Author: Catherine Sanderson, Mark Zelman, Melanie Lynch, and Melissa Munsell

Essential Health is the most up-to-date skills-based text available for high school health and wellness classes. With its engaging writing and numerous supporting activities, this text presents the study of health and wellness as a dynamic discussion, relevant to students' lives. The second edition contains new information about current topics such as nutrition, opioid abuse, and human trafficking. It also gives in-depth coverage of sleep, body image, and health across the lifespan. Content and skills are aligned to the National Health Education Standards.

Table of Contents

Abbreviated Contents

Essential Health, 2nd Edition

• Front Matter
• Unit 1 Introduction to Health and Wellness
• • 1 - Understanding Your Health and Wellness
  • 2 - Risk Factors: Behavior, Genes, Environment
• Unit 2 Nutrition and Food Choices
• • 3 - Nutrition
  • 4 - Body Weight and Composition
  • 5 - Body Image
• Unit 3 Fitness and Personal Health
• • 6 - Physical Fitness
  • 7 - Sleep
  • 8 - Personal Hygiene and Basic Healthcare
• Unit 4 Understanding and Avoiding Hazardous Substances
• • 9 - Tobacco
  • 10 - Alcohol
  • 11 - Medications and Drugs
• Unit 5 Diseases and Disorders
• • 12 - Infectious Diseases
  • 13 - Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS
  • 14 - Noncommunicable Diseases
• Unit 6 Mental and Emotional Health and Wellness
• • 15 - Achieving Mental and Emotional Health
  • 16 - Managing the Stress in Your Life
  • 17 - Mental Illnesses and Disorders
• Unit 7 Social Health and Wellness
• • 18 - Healthy Family and Peer Relationships
  • 19 - Dealing with Conflict, Violence, and Abuse
• Unit 8 The Human Life Cycle
• • 20 - Reproduction and Pregnancy
  • 21 - Childbirth and Parenting Newborns
  • 22 - Human Development across the Life Span
• Background Lessons
• Appendix A Body Mass Index for Boys
• Appendix B Body Mass Index for Girls
• Appendix C Nutrient Content Claims
• Appendix D Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
• Appendix E Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency Disease
• Photo Credits
• Glossary/Glosario
• Index