edtechdev/chatbotfiles · Datasets at Hugging Face

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is 2/3 cups, so if you have double that amount, it’s the equivalent of spooning out 5 teaspoons of sugar. The
lower the sugar the better.
It’s also important to avoid high amounts of sodium, to minimize saturated fats, and to avoid all trans fats.
Trans fats are unhealthy substances made through the process of solidifying liquid oils to increase the shelf life
of foods. Also called partially hydrogenated oil, trans fats are often found in margarine, microwave popcorn,
crackers, cookies, and frozen pizza. Saturated fat usually comes from animal products like butter and meat fat.
Saturated fat tends to raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, and while some is OK, moderation is best.
Dietary fiber is a good thing; the higher the number the better. Fiber has virtually no calories, but it holds
water in your stomach, makes you feel full, and helps with digestion. Vitamins are very important. Aim to get
to 100 percent of your recommended daily value through the food you eat throughout the day.
Next, look at the ingredient list that can be found at the bottom of the nutrition label. A long list of ingredients

Access for free at openstax.org

11.1 • Taking Care of Your Physical Health

likely contains fillers and preservatives you should avoid. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, you can
generally assume it is not a healthy option. And it’s not only what you eat, it’s what you don’t eat. As a rule, the
fewer the ingredients, the better.
This video on how to read a food label (https://openstax.org/l/foodlabels) is a helpful overview on what else to
look for.
You can also download the Fooducate app, which allows you to scan the bar code of any food item and quickly
see a report card and suggestions for healthier alternatives.

ANALYSIS QUESTION
Take a few minutes to write down everything you ate in the last two days. Now review your list and estimate
what percent of your food intake came from whole foods. How did your meals compare to The Healthy
Plate? Where is there opportunity for healthier choices? How can these changes benefit you?

What You Drink
What is your go-to drink when you are thirsty? Soda? Juice? Coffee? How about water? Most of your blood and
every cell in your body is composed of water. In fact, water makes up 60 to 80 percent of our entire body mass,
so when we don’t consume enough water, all kinds of complications can occur. To function properly, all the
cells and organs in our body need water. Proper hydration is key to overall health and well-being. By the time
you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Dehydration is when your body does not have as much water and
fluids as it needs. Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic discovered that mild dehydration (as little as losing 1 to 2
4
percent of body water) can impair cognitive performance. Water increases energy and relieves fatigue, helps
maintain weight, flushes toxins, improves skin complexion, improves digestion, and is a natural headache
remedy (your brain is 76 percent water). Headaches, migraines, and back pains are commonly caused by
dehydration. Your body will also let you know it needs water by messaging through muscle cramps, achy
joints, constipation, dry skin, and of course a dry mouth.
Aside from feeling thirsty, the easiest way to tell if you are dehydrated is to check your urine. If it is a dark
shade of yellow, your urine is over-concentrated with waste. This happens because water helps flush out waste
and when you’re hydrated there’s a higher ratio of water to waste, turning your urine a lighter color.
One of the best habits you can develop is to drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning. Your body
becomes a little dehydrated as you sleep. Drinking water first thing in the morning allows your body to
rehydrate, which helps with digestion and helps move the bowels for regularity in the morning. It also helps to
eliminate the toxins your liver processed while you slept.
Check out this video (https://openstax.org/l/drinkwater) for more benefits of drinking water.
Staying hydrated is important to keep your body healthy, energized, and running properly. As a general
guideline, aim to drink eight glasses of water a day, although a more helpful guide is to drink half your body
weight in ounces (for example, if you weigh 150 lb, try to drink 75 oz of water a day). One of the best ways to
remind yourself to drink throughout the day is to buy a reusable bottle and bring it everywhere you go. There
are two reasons to use a refillable water bottle instead of a plastic bottle:
1. Your own health. Most plastic water bottles have a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA), which is added to
plastics to make them more durable and pliable. BPA is known to disrupt hormones and has been linked
to sperm dysfunction.
2. The health of the planet. Do you know that every time you drink from a plastic water bottle and casually
4 University of Virginia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4207053/

339

340

11 • Engaging in a Healthy Lifestyle

5

toss it in the trash, it can stay on the planet approximately 450 years? Even when you recycle, the
complex nature of recycling doesn’t guarantee your plastic bottle will make it through the process.
Americans purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, averaging 13 bottles a month for each of us.
6
By using a reusable water bottle, you can save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually.

