks and strokes and other health problems. Definitely, an active lifestyle
generally prolongs life. Basically there are many benefits of exercising. One
really cannot live a full life without being active. Regular exercise helps
maintain physical and mental stamina.
The World Health Organisation recommends an hour a day of moderate
intensity exercise (e.g., brisk walking and cycling). Some of us do have
hectic lifestyles where we are on our feet most of the day keeping active.
Others have more sedentary lifestyles, sometimes due to their career but
often by choice. It is up to us to take part in some sort of activity if we are
not doing so already. The word exercise can be off putting for many, who
often think of it as too much of a chore. However, becoming active can be
fun and rewarding and once the body is in a routine, we will never regret
the thought of exercise. The benefits are endless for all ages.

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Figure 5.2 summarises some of the benefits of an active lifestyle through

exercise:

Figure 5.2: Benefits of an active lifestyle

These are just some examples of the difference we can make to our health
with regular exercise. So, instead of driving the car, think about walking or
cycling the distance (be realistic, of course), take up a hobby or sport that
keeps you active, or instead of the lift take the stairs and so on.
Parents must encourage their children to spend time outdoors, whether it is
playing, a game of soccer or heading to the local pool for a swim, so that
they are away from the television or internet games. Children follow the
example set by adults, so parents must be sure to provide a good example.

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(c)

Stress Management
Emotional stress plays an important role in many illnesses, both directly
and indirectly. People tend to engage in an unhealthy lifestyle if they are
stressed. For example, they are more likely to smoke, overeat, drink too
much, work too hard, argue with others and so on. Thus, stress
management is an important part of our new lifestyle. To manage stress
effectively, we can meditate and carry out relaxation techniques. Identify
early signs and symptoms of depression. We have to take it seriously if
there are any early signs of depression, for example, becoming unduly
irritable, crying over minor upsets or nothing at all, feeling overwhelmed or
helpless, losing ones appetite; ceasing to enjoy things that used to give us
pleasure, or sleeping too little or too much. Sometimes just talking things
over with a trusted friend can bring relief and one should not be afraid to
seek professional counselling.

(d)

Rest
Many of us forget that our body needs time to recuperate and regenerate
itself. We should all ideally be getting eight hours of sleep at night and
preferably getting to bed before midnight. Without adequate rest we can
become tired, de-motivated and stressed.

(e)

Making Friends with Ones Own Self

It is important to love ones own self. Loving yourself is the key to a
healthy, happy lifestyle. Self-esteem is all about how much people value
their own selves, the pride they feel in themselves and how worthwhile
they feel. It is also important because feeling good about oneself can affect
how we act.

(f)

Powering Up Ones Mind and Body

In our life we need to programme our mind for total success. We need to
develop a vision, of a compelling future that excites and inspires us. We
should focus on this vision and control our thoughts, to achieve our
potential.

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(g)

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Life Balance
No success in public life can compensate for failure in the home. This
quotation highlights that if we want to achieve a healthy lifestyle, we must
take steps to ensure we maintain a certain level of balance spiritually,
emotionally, socially, mentally and financially. Take time for yourself. It is
important to create a space where you can re-energise yourself and reflect
on what you have done throughout the day.
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state of consciously being aware in
the present moment, both internally (internal sense of self) and externally
(what is going on in our surrounding environment) in an accepting manner.
Always be grateful for today and for the abundance of what we have in life.
We must have a positive mind set and take time to appreciate life. There are
times when we need to slow down.

5.2.2

Steps to Care for Individual Health

There are many more ways to be healthy. However, the most important
responsibility is to maintain good personal or individual health. Self-care is
important, as it is an essential act, and there are many ways for an individual to
protect their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.
Personal health is our responsibility and we need to take an active role in our
own health care. We can take an active role by doing the following (Center for
Spirituality and Healing, 2013):
(a)

Paying attention to physical well-being and addressing symptoms;

(b)

Knowing how and when to handle a health problem and when to call a care
provider;

(c)

Understanding the underlying causes of health conditions;

(d)

Understanding the different treatment alternatives available for our

condition and collaborating with provider to develop a plan that best meets
our needs;

(e)

Following through on medical treatment that we need to do at home; and

(f)

Getting preventive healthcare, including regular healthcare check-ups and

recommended healthcare screenings.

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A critical aspect of taking charge of our own health is being a vital member of the
healthcare team. We are a partner of our healthcare providers. Remember,
although we may rely on health professionals to advise us, we have the final say.
What else can we do to take care of our personal health? Let us have a look at
some of the steps we can take (Center for Spirituality and Healing, 2013):
(a)

Have Personal Health Records Ready

Keeping your own complete, updated and easily accessible personal health
records means you can play a more active role in your healthcare.
Medical records contain information about your health compiled and
maintained by each of your healthcare providers. Personal health records
summarise this information  all in one place. This is important since health
information is scattered across many different providers and facilities. You
can create your personal health records online or on paper. Either way, it is
a single place where you can keep track of:
(i)

Health conditions;

(ii)

Surgeries;

(iii) Medications;
(iv) Allergies;
(v)

Diagnostic tests (laboratory tests and X-rays);

(vi) Immunisations and screenings; and

(vii) Family history.
Having your personal health records at your fingertips gives you
convenient, easy access to your health information:
(i)

While travelling;

(ii)

When your doctors office is closed;

(iii) When you need to discuss your health with a provider; and
(iv) When you need to provide complete information to new caregiver or
specialist.

