GUIDE ON

HEALTH
DIMENSIONS

Healthy bodies!
Healthy minds!

Erasmus+ KA229 partnership

2019-2022

 Healthy bodies! Healthy minds!

"Healthy bodies! Healthy minds!" Erasmus+ project aimed to
promote a new attitude and a healthy lifestyle, a strong mind in a
healthy body, not only to teachers and students, but also in the local,
national and international communities. To achieve all these, the

ERASMUS+
participating schools aimed to organize and coordinate activities
related to these six dimensions of health: physical, intellectual,
social, spiritual, emotional and environmental. We encouraged
students and young people in general to play and learn together, to
ensure their healthy development, to enrich their cultural
knowledge and, in addition, to increase the quality of educational
services, giving participants a healthy living.
The need that led to the writing of this project was the fact that
students have many health-related problems. Students were
tired, stressed, had an unhealthy lifestyle and this had
consequences on their school performance. Their school results
were not as good as they should be, students did not concentrate
enough during classes and the worst thing was leaving school at
a young age.
The partner schools intended to make students more health
conscious. Many people think of health only in terms of physical
health. Wellness is more than physical health. It is a complete
integration of physical, mental, social, spiritual, emotional and
environmental health. It is a complex dimension that contributes to
the quality of life and each dimension has an influence on the other.
Sometimes one may be more prominent than the other, but
neglecting either dimension has negative effects on overall health.
Therefore, it is essential to help students take care of them in their daily
lives. That's why all six schools planned to emphasize the importance of
these six dimensions of health to improve students’ success, achievement
and focus and prevent early school leaving. Maintaining the health and
harmonious development of students is the basic condition for an effective
education, an education that encourages reflection, creativity, confidence,
solidarity and movement, causing young people to spend more time
outdoors.
TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The contributions, tasks and responsibilities of each involved school were clearly
established before the application. All these were included in the application form
and partners knew what they had to do from the very beginning.
ALL PARTNERS:
created the project teams: students and teachers according to clear rules and
selection criteria
created national project websites, parts of the common website and these were
regularly updated
created an Erasmus+ project corner
joined the Facebook group and created eTwinning accounts
worked on presentations about their cities/villages, regions, countries
taught students engaged in the project about the different types of health
created presentations on each health dimension
involved students in activities to improve their health dimensions
participated in logo competitions
created questionnaires on health dimensions
organised meetings with local institutions
took part in LTT activities
disseminated activities and results after each visit- video reports
shared project results, products with the project coordinator
During LTT activities, school coordinators or other project team members attended
two management meetings, the most important project matters were discussed
and decisions were made.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
COORDINATOR:
was responsible for project implementation sustained by a team of school
coordinators from each partner school
ensured that all project activities were successfully and transparently
completed
involved each partner in every step of the project
created a project work program with agreed activities and deadlines
took responsibility for the effective flow of information between
participants in project activities
published project results on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform
SCHOOL COORDINATORS:
guided the project teams during the project
organized activities on local level
provided necessary communication with other partner schools and NAs

BY COUNTRIES:
RO - questionnaire and informative brochure on Intellectual Health, Rule
Book, online guide on Health Dimensions
TR - questionnaire and informative brochure on Spiritual Health
IT - questionnaire and informative brochure on Environmental Health, 2nd
issue of the e-magazine, eTwinning
ES - questionnaire and informative brochure on Emotional Health, 1st issue
of the e-magazine
PL– questionnaire and informative brochure on Physical Health, project
website
GR- questionnaire and informative brochure on Social Health, booklet on
Health Dimensions

This project addressed to students, especially to those with fewer opportunities. At

the beginning of the project, each school selected, according to transparent set of
rules, a team of up to 30 students, who took part in project activities and the most
successful ones and the most active ones, took part in the project LLT activities.
During the three years of implementation, schools organised other selections for
students, especially those who took part virtually because of Covid-19 restrictions
in their countries, the pandemic situation or because of the regulations regarding
travelling. Involving a higher number of students brought an added value to the
project because more students benefited from being involved in the project’s
activities. Altogether, more than 1200 students, aged 13 to 18, were involved in the
project’s local activities organised in each school, physically or virtually.
Students, after taking part in LTT activities, disseminated the information and the
knowledge they gained about each health dimension to the other local
participants. They presented their digitalised reports and involved, helped by
teachers, the local participants in similar activities like those from LLT activities,
acquiring new information how to take care of their health and about the
importance of this for their school results and class attendance.
Students developed their creativity, practical skills and theoretical aspects related
to health dimensions. They had the chance to pass over some communication
barriers, improve their communication skills in English, their interpersonal, social
and team work skills. They also improved their ICT skills working on
presentations and posters.
Each partner school had a team of at least five teachers who were involved in
organising the local activities, taking part in LTT activities, coordinated
students to create the final products of the project. Each team had at least two
English teachers who eased communication with the other school partners, a
school psychologist who helped with the activities, an ICT teacher who helped
students work on their presentations, flyers, brochures, post information on
the website and PE teacher who was responsible with outdoor activities. Each
team had also a management team, in charge with good implementation of
the project.
Teachers improved their collaboration and communication skills, shared
ideas, suggestions, opinions, improved their analytical and critical skills,
observed similarities and differences among partner schools and countries.
They gained experience in organising Erasmus+ exchanges and coordinating
teams of students.

