BIO 1156: Health Action Plan - University Student Project

This assignment presents a student's health action plan, developed for a BIO 1156 course. The plan begins with self-identification of two areas of strength (psychosocial and spiritual well-being) and two areas needing improvement (physical and intellectual health). The student identifies diabetes and cardiovascular disease as top chronic health concerns, likely influenced by family history and lifestyle choices. A one-month health plan is detailed, outlining strategies to mitigate the risks of diabetes (sugar control, exercise, diet, and smoking cessation) and cardiovascular disease (smoking cessation, blood pressure management, and weight control). The student reflects on the course, acknowledging the interconnectedness of health and wellness, and the importance of making lifestyle changes. The student plans to continue stress management techniques and use the health action plan as a tool for ongoing self-assessment and improvement. The student expresses satisfaction with their progress in wellness and their commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Running head: PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
1. Identification of two (2) areas of your health and wellness
The two areas of health and wellness that I had provided attention was psychosocial
and spiritual thus help in stress management. For reducing stress related to psychosocial
factors, I have been exercising on a regular basis. This helps me in diverting my mind from
all worldly issues for some time and allow me to think of each aspect of life. The utilization
of my time during exercise help in resolving some of the crucial problems. The second action
that I have been continuing from my teenage that allowed be in strengthening my
psychosocial and spiritual wellbeing is meditation. Meditation is a technique that helps in
focusing the mind into a particular object. For the years, it had helped me in calming down,
providing a fresh start to the day and relieving stress, gaining attention and awareness. It
clears my mind and helps me to attain calm and stable wellbeing emotionally.
Life changes with time and is not stagnant and with it, each individual is bound to
face various challenges and obstacle. A strategy that I will use for ensuring that I thrive in
being psychosocially active and thrive in difficult times is a reduction in caffeine content that
affect the body in a negative and increase the stress factors. The second strategy that I will
adopt in case of spiritual wellbeing is to join a yoga class that will help me in gaining
professional training.
There is no measurement technique that will help in assessing my satisfaction level or
understanding whether my wellness in the areas falls or high. However, mental satisfaction in
life state that psychosocial and spiritual wellbeing is attained. I feel that I am content and
calm in difficult situations and I am able to resolve issues with any form of stress or anxiety
indicates that my wellness level is high which in the opposite case would indicate had fallen.
2. Identification of two areas of health and wellness that need to be
enhanced

2PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
The two areas of health and wellness that I need to enhance will be physical and
intellectual, as I believe that somewhere I lack in these areas. When though I exercise
regularly, however, due to my smoking habit, I feel that I am not being able to enhance my
physical wellness to the desired level. I suffer from various physical ailment and I understand
that my body requires more attention because it gets tired quickly. On the other hand, due to
daily work stress and other factors, I feel that I need to enhance my intellectual ability
furthermore that will help in getting things done more efficiently. Intellectual needs can never
be satisfied completely and I feel that the thirst of knowledge needs to be satisfied as much as
the person is capable of and therefore, I want to draw my attention in these two areas of
health and wellness.
For increasing my satisfaction in physical aspects, I will join a smoking cessation
program, which will allow me in systematic quit in the habit of smoking. As I stated earlier,
the habit is causing deterioration in my health condition, as I am growing old; thus, I need to
curb this as soon as possible to live a healthy life. The action that I would take to my quench
for intellectual satisfaction is to conduct for research and learn from every possible medium.
After quitting smoking, my body will automatically give the sign that it is working
more efficient for example, it will not get tired quickly as it used to be thus indicating that I
had reached satisfaction in this area. For intellectual satisfaction, when I will be able to have
a long conversation about any known topic with my colleague and I will be appreciated, I
will think that I am satisfied.
3. Identification of the top chronic or current disease/issue
Based on my family health history, diabetes runs in my family and thus, I am at a high
risk of acquiring the disease due to genetic factors. Another chronic issue that may occur in

3PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
the near future due to the habit of smoking is a stroke or cardiovascular disease, which can be
deadly and may have serious implication in my life.
The lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to reduce the risk of diabetes is to
curb the amount of sugar consumption in the diet. The high level of sugar will be one of the
major that increase the risk of the occurrence of the disease and thus, it is important to limit it
or avoid it completely. On the other hand, the plan of joining a smoking cessation plan will
reduce the possibility of acquiring both cardiovascular disease as well as diabetes. This is
because of both the disease are found to be overlapping in behavior and there is report than
about 1/3rd of the smokers have a chance of diabetes. Therefore, it is important to quit
smoking as soon as possible.
One month Health Plan
The one-month Health Plan intends to focus on the chronic illnesses that are diabetes
and cardiovascular disease. The change in lifestyle and behavior need to be made in order to
reduce the possibilities of occurrence of these diseases. As I want to lead a healthy and
fulfilling life, it is important that I adopt strategies and activities that would assist me in
protecting myself from the concern of these diseases.
Diabetes
Action or strategy
that needs to be
changed
Alternate action or
strategy
Frequency Benefit
Consumption of
sugar
Use of sugar-free
products
Daily basis This will help in
maintaining the
normal sugar level in

4PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
the body
Sedentary lifestyle Regular exercise Daily for 1-2 hours Exercise will help in
optimal blood flow
in the body and
maintaining a
healthy balance
Eating whatever is
available
Converting to a low-
carbohydrate diet
Daily It helps in improving
the blood sugar level
Smoking Quit smoking Daily Help in lowering the
sugar in the body
The habit of eating
unhealthy and
processed food
Eating a healthy diet
such as fruit and
vegetables
Daily This will use in
maintaining the
balance of the body
thus, keep the body
fit and healthy
Alcohol
consumption
Limiting the
consumption level or
no consumption of
alcohol
Sometime Alcohol increase the
blood sugar level at
an extreme level at a
sudden rate
Stressing or
worrying
Controlling blood
pressure at the
optimal level
Regular checking of
blood pressure level
Blood pressure has
an impact on the
sugar level and it is
important to control

5PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
this factor by
reducing stress in
life
Table 1: Health Plan for Diabetes
Cardiovascular Disease
Action or strategy
that needs to be
changed
Alternate action or
strategy
Frequency Benefit
Smoking Smoking Cessation
Program
For a month It helps in reducing
the risk of
cardiovascular
disease or other
associated
complications
High blood pressure Controlling blood
pressure at a normal
range
Check blood
pressure regularly
High blood pressure
increases the risk of
heart problem.
Obesity Reducing weight
with proper diet
For one month Diet help in
maintaining optimal
health condition
Sedentary behaviour Regular exercise At least half an hour
freehand exercise
Living a healthy life
allows a person to
curb the negative

6PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
impact of the
disease.
Table 2: Health Plan for Heart Risk
4. Reflection
The biggest thing that I have learned about myself over the course of the semester and
the activities was the connection between health and wellness. Prior to the course, I was of
the opinion that being health is wellness; however, I have gained in-depth knowledge related
to these concepts from both practical and theoretical aspects. I learned that health is a state of
being whereas wellness is a stated of being healthy and thus, people need to focus on both of
these areas in order to live a satisfying and accomplishing life. The education-related to
health and wellness help in raising awareness among students and motivate to improve as
well as maintain optimal health status and prevent the risk of disease as I have made health
plan for myself.
After reviewing my daily wellness checks, the common theme that I had obtained
were physical ailments, stress level and nutrition. All these three topics are found to be
interconnected to each other and have a deep relation in my wellness program. As found in
the health plan of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, physical illness and nutrition have
been majorly focused upon; however, the aspect of stress was not highlighted. The changes
that I would like to make in order to gain a positive outcome is to continue my meditation
session in the morning to reduce the unnecessary stress level in my life.
I had identified some “red-flags” in my lifestyle choices that I was unaware of prior to
the project that includes the consumption of sugar and high blood pressure level, which I
thought was not concerning.

7PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN
I would like the tool of Health Action plan in a modified version based on my health
condition to check my health and wellness down the road.
I am most proud of myself in term of health and wellness that I am satisfied in life and
is continuously trying to gain optimal wellbeing instead of just being reluctant. I have seen
many people of my age with huge stress level and they do not know the way of managing it;
however, I had continually used different stress management strategies to help my spiritual
and psychosocial wellbeing, which is at an optimal level.