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Having ones health history in one place can also save the money and
inconvenience of repeating routine medical tests by reducing or eliminating
duplicate procedures or processes.
Personal health records also help keep us safe by preventing medication
errors and duplicate prescriptions that can potentially have catastrophic
outcomes.
(b)

Schedule Well-care Visits

Healthcare visits should not be limited to addressing an illness or
symptoms. Remember to schedule regular health check-ups, during which
the focus is wellness and prevention. Being proactive can help identify a
medical condition before symptoms appear. The frequency of well-care
visits depends on age, sex, risk factors and family history (Center for
Spirituality and Healing, 2013).

(c)

Get Recommended Screenings and Immunisations

There are general guidelines for screening tests and immunisation that are
recommended for men, women and children. However, these
recommendations need to be personalised to age, sex, risk factors,
symptoms and family history to best meet our healthcare needs.
Take time to review general guidelines for screening tests and
immunisations for men and women. Then, make an appointment today and
become a partner with your doctor or nurse to decide on your personal
wellness and prevention plan. Remember to share your family history,
speak up, voice your concerns and always ask questions (Center for
Spirituality and Healing, 2013).

SELF-CHECK 5.2
1.

Explain the components of healthy living.

2.

Describe the importance of having regular exercise.

3.

Explain the effect of stress on an individuals health.

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ACTIVITY 5.1
1.

Discuss in a group the prevention screening guidelines for healthy

adults.

2.

Discuss in a group what is meant by Body Mass Index (BMI) and

the categories of BMI.

3.

Identify the daily calorie requirement for an adult man and

woman.

5.3

FAMILY AND HEALTH

The family serves a multitude of functions in society. The family serves as a basic
economic unit. Family members are trained to perform a skill or service deemed
to be of social value. The parents have the biological functions of providing the
childs genetic and family heritage, of tendering, nourishing and protecting the
childs body and of nurturing physical growth and fostering learning. The family
has a vital role towards the achievement of health and wellness.

5.3.1

Family Functions

There are many theories about family. However, we are not going to discuss
family theory in this topic. Instead, we will identify the functions of family before
we look into the health tasks of the family and the health-related functions of the
family.
The functions of family are stated as follows:
(a)

Training family members to prepare for socially approved and needed

work;

(b)

Providing economic means for maintenance of family groups;

(c)

Providing for satisfaction of adult sexual needs;

(d)

Assuring responsibility for care and socialisation of dependent members;

(e)

Producing new members of society;

(f)

Attempting to satisfy social, intellectual, emotional and psychological needs

of members;

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(g)

Providing emotional support for members;

(h)

Serving as a primacy mediator between members and the environment;

(i)

Teaching children rules for behaviour and socially approved conduct; and

(j)

Providing members with a sense of family identification.

All families have certain functions that are performed to maintain the integrity of
the family unit and to meet the family units needs. Duvall and Miller (1985)
identified six family functions that are generally applicable to all types of family
structures. The functions are explained in Table 5.1:
Table 5.1: Family Functions
Functions

Description

Generating affection

Affection is generated between spouses, between parents and

children and among members of the different generations.

Providing personal
security and
acceptance

The family provides a home base with stability that allows the
family members to develop naturally in their own way at their
own pace.

Giving satisfaction
and sense of
purpose

In the family setting, family members enjoy life with each other
through satisfying activities.

Ensuring continuity
of companionship

In most cases, family associations that provide sympathetic

companionship and encouragement can be expected to endure.

Providing social
placement and
socialisation

The family serves as the transmitter of culture from one

generation to the next and prepares family members for their
place in the social hierarchy.

Imposing controls
and a sense of what
is right

Within the family, members first learn the rules, rights,

obligations and responsibilities which are characteristic of
human societies.
Source: Duvall & Miller (1985)

ACTIVITY 5.2
In a group, research and discuss the life cycles as categorised by Duvall
and Miller (1985).

