Impact of Chronic Disease

course syllabus for Your Well-Being online health and wellness education course

Course Outline

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the significant impact of lifestyle choices on the prevalence and severity of chronic diseases and the role of individual behavior in managing these conditions.

Behavioral Objective

Assess your own lifestyle choices related to diet, physical activity, and stress management to identify changes that can decrease the risk and impact of chronic diseases.

Key Thought

While chronic diseases pose a significant health and economic burden, many cases are not inevitable and can be effectively managed or even reversed through informed lifestyle choices.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the significant impact of lifestyle choices on the prevalence and severity of chronic diseases and the role of individual behavior in managing these conditions.

Behavioral Objective

Assess your own lifestyle choices related to diet, physical activity, and stress management to identify changes that can decrease the risk and impact of chronic diseases.

Key Thought

While chronic diseases pose a significant health and economic burden, many cases are not inevitable and can be effectively managed or even reversed through informed lifestyle choices.

Terms

Habit

noun

An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. "The habit of looking both ways before crossing the street."

Terms

Habit

noun

An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. "The habit of looking both ways before crossing the street."

Read
Watch
Activities

Introduction

In the United States, 50% of the population has at least one chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, depression, asthma, or autoimmune conditions like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. These diseases are responsible for 75% of US healthcare expenditures and extend their impact far beyond the individual to affect families and communities.

Understanding the Burden of Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases increase susceptibility to other illnesses, elevate medical costs, and are linked with lower quality of life, increased depression, and significant economic challenges including bankruptcy.

Myths and Realities of Chronic Disease

Is chronic disease inevitable? Is it predominantly genetic? Contrary to common belief, chronic disease is not inevitable, nor is it primarily genetic. Many chronic conditions are the result of lifestyle choices and behavior patterns over time which introduce negative stressors on the body. These stressors often escalate, becoming more severe or leading to additional unhealthy habits.

An example is the individual who smokes when drinking; these behaviors can reinforce each other, escalating the health risks associated with each.

Chronic Disease as a Choice?

While no one chooses to have a chronic disease, lifestyle choices play a significant role in the development and management of these conditions. This program aims to empower you to make changes that can mitigate the impact of chronic diseases or even reverse their progression.

The modern Western lifestyle, characterized by poor diet and sedentary habits, is increasingly adopted globally, leading to similar increases in chronic diseases internationally. For instance, the Pima Indians in Arizona show a much higher rate of diabetes compared to their relatives in Mexico, illustrating the profound impact of lifestyle on health.

Key lifestyle factors that influence the development of chronic diseases include sleep patterns, stress perception, physical activity, dietary choices, food preparation methods, and exposure to environmental toxins.

Start Getting Healthy Immediately : 1:26

How Can I Prevent Diabetes? : 02:22

Super Habit Breathing

This week, create a new habit that you can use while you are driving. Every time you come to a stoplight, take several deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.