“But I don’t like the taste of water!” It may take time, but eventually you will. Add a little more each day, and
eventually your body will feel so fantastic fully hydrated that you will have water cravings. In the meantime,
you can visit the dining hall in the morning and add lemon, lime, berries, watermelon, cucumbers, or whatever
taste you enjoy that will add a little healthy flavor to the water.
While water is undeniably the healthiest beverage you can drink, it is unrealistic to assume that is all you will
drink. Be careful to minimize your soda intake, as most sodas are loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners
(which can be even worse than sugar). And unless you are squeezing your own fruit juice, you are also likely
drinking a lot of sugar. Many fruit juices sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit
juice, and have added sugar and other unhealthy sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup. A 12-oz glass of
orange juice can contain up to 9 teaspoons of sugar, about the same as a 12-oz can of Coke! Hot or cold herbal
teas are a wonderful addition to your diet.

Exercise
Many people exercise to maintain or lose weight, or increase cardiovascular health, but physical outcomes are
only one potential benefit of exercise. Regular exercise can improve the quality of your sleep, strengthen your
bones, increase your energy levels, and reduce your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and even some
7
forms of cancer. Regular exercise is key to living a long, healthy life.
There are three basic types of exercise—flexibility, strength training, and cardiovascular.
1. Flexibility is the range in motion of the joints in your body, or the ability for your muscles to move freely.
Without adequate flexibility, daily activities can become difficult to do. Stretching increases your body’s
flexibility, improves circulation, and sends more blood to your muscles. Just a few minutes a day of deep
stretching can have a powerfully positive impact on your health. Yoga and Tai Chi are other wonderful
ways to improve your flexibility.
2. Strength is the body’s ability to produce force. Strength training helps improve muscle strength and

is 2/3 cups, so if you have double that amount, it’s the equivalent of spooning out 5 teaspoons of sugar. The

lower the sugar the better.

It’s also important to avoid high amounts of sodium, to minimize saturated fats, and to avoid all trans fats.

Trans fats are unhealthy substances made through the process of solidifying liquid oils to increase the shelf life

of foods. Also called partially hydrogenated oil, trans fats are often found in margarine, microwave popcorn,

crackers, cookies, and frozen pizza. Saturated fat usually comes from animal products like butter and meat fat.

Saturated fat tends to raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, and while some is OK, moderation is best.

Dietary fiber is a good thing; the higher the number the better. Fiber has virtually no calories, but it holds

water in your stomach, makes you feel full, and helps with digestion. Vitamins are very important. Aim to get

to 100 percent of your recommended daily value through the food you eat throughout the day.

Next, look at the ingredient list that can be found at the bottom of the nutrition label. A long list of ingredients

Access for free at openstax.org

11.1 • Taking Care of Your Physical Health

likely contains fillers and preservatives you should avoid. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, you can

generally assume it is not a healthy option. And it’s not only what you eat, it’s what you don’t eat. As a rule, the

fewer the ingredients, the better.

This video on how to read a food label (https://openstax.org/l/foodlabels) is a helpful overview on what else to

look for.

You can also download the Fooducate app, which allows you to scan the bar code of any food item and quickly

see a report card and suggestions for healthier alternatives.

ANALYSIS QUESTION

Take a few minutes to write down everything you ate in the last two days. Now review your list and estimate

what percent of your food intake came from whole foods. How did your meals compare to The Healthy

Plate? Where is there opportunity for healthier choices? How can these changes benefit you?

