Page 192 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

Being Well, Feeling Well

One of the hallmarks of a person committed to self growth is having a strong desire to grow and develop in
all aspects of life. So much of what we think of as “school stuff” is related directly to cognitive (thinking)
skills. But you are more than your thoughts; you have a physical dimension, as well as an emotional
dimension. Have you ever tried to write a paper or finish a reading assignment while you had the flu? Or
tried to concentrate on taking a test while you were worried about money or bad news you’d just received?
As the Theory of Performance made clear in Chapter 1, your performance as a student depends upon being
able to deal with personal and fixed factors as well as cognitive skills. Personal and fixed factors can be a
real challenge because they’re usually not overtly addressed in a school environment. With this in mind,
the remainder of this chapter will introduce critical aspects of being well (physical well-being) and feeling
well (emotional well-being).

Health and Physical Well-Being Health and Wellness-

The main factors that affect your health and physical well-being and Related Information
impact your performance as a student are nutrition, fitness, stress, and
sleep. There are learning skills which are concerned only with physical on the Web
well-being and wellness. Some of the most critical wellness skills are:
Chapter 7 of the Foundations
Physical Development Skills: Wellness of Learning online resources
has numerous links to sites
eating a healthy diet managing stress
exercising recreating on the World Wide Web
sleeping relaxing pertaining to topics related to
maintaining hygiene health and wellness issues.

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.

The links from Chapter 7 of the Foundations of Learning online resources provide a great deal of
information about health and fitness. As always, you should consult a physician before you start any
exercise program.

186 Foundations of Learning