Parents had an important contribution on the host country’s culture and

traditions. When the pandemic situation allowed it, students were hosted in
families, getting in touch with the traditions and customs from that country.
 What is wellness?

WELLNESS
Many people think about wellness in terms of physical health only.
Wellness is not only being free of disease, illness, or stress but also
having a purpose in life, being emotionally healthy, taking an active
involvement in your work and in your leisure time, having joyful
relationships and being happy.​​
To enjoy fulfilled and happy lives, it is important to take care of
your well-being and to invest time in your wellness. Wellness is a
full integration of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. It is a
complex interaction that leads to quality of life. Wellness is the
pursuit of continued growth and balance in the six dimensions of
wellness.

Wellness Definitions
Mirriam-Webster defines wellness as: the quality or state of
being in good health especially as an actively sought goal
The Cambridge Dictionary defines wellness as: the state of
being healthy
Dictionary.com defines wellness as: an approach to
healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging
life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases

Wellness Synonyms
Wellbeing
Fitness
Wholeness
Healthiness
Soundness

Page 1
As mentioned before, people often think
about wellness in terms of physical
health — nutrition, exercise, weight
management, but it is so much more.

Wellness is a holistic integration of

physical, mental, and spiritual well-
being, fuelling the body, engaging the
mind, and nurturing the spirit. Although
it always includes striving for health, it’s
more about living life fully, and is “a
lifestyle and a personalized approach to
living life in a way that allows you to
become the best kind of person that
your potentials, circumstances, and fate
will allow”.

Wellness is commonly viewed as having

six dimensions. Each dimension
contributes to our own sense of
wellness or quality of life, and each
affects and overlaps the others. At times
one may be more prominent than
others, but neglect of any one
dimension for any length of time has
adverse effects on overall health.

These six dimensions of health are

physical, intellectual, emotional,
spiritual, social and environmental.
They provide a full picture of health as a
change in any dimension affects the
others.
 Emotional health is a dynamic state that
fluctuates frequently with your other six
dimensions of wellness. Being emotionally well
is typically defined as possessing the ability to
feel and express human emotions such as
happiness, sadness and anger. It means having
the ability to love and be loved and achieving a
sense of fulfilment in life. Emotional wellness
encompasses optimism, self-esteem, self-
acceptance and the ability to share feelings.

Emotional health is about the persons mood or

general emotional state. It is our ability to
recognise and express feelings adequately. It
relates to your self-esteem as well as your ability
control your emotions to maintain a realistic
perspective on situations. The relationship
between emotional and mental health is clear
and as such some illnesses relate to both, such
as: depression and anxiety.

Emotional health affects the other

dimensions of health as a person with
a good self-esteem is more confident
in social settings, makes friends
quickly and often performs better in
physical activity.
 Emotional health is one aspect of mental health. It is your ability to cope
with both positive and negative emotions, which includes your awareness
of them. Emotionally healthy people have good coping mechanisms for
negative emotions, and they also know when to reach out to a professional
for help.

Emotional wellness is tied to physical health. People who experience great

amounts of stress and negative emotions will sometimes develop other health
problems. These problems are not caused directly by the negative feelings, but by
behaviors that negative emotions can influence due to a lack of emotional
regulation. For example, some people enjoy smoking cigarettes or drinking
alcohol as a way to relieve stress. However, those habits put you at a greater risk
for cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses.

Keep in mind that a person can experience mental illness or bad days,
and still have good emotional wellness. Mental illnesses often have
deeper causes like a chemical imbalance or trauma. Emotional health
has more to do with emotional regulation, awareness, and coping
Emotional Health

skills, and these strategies can be used by people with or without a

mental illness.

