Final answer:
The patient practices health promotion by engaging in regular yoga and meditation, which serves as a proactive approach to improve overall well-being and prevent diseases. This aligns with health psychology and contributes to holistic health by incorporating mental, physical, and social aspects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patient who informs the nurse of participating in regular yoga and meditation classes to "increase my mental health and overall well-being" practices health promotion. Health promotion is a proactive approach that seeks to improve an individual's well-being and prevent the onset of diseases by adopting healthy behaviors. It is distinct from health protection, which involves taking specific measures to avoid diseases (such as getting vaccinated), secondary prevention, which is about detecting and treating a disease in its early stages, and tertiary prevention, which involves managing and rehabilitating a person who already has a disease to prevent complications and further decline.
Participating in activities such as yoga and meditation can lead to increased physical activity, reduced risk of mental disorders, and improved social health, aligning with the holistic understanding of human well-being that comprises mental, physical, and social health. These practices serve as stress reduction techniques and help to build a sense of control and establish social support networks, contributing to wider health psychology goals. Moreover, engaging in such activities is a strategy to promote sustainable health education and disease prevention interventions that can lead to better overall health.