Page 361 - Learning to Learn

LEARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF -GROWER 361
EXPERIENCE 12: U SING FAILURE AS A STEPPING STONE TO SUCCESS READING
Health and Physical Well-Being
The main factors that affect your health and physical well-being and impact your performance as a
student are nutrition, fitness, stress, and sleep. There are learning skills which are concerned only with
physical well-being and wellness. Some of the most critical wellness skills are:
Physical Development Skills: Wellness
eating a healthy diet exercising
sleeping maintaining hygiene
managing stress recreating relaxing
Nutrition
Eating a nutritious diet is an important part of maintaining good health. However, for many students,
nutrition is a topic that is often neglected or misunderstood. The Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion has a web site that you are encouraged to look at. This site provides information about
dietary guidelines, nutrition insights, a food guide pyramid, an eating healthy index, information about
the nutrient content of different foods, links to other nutrition-related sites, and more. The staff at the
Center is composed of expert nutritionists, nutrition scientists, and economists who provide nutrition
guidance based on sound research and analysis.
Fitness
One of the most effective ways to promote good health is through exercise and maintaining a level of
fitness. Exercise provides benefits to both your physical and mental health. As a student, you should
take advantage of the facilities and programs your college has to offer. Involve a friend or fellow
student to add to your enjoyment.
Stress
Stress is a physical and psychological reaction that occurs as a result of being in situations that cause
some degree of anxiety or tension. Stress is an unavoidable part of life. While
exams, illness, or the breakup of a relationship can all be triggers for stress, it
is the response to these situations that actually makes the stress. In order to be
stressed-out by something, you have to understand, think, and feel; stress is not a
pressure exerted from the outside but is your reaction to a perceived situation.
Some stress can be natural, perhaps even exciting and gives you energy
to meet a challenge or opportunity. However, problems occur when stress
becomes excessive. It can become destructive and can turn into distress.
Too much stress on your mind and body can make you miserable, worried,
sad, and physically ill. The amount of stress each person can handle depends
upon the situations in which they are involved and differs from person to
person. For more information about stress and how to handle or best cope
with stress, visit a campus counselor.
The American Institute of Stress is a non-profit organization that has a web
site which serves as a clearinghouse for information on stress-related subjects.