Tips for optimal emotional wellness:

tune-in to your thoughts and feelings
cultivate an optimistic attitude
seek and provide support
learn time management skills
practice stress management techniques
accept and forgive yourself


Some warning signs of emotional health in need of care include:

• isolating yourself from friends, family, or coworkers
• lower energy than usual
• sleeping too much or too little
• eating too much or too little
• increased use of substances
• racing thoughts
• lower performance at work
• more interpersonal conflicts than usual
• feelings of irritability, guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness
• neglecting hygiene and personal care

How to work on your emotional health?

• living a balanced lifestyle - try to have a good balance between work and
your personal life, activity and resting, and moderation in all things
• stay connected - community is important, plan regular shared time with
friends and family members, virtual connections are good, but seeing
someone in person once in a while is helpful too
• meditate - meditation helps you to notice your thoughts and emotions,
which is key to emotional wellness
• watch how you talk about yourself - negative self-talk can become a self-
fulfilling prophecy, or just put you in a negative mindset; work on creating
a positive image of yourself with your words, your thoughts may soon
follow
• set goals and celebrate your achievements - give yourself something to
strive for, and celebrate your accomplishments to build self-esteem and
positive feelings about yourself
• use substances in moderation - sometimes drinking too much alcohol is a
way to numb difficult emotions, notice when you are using substances more
than usual, and think about whether there’s an emotional cause for this
• learn strategies for resilience - this is your ability to react to difficult
emotions and stressful situations; many of the same things that help you
with emotional health can also improve your resilience
• get enough sleep - studies show that a lack of sleep lessens your ability to
sense the emotions of others and your ability to process emotions in general
• exercise - staying physically active for at least 30 minutes a day can help to
improve your overall emotional health; the exercise doesn't need to be
overly tough or intense, just going for a walk or dancing around your house
can help
• find meaning in your life - some people have jobs that give them a feeling
of purpose, but that's not the only way to find meaning in your life.
Something as simple as caring for a pet or volunteering for a cause that
you're passionate about can also give you that feeling.
• know when to reach out for help - you don't have to handle negative
emotions on your own; knowing when to reach out to a mental health
professional for help with difficult emotions is a useful skill to have.
Environmental health is the branch of
public health that focuses on the
relationships between people and their
environment, promotes human health
and wellbeing and fosters healthy and
safe communities. Environmental
health is a key part of any
comprehensive public health system.

Clean air, stable climate, adequate water, sanitation and hygiene, safe use of
chemicals, protection from radiation, healthy and safe workplaces, sound
agricultural practices, health-supportive cities and built environments, and a
preserved nature are all prerequisites for good health.

Over the past two years, we have seen the severe damage that harmful microbes
and pathogens (such as the coronavirus pandemic) can cause. Environmental
health awareness can prevent disease outbreaks and reduce the burden of disease.

Environmental pollutants can cause health problems like respiratory diseases,

heart disease, and some types of cancer. People with low incomes are more likely
to live in polluted areas and have unsafe drinking water. And children and
pregnant women are at higher risk of health problems related to pollution.

Environmental factors in causing environmental diseases can be classified into:

• physical
• chemical
• biological
• social
• ergonomic
• safety
• any combination of the above
Environmental health is determined by Environment is no one’s property to
many factors, related to both the destroy; it’s everyone’s responsibility to
natural environment and the built protect. – Mohith Agadi
environment, including conditions and .
jobs and mobility, mainly caused by
Housing (including schools,
population growth. 5. prisons, campsites, hotels,
These are in particular: nursing homes).
Air quality (including indoor Climate change and its effects
1. air, including tobacco smoke), 6. on health (heat waves,
micro and nanoparticles, emerging diseases).
pesticides and other pollutants.
Increased exposure to
Water quality (water 7. ultraviolet light due to the hole
2. management, access to safe in the ozone layer, with
drinking water for all, aggravated sunburn and
prevention of water-based increased risk of cancer.
diseases, including through
Natural disasters and quality
swimming pools and swimming
8. food (agriculture, transport,
in water).
storage and production,
Soil quality (levels of pesticide distribution).
3. residues, radioactivity, organic
pollutants and non-degradable Exposure to vectors of
metal or metal contaminants), 9.
microbes or parasites
especially in cities, around and (mosquitoes, ticks, rodents).
in industrial areas, around
transport infrastructure.
Situation of war, civil war,
10.
Personal hygiene and exposure political refugee or climate
of the body to various sources of refugee.
4.
stress (microbes, possibly
resistant antibiotics and other
pathogens, consequences of
trauma (blows, tattoos,
piercings) and certain
cosmetics).
What can we do?
Separate waste collection - it is the
easiest method for anyone to
implement. By selecting household
waste from those that can be recycled
and reused, nature is protected, the
amount of polluted substances that
reach nature is reduced and large
energy savings are made for the
manufacture of other products.
Separate waste collection is therefore
not only a legal obligation, but also a
moral obligation to nature.