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5.3.2

ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY TOWARD HEALTH AND

WELLNESS AND HEALTHY LIVING

Family Development and Tasks of a Family

A healthy family performs all roles appropriately according to family members

ages, competences and needs during a family life cycle. The family life cycle
dimensions provide the basis for the study of families over time and emphasise
family members and families developmental tasks at every stage of
development. The family life cycle also stresses on critical developmental periods
and recognises the need for services and programmes for families throughout the
life cycle.
Briefly, the family is expected to perform certain tasks, including tasks during
illness of its members, such as follows:
(a)

Provide for the physical safety, daily routines, and economic needs of its
members and obtain enough resources to function;

(b)

Create a sense of family loyalty and security and a mentally healthy

environment for the familys well-being;

(c)

Reproduce and socialise the child(ren), teaching values, and appropriate

behaviour including positive health behaviour;

(d)

Teach members to effectively communicate their needs, ideas, feelings and

respect for each other;

(e)

Provide social togetherness simultaneously with the division of labour,

patterning sexual roles and performance of family roles with flexibility and
cooperation;

(f)

Help members to develop physically, emotionally, intellectually and

spiritually, and to develop a personal and family identity while adjusting to
the demands of family life; and

(g)

Release family members into the larger society, for example, schools,
religious institutions, organisations, employment and, eventually, another
family unit.

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5.3.3

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Health Tasks of a Family

The basic function of the family is to protect the health of family members and to
provide supportive nurturing care during periods of illness. The family is the
primary social system within which an individual develops, is nurtured, and
becomes socialised and it is where personal growth is fostered. The family
contributes to health of individual members by supporting the physical and
psychosocial development of the members. It is within the family unit that
members develop that concept of health and established their health habits.
The family, as a social unit, develops a system of values, beliefs and attitudes
about health and illness, which are imparted to members demonstrated through
health-illness behaviours of family members. The family also functions as a
primary source of transmitting health-related cultural traits to the next
generation. Let us have a look at the health-related functions and tasks of the
family as follows:
(a)

Provision of adequate food, shelter, and clothing;

(b)

Maintenance of health supporting psychosocial home environment, a home

environment conducive to health maintenance and personal development;

(c)

Provision of resources for maintenance of personal hygiene;

(d)

Provision of resources to meet spiritual needs;

(e)

Health education;

(f)

Health promotion (nutrition, exercise, etc.);

(g)

Health-illness decision making;

(h)

Recognition of health disruptions, such as illness or a childs failure to

thrive;

(i)

Seeking health care;

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(j)

Seeking dental care;

(k)

Provision of first aid;

(l)

Supervision of medication;

(m) Provision of rehabilitation care;

(n)

Involvement with community health, maintaining a reciprocal relationship

with the community and its health institutions;

(o)

Dealing effectively with health and non-health crises; and

(p)

Provision of care to sick, disabled or dependent members of family.

The health-related functions and tasks listed above are applicable to most
families, depending on the family characteristics. It is evident that understanding
the family is not a simple task. There are models and theories that provide a wide
array of ideas about how a family works. However, some concepts seem to be
universal or common across the theories.
The health of a family is the primary concern of health care professionals.
However, the family has the main role in ensuring the health tasks are achieved.

5.3.4

Characteristics of a Healthy Family

Family refers to the interactions of family members, especially the quality of

relationships and interactions. The following are characteristics of a healthy
family, according to Dunst, Trivette and Deal (1988):
(a)

A belief and sense of commitment towards promoting the well-being and

growth of individual family members, as well as that of the family unit;

(b)

Appreciation for the small and large things that individual family members
do well and encouragement to do better;

(c)

Concentrated effort to spend time and do things together, no matter how

formal or informal the activity or event;

(d)

A sense of purpose that permeates the reasons and basis for going on in
both bad and good times;

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(e)

A sense of congruence among family members regarding the values and

importance of assigning time and energy to meet needs;

(f)

The ability to communicate with one another in a way that emphasises

positive interactions;

(g)

A clear set of family rules, values and beliefs that establishes expectations
about acceptable and desired behaviour;

(h)

A varied repertoire of coping strategies that promotes positive functioning

in dealing with both normative and non-normative life events;

(i)

The ability to engage in problem-solving activities designed to evaluate

options for meeting needs and procuring resources; and

(j)

The ability to be positive and see the positive in almost all aspects of their
lives, including the ability to see crises and problems as opportunities to
learn and grow.

The qualities mentioned above appear to define strong families. Certain

combinations of these qualities also define the familys functioning style, which is
their unique way of dealing with life events and promoting growth and
development.

SELF-CHECK 5.3
1.

Explain the functions of a family.

2.

Discuss the health tasks of a family and provide relevant

examples.

3.

Explain the characteristics of a healthy family.

4.

Elaborate on the significance of a healthy family.

ACTIVITY 5.3
Relate both the family functions and health-related functions to your
own family by giving examples.

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ROLE OF THE
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INDIVIDUA
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C J., Trivettee, C. M., & Deal,
D
A. G. (1988). Enabli
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milies: Princip
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delines for prractice. Cambrridge, MA: Brookline
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M
B. C. (1985). Mar
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devellopment.
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L (2014). Heallthy lifestyle living
l
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htttp://www.heealthylifestyleesliving.com/
/about-us/.
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Health Organiisation. (2006). Working to
ogether: The World
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th Report
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W