Health effectors are things that impact health. It is equally important to realize that health effectors are both positive and negative. Many times people think that health is just "there" when in reality there are many health effectors that work together to produce an outcome. Essentially, the easiest way to think about health effectors is as something that creates nerve impulses in the body and elicits a response. The body is a big electrical messenger system. The health effectors can have any number of responses. Some of the negative health effectors are lack of sleep, too much stress, smoking cigarettes, eating too much or too little food, work environment, chemical intake, injury, mental illness, imbalanced hormones, exposure to dangerous elements, mold, overuse of alcohol/drugs, isolation, allergies, asthma, and the list goes on. There are also times when people succumb to disease or the body's own cells mutate and attack it, resulting in sickness. Some of these health effectors are controllable to some degree. They can be turned into positive health effectors if it is worked on or treated. Quitting smoking, which exponentially increases a person's health, is somewhat controllable and within the hands of the individual. Seeking support around it develops positive feedback, quitting achieves a health goal, and a negative has turned to a positive. Granted, that does not always mean the health effectors have still not taken its toll on the person's health. Taking control of what is within reach to eliminate as many negative health effectors as possible is a reasonable life goal.
There are some mainstays of positive health effectors. These are things that are often taken for granted. They are advised though throughout life because they will positively impact health. Some examples of these are good sleep hygiene, eating a balanced diet, laughing, flossing teeth, brushing teeth, exercising on a regular basis, good friends, birth control and protection, having fun, finding something to be passionate about, hobbies, volunteering, boundaries, relationships with family and friends, trying new things, healthy sex life, and this list goes on as well. Because it is easy for some to take an example from either list and realize it is actually negatively impacting them, it is a lesson that paying attention to the health effectors in life are important. More importantly is changing the one's that are changeable.
It is important to try to take care and have as many good health effectors as possible. This can come down to a person's attitude about it. Sometimes it is all about perspective. There are people with cancer who have amazingly positive outlooks and wealthy people with great health who are dissatisfied. Trying to have a positive attitude and be optimistic pays off. Developing good stress management skills also works positively as a health effector and way of living. Taking control over that which is within control, and realizing it, actually changes the way the body reacts to stimuli. When good stress reduction techniques are used, it can change brain chemicals, increasing the feel good neurotransmitters. Some of the positive and negative health effectors are within a person's ability to change. It may be difficult to transition a negative to a positive, however, believing that there are ways to change is a positive health effector in itself. Paying attention to health effectors in life is important.
trickyspan2048 Community Member 
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