Electricity is still largely produced by

burning fossil fuels and any savings in
this regard means less CO2 released
into the atmosphere. Shutting down
Replacing disposable plastic items
electrical appliances when not in use,
with long-lasting ones or ones made
limiting the use of air conditioning and
of biodegradable materials is an
electric heaters, replacing electricity
extremely good way to limit the
consumers with economic ones will
amount of plastic that reaches
protect the planet, but at the same time
landfills.
reduce electricity bills.

The use of alternative energy, such as Biodiversity conservation can be done

photovoltaic panels, solar panels for
water heating or wind installations, will
limit the consumption of electricity in
the national grid and thus reduce the
amount of useful fuels burned in
thermal power plants. Investments in
this regard are amortized over a few
years by reducing the electricity bill.
by anyone by limiting destructive
actions on nature, by using
biodegradable products, by
purchasing objects produced by
complying with environmental laws
and by participating in actions to
green various natural areas.
 Our natural environment makes
human life possible, and our
cultural environment helps
define who we are. It is
therefore essential that our
population and economic
growth are environmentally
sustainable.

Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the three
"R's" to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
Volunteer. Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in
protecting your watershed, too.
Educate. When you further your own education, you can help others understand
the importance and value of our natural resources.
Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that
eventually end up in the ocean.
Choose sustainable. Learn how to make smart seafood choices at
www.fishwatch.gov.
Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
Use long-lasting light bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room!
Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air,
and help combat climate change.
Don't send chemicals into our waterways. Choose non-toxic chemicals in the
home and office.
Bike more. Drive less.
 Intellectual wellness means striving toward good mental health,
continued intellectual growth, and creativity in life. This can
include continued learning, practicing problem solving, improving
verbal skills, keeping abreast of social and political issues, and
reading books, magazines, and newspapers.
As we activate and strengthen Intellectual Health, we can create,
innovate, and grow in unimaginable ways. Intellectual Health
INTELLECTUAL

refers to accepting new situations and experiences, and to wish to

increase understanding, improve skills, and continually look for
new challenges. Additionally, it connects to maximizing your
creative potential.
Good Intellectual Health means striving for an optimal
intellectual state. This can mean being open to new ideas,
thinking critically, expanding your knowledge or skills, exposing
yourself to new ideas, people, and beliefs, and being open to
different perspectives.
Having good intellectual health is important because it helps
people stay balanced. It can spark curiosity and a need to explore
new fields that wouldn’t have sounded interesting, or you
wouldn’t have had time to dig into.
 Intellectual Health

Intellectual Health refers to being open

to new ideas and experiences, and the
desire to increase understanding,
improve skills, and continually
challenge yourself. Additionally, it
connects to maximizing your creative
potential.

Having good intellectual health is important because it helps people stay balanced.
It can spark curiosity and a need to explore new fields that wouldn’t have sounded
interesting, or you wouldn’t have had time to dig into.

Good Intellectual Health means striving for an optimal intellectual state. This can
mean being open to new ideas, thinking critically, expanding your knowledge or
skills, exposing yourself to new ideas, people, and beliefs, and being open to
different perspectives.

Reading books is a good place to start.

Whether it is fiction, non-fiction, or poetry
books are great at making your brain think
about new subjects. Maybe the side
character had an interesting skill and it put
it to good use or maybe you can relate to
some of the main character's problems and
it finding its solution helps to lead you to
find yours. It can also be a way to distract
you from your worries and come back to
them with a clear mind and from a different
perspective.
Ways to Increase Your Intellectual Wellness
We often think of the mind and body as
two separate entities, but many studies
have shown that intellectual wellness is
just as important as physical wellness.
Intellectual wellness includes our social,
emotional, and psychological health.
Here are some ways to increase your
intellectual wellness, which you can start
putting into practice today.
Play brain games- grab a pencil and try
your hand at Sudoku or a crossword
puzzle. Go online to find a large selection
of challenging games such as
Mastermind, Crime Scene, trivia,
checkers, chess and more.
Reduce stress- stress plays a role in both
our physical and mental health. Some
activities that reduce mental stress
include meditation, light exercise, and
spending time with a pet or enjoying the
outdoors.
Read- pick up a classic novel or the latest
on the bestseller list. Have a topic you’ve
always wanted to learn more about?
Order a book or download one to read at
your leisure on your tablet or desktop
computer. You can also borrow digital
books from your local library!
Experience the arts- attend and/or
participate in cultural events online.
Music, the arts, dance and other cultural
activities can help express creativity and
stimulate your brain in new ways.
Talk it out-bring up a current event
for a discussion with friends online,
over the phone, or at a small socially-
distant gathering. Be open-minded,
and realize that even if you don’t
agree with their points of view, you
are expanding your mind by having a
lively discussion and hearing new
ideas.
Attend an online class- sign up for
virtual classes through the local
community college or an online
learning platform.
Play a game- board games and cards
are popularly known as leisure
activities. These activities can also
help with your intellectual wellness.
It makes no difference whether you
are playing alone or you are playing
with others. As long as your mind is
thinking, improvements are being
made.
Do puzzles- crosswords and Sudoku
are leisure activities that have proved
to increase intellectual wellness.
Working through puzzles or finding
words in patterns uses a great
amount of brain power. Increasing
your ability to work through these
activities can maintain and build
your intellectual wellness.
 Signs of Intellectual Wellness