What You Drink

What is your go-to drink when you are thirsty? Soda? Juice? Coffee? How about water? Most of your blood and

every cell in your body is composed of water. In fact, water makes up 60 to 80 percent of our entire body mass,

so when we don’t consume enough water, all kinds of complications can occur. To function properly, all the

cells and organs in our body need water. Proper hydration is key to overall health and well-being. By the time

you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Dehydration is when your body does not have as much water and

fluids as it needs. Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic discovered that mild dehydration (as little as losing 1 to 2

4

percent of body water) can impair cognitive performance. Water increases energy and relieves fatigue, helps

maintain weight, flushes toxins, improves skin complexion, improves digestion, and is a natural headache

remedy (your brain is 76 percent water). Headaches, migraines, and back pains are commonly caused by

dehydration. Your body will also let you know it needs water by messaging through muscle cramps, achy

joints, constipation, dry skin, and of course a dry mouth.

Aside from feeling thirsty, the easiest way to tell if you are dehydrated is to check your urine. If it is a dark

shade of yellow, your urine is over-concentrated with waste. This happens because water helps flush out waste

and when you’re hydrated there’s a higher ratio of water to waste, turning your urine a lighter color.

One of the best habits you can develop is to drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning. Your body

becomes a little dehydrated as you sleep. Drinking water first thing in the morning allows your body to

rehydrate, which helps with digestion and helps move the bowels for regularity in the morning. It also helps to

eliminate the toxins your liver processed while you slept.

Check out this video (https://openstax.org/l/drinkwater) for more benefits of drinking water.

Staying hydrated is important to keep your body healthy, energized, and running properly. As a general

guideline, aim to drink eight glasses of water a day, although a more helpful guide is to drink half your body

weight in ounces (for example, if you weigh 150 lb, try to drink 75 oz of water a day). One of the best ways to

remind yourself to drink throughout the day is to buy a reusable bottle and bring it everywhere you go. There

are two reasons to use a refillable water bottle instead of a plastic bottle:

1. Your own health. Most plastic water bottles have a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA), which is added to

plastics to make them more durable and pliable. BPA is known to disrupt hormones and has been linked

to sperm dysfunction.

2. The health of the planet. Do you know that every time you drink from a plastic water bottle and casually

4 University of Virginia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4207053/

339

340

11 • Engaging in a Healthy Lifestyle

5

toss it in the trash, it can stay on the planet approximately 450 years? Even when you recycle, the

complex nature of recycling doesn’t guarantee your plastic bottle will make it through the process.

Americans purchase about 50 billion water bottles per year, averaging 13 bottles a month for each of us.

6

By using a reusable water bottle, you can save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually.

“But I don’t like the taste of water!” It may take time, but eventually you will. Add a little more each day, and

eventually your body will feel so fantastic fully hydrated that you will have water cravings. In the meantime,

you can visit the dining hall in the morning and add lemon, lime, berries, watermelon, cucumbers, or whatever

taste you enjoy that will add a little healthy flavor to the water.

While water is undeniably the healthiest beverage you can drink, it is unrealistic to assume that is all you will

drink. Be careful to minimize your soda intake, as most sodas are loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners

(which can be even worse than sugar). And unless you are squeezing your own fruit juice, you are also likely

drinking a lot of sugar. Many fruit juices sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit

juice, and have added sugar and other unhealthy sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup. A 12-oz glass of

orange juice can contain up to 9 teaspoons of sugar, about the same as a 12-oz can of Coke! Hot or cold herbal

teas are a wonderful addition to your diet.

Exercise

Many people exercise to maintain or lose weight, or increase cardiovascular health, but physical outcomes are

only one potential benefit of exercise. Regular exercise can improve the quality of your sleep, strengthen your

bones, increase your energy levels, and reduce your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and even some

7

forms of cancer. Regular exercise is key to living a long, healthy life.

There are three basic types of exercise—flexibility, strength training, and cardiovascular.

1. Flexibility is the range in motion of the joints in your body, or the ability for your muscles to move freely.

Without adequate flexibility, daily activities can become difficult to do. Stretching increases your body’s

flexibility, improves circulation, and sends more blood to your muscles. Just a few minutes a day of deep

stretching can have a powerfully positive impact on your health. Yoga and Tai Chi are other wonderful

ways to improve your flexibility.

2. Strength is the body’s ability to produce force. Strength training helps improve muscle strength and