Written by Gina Vitale
There’s a LOT of health information available these days. Unfortunately, some of it is inaccurate or misinformation provided by influencers rather than health professionals. Don’t get me wrong, there are TONS of reliable and factual sources out there, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what is fact or fiction. So, why trust what I’m telling you? I’ve been a healthcare professional for over 30 years, and I am now a health content writer, a role that requires me to research evidence-based information and explain its meaning to mostly non-medical audiences.
A Glossary of Health & Wellness Terms
Below is a list of terms and acronyms commonly used when discussing health and well-being, along with definitions that are simpler to understand than those typically used by health and medical professionals. The goal is to help you make positive choices and better decisions about your health. Living a healthy lifestyle begins with understanding the basics, or the foundations, of what your body needs to function properly so that you can feel well and balanced.
Exercise
Physical activity or movement that improves or helps one maintain fitness and overall health. From walking to dancing, gardening to house cleaning, or climbing or golf, almost any physical activity can be considered exercise.
Fitness
A condition of being physically strong and having good mobility, endurance, and balance, which allows one to perform all required daily tasks. A well-rounded fitness plan should include activities from each of these 5 main categories:
- Cardiovascular (aerobic): Running, jogging, walking, cycling, swimming, rope jumping.
- Strengthening: Weightlifting, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises, Pilates.
- Balance: Tai-chi, yoga, Pilates, barre, stand-up paddle boarding.
- Mobility & Flexibility: Yoga, Pilates, foam rolling, stretching.
- Endurance: Walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, rowing. Longer duration activities.
Recommended Daily Physical Activity
The national and global health organizations, CDC and WHO (see below), agree that these are the minimum requirements to accomplish or maintain average physical fitness:
- Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, such as 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Aim for 300 minutes of physical activity per week when you can.
- Adults also need at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week.
- Adults (especially older) should do at least 3 days per week of combination activities involving strength and balance, for example, Pilates, tai chi, or yoga.
Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity
Refers to doing activities that increase your heart rate and respiratory (breathing) rate. Everyone’s level will be different since it is based on a specific formula involving your age and the percentage of effort:
220 – AGE = Maximum heart rate (Max HR)
Your goal is 50-70% of your Max HR = the target heart rate for moderate-intensity activity.
Example: 220 – 54 (age) = 166 (Max HR) x 0.50 (50%) = 83 beats per minute (BPM).
166 x 0.70 (70%) = 116 BPM
Therefore, the goal for a 54-year-old person exercising in their moderate-intensity range is to stay between 83 and 116 beats per minute.
Relative intensity is another way to measure your intensity that requires no math. Essentially, you rate how much effort YOU feel you are using to exercise based on a scale of 0 (sitting) to 10 (maximal effort). So, moderate-intensity would be 5 or 6 out of 10.
HIIT Workouts
High-intensity interval training is a general term for workouts using timed periods of high-intensity exercise (working hard) and rest periods. It can be cardiovascular (running, cycling, etc.) or strength training, or both combined. A typical HIIT workout might only last for 20 minutes total, with “work” and rest intervals of 40 seconds “on” and 20 seconds “off” or rest. Cardio intervals may be longer, 60 seconds on and 30 seconds off.
Pilates
A type of exercise focused on specific movements involving core (abdominal, back, and hip muscles) strengthening, pelvic and trunk stabilization, mobility, and flexibility. Pilates benefits include improved posture, balance, and daily task tolerance.
Nutrition
The food that nourishes the body, and its connection to health. The process of taking in food and using the substances (nutrients) within it to provide your body with the energy and materials it needs to grow, function, and stay healthy.
Nutrients
Substances in food (like protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins & minerals) that your body needs for energy, growth, and survival. Your body requires a balance of macro- and micronutrients to function properly.
- Macronutrients or “macros”: Protein, fat, carbohydrates. These are the components of food that your body needs in large amounts to provide energy (calories) and maintain the body’s structure and functions.
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): The body’s primary and preferred source of fuel/energy.
- Protein: Essential for building and repairing muscle, tissue, and organs.
- Fats (Lipids): Important for long-term energy, hormone production, insulating organs, and helping absorb certain vitamins.
- Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals. Small amounts of substances in food assist the chemical reactions and processes (like metabolism) that release energy from macros and keep the body functioning.
WHO
The World Health Organization promotes health and safety for people worldwide. As part of the United Nations, they help improve access to healthcare for the vulnerable globally.
CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s purpose is to promote public health and safety and protect Americans from infectious and transmissible diseases. It is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
NIH
The National Institutes of Health are the primary agencies responsible for biomedical and public health research in the United States. It is part of the HHS.
Physical Rehabilitation
A general term for a process of helping a person recover from an illness, injury, or surgery to help them regain their previous level of function or learn new ways to function.
Functional Activities
Actions that focus on promoting, improving, or relearning ways to perform everyday tasks required for living, or activities of daily living, such as walking, dressing, and (household and personal) cleaning. Functional activities usually involve combination movements using multiple muscle groups, since that’s how people move through their daily lives. Functional exercises can progress and become more challenging for more physically fit people and athletes, which is typically referred to as functional training.
Healthy Lifestyle
Living in a way that promotes health. A healthy lifestyle should include activities that support physical, mental, and spiritual (not necessarily religious) health. Eating a well-rounded diet with nutritious foods, daily activity or movement (of some kind), and meditation/prayer/moment of gratitude all contribute to creating a lifestyle that helps you become healthier.
The Takeaway
The world of health and wellness can be confusing and feel overwhelming. Some professionals can help you manage your health better. Maybe you just need a little guidance or a few new ideas to kick yourself into gear, or you just feel “off” and possibly don’t know where to start… Ask for help!
Contact us here at Balance & Birch if you would like some help adjusting your lifestyle to become healthier. We have mental, physical, and spiritual health professionals available for consultation to discuss your mind and/or bodily health and well-being concerns. Simply click the “contact us” heading and send a message, or feel free to check out our professional profiles and choose one for yourself.