What to do?
• development of good study skills and time management
• ability to challenge yourself to see all sides of an issue
• becoming a critical thinker
• delopment of your ideas, views, and opinions about life issues
• expose yourself to new ideas, people, and beliefs that are different
from your own
• become aware of who you are and what you stand for

Improve Study Skills

• review study materials within 24 hours of class to keep it fresh in

your memory
• take notes while you read, while in class, and focus on more than
what is written on the board
• form a study group session with other people in your class
• study in a quiet environment that will not distract you
• colour coding helps trigger memory - keep one topic per colour
• find innovative ways to study that work for you

Improve Time Management

• make a "To-Do" list that allows you to cross off completed tasks as you go
• prioritize tasks in order of importance and tackle the most important first
• learn to say no to social activities sometimes - remember what is important to get
done
• cut work hours, money is important, but working too much can cut into your
study time

Improve Critical Thinking

• be actively engaged in conversation, readings, and classrooms - think about what

is happening
• ask questions to yourself or others as you reflect
• challenge the norm, don't take an answer for what it is without agreeing upon it
yourself
• find patterns and connections to examples that relate to your life
• keep your brain active, thinking, and questioning
 Physical health is defined as the
condition of your body, taking into
consideration everything from the
absence of disease to fitness level.
Physical wellbeing involves pursuing a
healthful lifestyle to decrease the risk
of disease.

Maintaining physical fitness, for example, can protect and develop the endurance
of a person's breathing and heart function, muscular strength, flexibility, and
body composition.
Experts widely consider exercise, good nutrition, relaxation and sleep crucial to
healthy living. While these so-called “four pillars” of good health help keep your
body running, they also do wonders for your emotional well-being.
Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance,
cognitive performance like memory, and classroom behaviours. Higher physical
activity and physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive
performance like concentration and memory among students.

Physical wellness involves making What are examples of personal

good choices when it comes to: health?
• alcohol • get adequate rest daily
• illness Prevention • get regular physical activity
• nutrition • eat more plant-based foods
• physical activity and body • eat more whole-grain breads and
movement cereals
• sleep • choose healthy fats
• stress • achieve a healthy weight
What are the characteristics of Physical Health?

Physical Health
Here are the signs of a healthy body:
healthy and thick hair; thin, branched, dry hair can be a marker of
health problems, such as thyroid deficiency, stress, and malnutrition
strong nails
healthy teeth and gums
enough sleep
social interaction
healthy diet

Top 10 Benefits of Physical Activity

Most people do not move enough. The good news is that regular physical
activity is one of the easiest ways to reduce your risk for chronic disease
and to improve your quality of life.

Make physical activity a priority to:

improve your memory and brain function
protect against many chronic diseases.
aid in weight management
lower blood pressure and improve heart health
improve your quality of sleep
reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
combat cancer-related fatigue
improve joint pain and stiffness
maintain muscle strength and balance
increase life span

Watching what you put into your body, how much activity you get, and your
weight are important for keeping your body working properly. Positive physical
health habits can help decrease your stress, lower your risk of disease, and
increase your energy. Flip each card below for checklists on how to improve your
health in each area. Click on the images to read articles about each topic. You can
also print the checklists separately or all together to share with others or as a
reminder to yourself.
6 strategies for improving your physical health

1. Get active
Sedentary behavior has been linked to many medical problems. Moving more and
sitting less can have major health benefits. Experts recommend adults get at least
150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate physical activity a week. You can
benefit from even a little activity at a time. Every minute counts when it comes to
movement.

To increase your activity:

set specific goals for your physical activity
take the stairs instead of the elevator
park your car at the far end of the street or parking lot
try an online exercise class to stay active from home
set an alarm to go off every hour as a reminder to move around for a minute or
two
have small weights in your office or around your home for doing arm exercises.
take a walk on your lunch breaks

2. Maintain your muscle

Building muscle helps you keep up the activities you enjoy at any stage of your
life. Some types of strength training keep your bones healthy, too. Experts
recommend strength training activities for all the major muscle groups two or
more days a week for adults and three for kids and teens.

