Health: The Basics, Canadian Edition, 7th edition

For courses in personal health.

A mindful approach to personal health

Health: The Basics actively engages students in learning and living well. With a mindful approach to personal health, students can incorporate mindfulness practices, become more focused and present, and improve academic performance. The text presents the most current, scientifically valid research to examine today's health issues and controversies. This text was revised to reflect and exemplify "self-awareness, integrity, respect, self-responsibility, and gratitude," and to ensure students were provided with the most current Canadian research and up-to-date statistical information.

Hallmark features of this title

• Decision making through critical thinking is the cornerstone of every chapter, beginning with the introduction of the DECIDE model for decision making, Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change model, and various behaviour change techniques in Chapter 1.
• Personal reflection, a hallmark feature woven throughout, includes Consider This . . . scenarios and reflective questions, Student Health and Point of View boxed features, and Taking Charge sections with the opportunity to Assess Yourself at the end of each chapter.
• An overriding philosophy of self-responsibility, including a better understanding and self-awareness behind the reasons why we do what we do (or do not do) in regards to our health and wellness, appears throughout each section of this book.
• Coverage of sex issues in health is integrated throughout the text. Topics include sex bias in mental health treatment, women and heart disease, and how sex and gender roles may affect stress, stress management, and a person's ultimate health status.

New and updated features of this title

• Updated references in APA format help the reader connect more easily to the research and to the thinking that leads to making better choices regarding his or her health. 
• Chapter 3 includes updated and clarified material on the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). In addition, information and statistics on technostress have been updated.
• New to Chapter 5 is the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Food Guide, including new table with estimated daily calorie needs. This chapter also includes a completely revised section on carbohydrates, and a new section on choosing organic or locally grown foods and the slow food movement.
• Chapter 7 includes updates to the discussion and terminology related to gender and sex, including an updated gender differences diagram. Selected activities have been updated to incorporate social orientation, and a new figure on gender-specific communication patterns has been added. This chapter also includes an updated and revised discussion of sexual orientation.