To build muscle safely:

start slowly, especially if you haven’t been active for a long time
pay attention to your body; exhaustion, sore joints, or muscle pain
use small amounts of weight to start
use smooth, steady movements to lift weights into position
avoid “locking” your arm and leg joints in a straight position
don’t hold your breath during strength exercises
ask for help, look for a group class at a local gym, recreation center, or senior
center or find a trainer
3. Build healthy habits
We know that making healthy choices can help us
feel better and live longer. Maybe you’ve already
tried to eat better, get more exercise or sleep, quit
smoking, or reduce stress. It’s not easy. But research
shows how you can boost your ability to create and
sustain a healthy lifestyle.

To build healthy habits:

plan- identify unhealthy patterns and triggers
and set realistic goals
change your surroundings- find ways to make
healthier choices easy choices and remove
temptations; work for changes in your
community, like safe places to walk
ask for support- find friends, family, co-workers,
neighbours, or groups for support
fill your time with healthy activities- try exercise,
a favorite hobby, or spending time with family
and friends
track your progress- record how things are going
to help you stay focused and catch slip-ups
imagine the future; think about future benefits to
stay on track
reward yourself- give yourself a healthy reward
when you’ve achieved a small goal or milestone,
like a massage
be patient- improvement takes time, and
setbacks happen; focus on progress, not
perfection
4. Find a healthy weight
Keeping your body at a healthy weight may help you lower your risk of heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer that can result from being
overweight or obese. Take charge of your weight and your health.

To reach your weight loss goals:

Eat Healthy
eat smaller portions
select a mix of colorful vegetables each day
choose whole grains
go easy on fats and oils
limit added sugars
Be Active
stick with activities you enjoy
go for a brisk walk, ride a bike, or do some gardening
do strengthening activities
get active for just 10 minutes, several times a day
Track your progress
keep a food and physical activity diary
be realistic and aim for slow weight loss

5. Mind your metabolism

Your metabolism changes as you get older. You burn fewer calories and break down
foods differently. You also lose lean muscle. Unless you exercise more and adjust
your diet, the pounds can add up. Carrying those extra pounds may be harming
your health.

To combat age-related changes:

commit to a healthy diet
imit snacking
drink plenty of water
move more, take the stairs and add walking breaks to your day
get plenty of sleep
limit alcohol use; alcohol is high in calories and may worsen health conditions
common among older adults
avoid tobacco products; when you quit smoking, you may improve many aspects
of your health and are likely to add years to your life
6. Eat a healthy diet
We make dozens of decisions every day. When it
comes to deciding what to eat and feed our
families, it can be a lot easier than you might think
to make smart choices. A healthy eating plan not
only limits unhealthy foods, but also includes a
variety of healthy foods. Find out which foods to
add to your diet and which to avoid.

To eat a healthier diet:

eat a variety of foods—vegetables, fruits, whole
grains, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meat, seafood,
eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese
limit foods that are low in vitamins and
minerals
cut down on sugar - pick food with little or no
added sugar
replace saturated fats in your diet with
unsaturated fats - use olive, canola, or other
vegetable oils instead of butter, meat fats, or
shortening
get more fiber - increase your fiber intake
gradually, so your body can get used to it
choose more complex carbs - eat more
complex carbs, like starches and fiber; these
are found in whole-grain breads, cereals,
starchy vegetables, and legumes
watch out for foods high in salt - use fresh
poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than
canned, smoked, or processed; choose fresh or
frozen vegetables that have no added salt and
foods that have less than 5% of the Daily Value
of sodium per serving
Social Health is a term that refers to the ways
in which people create healthy and positive
interpersonal relationships with one another.
Having good social health helps people
improve their emotional wellbeing and feel
supported in their daily lives.

Establishing and maintaining a socially

healthy lifestyle can make a big impact on
people's mental health and ability to function
in the world. Most people desire close and
rewarding relationships with others, which can
only be achieved by maintaining good social
health.
From the time you’re born, your relationships
help you learn to navigate the world. You learn
how to interact with others, express yourself,
conduct everyday health habits, and be a part
of different communities from those around
you. Positive social habits can help you build
support systems and stay healthier mentally
and physically.

As you begin your journey to social wellness,

you will discover that you have the power to
enhance your personal relationships.
Maintaining social wellness allows you to
practice empathy and active listening.
Having poor social health can also lead to
many negative consequences in an individual's
life, such as:
limited ability to connect with others
feelings of depression and anxiety
toxicity in relationships
poor ability to maintain personal
boundaries
unwanted feelings of loneliness and
solitude

There are many ways to determine whether an individual has good social
health. Psychologists and therapists may do this to establish how much
support a person has and what kinds of difficulties they may be experiencing
in their lives. A few questions to ask for indicators of social health in
individuals may include:
Does the individual spend time with friends?
Does the individual have good self-esteem?
How well can the individual set and maintain boundaries?
Can the individual communicate effectively about difficult topics?
Does the individual feel supported by other people?
Does the individual feel respected by others in their life?

It is also helpful to look more broadly at a person's community engagement

and level of overall happiness. Fulfilling relationships with others and good
social health in general can be a very good indicator of overall happiness and
positive engagement with life.
Maintaining an optimal level of social wellness allows you to build healthy
relationships with others. Having a supportive social network allows you to
develop assertive skills and become comfortable with who you are in social
situations. Surrounding yourself with a positive social network increases your
self-esteem.
What can be done?

Social Health
Learn How to Communicate
One of the most important things to understand about our social
health is to learn how to communicate effectively and positively.
Without this, it is hard to form and maintain bonds—even between
strangers.

Be Yourself
There is no point in trying to form or create relationships unless you
are yourself! Do what makes you happy and fulfils your needs. Being
social comes within you and you will find the best of people doing
things that you love to do. If you try to find fulfilment through things
that do not please you, you will not fill your life with the people that
you truly need around you.

Avoid Toxic People and Environments

One of the downfalls of social health is that you will meet someone
that is not that great. However, every experience and person are a
lesson and can prevent you from getting hurt in the future. Try to
form friendships and relationships through a positive environment
such as a park, social events, yoga class, culture events, local coffee
shops, or professional networking meetings.

Don’t Isolate Yourself

It is easy to stay hidden and not reach out to your friends and family—but make it
a priority. Set up a coffee day with one of your friends biweekly to make sure that
you are fulfilling your social needs. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be
alone but we do not want to get to the point of becoming lonely.

Get Out There and Socialize

It isn’t easy to be social and to start new friendships but know that is worth all of
the health benefits. Having healthy social health levels provide emotional,
physical and positive mental health on all levels.
 Spirit cannot be defined as part of the body or as part of the mind.
Body, mind, and spirit all have an effect on one and other. By
Spiritual Health

improving your spiritual life, you can contribute to the healing

process. Spirituality may not be able to cure you, but it can help to
cope with the pain and difficulties that accompany illness.
Spiritual health is achieved when you feel at peace with life. It is
when you are able to find hope and comfort in even the hardest of
times. It can help to support you as you experience life
completely.

Spiritual wellness acknowledges our search for deeper meaning in

life. When we're spiritually healthy, we feel more connected to not
only a higher power, but to those around us. We have more clarity
when it comes to making everyday choices, and our actions
become more consistent with our beliefs and values.

The spiritual element of wellness can be the most personal piece

of the puzzle when trying to place all dimensions of wellness
together. Generally, people like to live a life with meaning and
purpose. When these goals are met, it puts harmony in one’s life,
and the others they surround themselves with.
Religion and spirituality are not always the same. Some people find
spiritual health in practicing religion. Others do not. It is whatever works
for you. There is no right or wrong way to achieve spiritual health. Some
ways that may improve your spiritual health include:
being in nature - some people feel connected and at peace when they are
walking outdoors
helping others - being helpful can take on many forms; it can be doing
volunteer work, being kind to strangers, or supporting a friend
gratitude - some people recognize peace by remaining grateful
religion - some find the meaning of life through the ritual and practice of
religion
mindfulness - some people gain hope and peace through mindfulness
When facing a chronic illness, it may be easy to lose your spiritual health. There is
a time in which you may be tempted to let go of your beliefs. It is important to
remember that by keeping a healthy spiritual life you can better manage your
physical health. Your spiritual life can help you to cope with any issues that may
arise with your physical health. We are whole beings. Balance can keep us healthy
and help us to recover.
If you are struggling with your spiritual health there are questions that you may
want to ask yourself:
What makes me feel most complete?
When do I feel most connected to the rest of the world?
Where do I find the most inner strength?
What am I doing when I feel whole?
These questions may help you to find the things you can do to get inner peace. If
you are able to achieve inner peace you can allow your body more strength for
healing. Our physical bodies need us to feel at peace. This allows them time to rest
and recover. This is another way that our spiritual health can contribute to our
healing process.
Explore your spiritual core. By exploring your spiritual core, you are simply
asking yourself questions about the person you are and your meaning. Ask
yourself: Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I value most? These
questions will lead you down a road where you will think more in-depth
about yourself and allow you to notice things about yourself that will help
you achieve fulfilment.

Look for deeper meanings. Looking for deeper meanings in your life and
analysing occurring patterns will help you see that you have control over
your destiny. Being aware of this can help you achieve a happy and healthy
life.

Get it out. Expressing what is on your mind will help you to maintain a focused
mind. After a long day or a significant event, you may feel confused and not be
able to make sense of your feelings. By writing down your thoughts, you may be
able to think clearer and move forward.

Try yoga. Yoga is a physical technique that can help improve your spiritual
wellness by reducing emotional and physical strains on your mind and
body. Yoga is taught at all different levels and can help lower stress, boost
the immune system, and lower blood pressure as well as reduce anxiety,
depression, fatigue, and insomnia.

Travel. Taking time for yourself to travel to a comforting place or somewhere

new can do wonders for your mind. When you are at a place where your mind
can keep out distractions and help you reflect and rest, you will have a better
connection with yourself. This allows you to weed out stressors and set your
mind on the right path for overall wellness. Some activities to take part in when
on a trip can be exercising, speaking with a counsellor or advisor, meditation, or
taking a temporary vow of silence.
Think positively. Once you start viewing things in your life in a positive
manner, you will find yourself thinking differently and refocusing your
mind to a happy, healthy place. When you eliminate negativity and re-
frame how you think of certain things and situations, you’ll notice yourself
being more relaxed.

Take time to meditate. While managing your time and daily tasks can be
hard, it is crucial to devote time to connecting with yourself. Whether in the
morning when you wake up, during your lunch break, or before you go to
sleep, take five to 10 minutes to meditate each day. Fitting mediation and
relaxation into your lifestyle will free your mind and foster a stronger
relationship with your spiritual wellness.
Spiritual Health

Whatever helps to bring hope for the future can serve to keep you
spiritually healthy. Keeping a positive outlook and remaining hopeful
can help the healing process. As whole human beings all parts of us are
connected. By working to keep all parts healthy we can help our bodies,
minds, and souls to remain complete.

Spiritual health is a facet of the self that connects to something larger

than the person. Using spirituality, a person can connect to something
greater, such as a deity, energy, or beyond to find peace and hope.
Spiritual health is just as important as mental and physical health
because it is the way in which a person understands their place in the
world, their purpose, and their reason for existing. Spiritual health can
help people cope with stress, maintain psychological well-being, and in
turn create healthy physical effects.
Wellness is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is not a

ERASMUS+
passive or static state but rather a dynamic and conscious
development of the whole self. Wellness is associated with
intentions, choices, and actions leading toward an optimal state of
well-being so that instead of surviving, you're thriving. Wellness is
commonly viewed as having different dimensions: intellectual,
physical, social, spiritual, environmental and emotional.

During the project implementation we learned that these

dimensions are very important, interdependent and influence
each other. When one dimension of our well-being is out of
balance, the other dimensions are affected. To strive for wellness
is to take a proactive approach by learning how to be well in
each dimension and taking action to build wellness-affirming
habits, routines, and coping strategies.

Students’ school performance is not only affected by the fact they do

not learn enough. One of the causes can be that they may health-
related problems. Students might be tired, stressed, have an
unhealthy lifestyle and all these can affect their school results,
concentration during classes and the worst thing for them could be
leaving school at a young age.

In order to help students to take care of themselves, solve their problems and
improve their school results, teachers involved them in interesting activities
which emphasized the importance of these six dimensions of health. Taking
part in all these activities led to a harmonious development of students. This is
the basic condition for an effective education, an education that encourages
reflection, creativity, confidence, solidarity and movement, causing young
people to spend more time outdoors.
Taking everything into account, this project had a sustainable effect on each
partner schools. Students developed their creativity, practical skills and
theoretical aspects related to health dimensions. They had the chance to pass
over some communication barriers, improve their communication skills in
English, their interpersonal, social and team work skills. They also improved
their ICT skills working on presentations and posters.

On the other hand, teachers improved their collaboration and

communication skills, shared ideas, suggestions, opinions, improved
their analytical and critical skills, observed similarities and differences
among partner schools and countries, compared and discussed
methodologies used in the teaching learning process. They gained
experience in organising Erasmus+ exchanges and coordinating teams
of students, giving a European dimension to education, creating a
successful environment for formal, non-formal and informal learning.

All schools will continue their cooperation with institutions which are
expected to partner within this project and also see possibilities to highlight
the importance of all health dimensions.
The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not
constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be
made of the information contained therein