What Is Health?
Many people think that being healthy means having a long life. This may be true in some regards, but it is certainly not the whole story. The definition of healthy varies widely from person to person. For instance, you may consider being healthy to be someone who enjoys a long and active life. In contrast, a family with a long life expectancy might view being healthy as someone who maintains a balanced diet and regular exercise.
The best definition of “good health” is the ability to enjoy a combination of all the major physical requirements of life. The quality of your physical life depends to a large degree on the quality of your mental and emotional health. Although we think of illnesses and diseases as being solely mental or emotional, the physical world also plays a vital role in maintaining our well-being. People who are physically active tend to be emotionally healthier than those who are sedentary. A healthy physical life is also associated with higher levels of self esteem. If you want to maintain good health, it is important to focus on all of the components of good health.
The American Healthy Dietetic Association states that “overweight and obesity are among the leading causes of ill-health and premature death.” According to the World Health Organization, “a balanced approach to diet and physical activity ensures optimal health and increases life expectancy.” A major component of a good diet is a good intake of fruits and vegetables. Other components of a balanced diet include whole grains, dairy products, and fish. Overall health refers to a variety of aspects that affect your physical well-being.
Being mentally healthy involves managing your emotions and ensuring that you are happy and fulfilled in your life. Your level of personal responsibility and your sense of control in your life are also important elements in keeping your mental health intact. According to WHO, general mental health refers to “the ability to cope with stress, frustration, loss, and other negative emotional states. Mental health is essential for healthy functioning in daily life and in relationships.” The mental components of overall health are reflected in a person’s sense of control over bodily functions such as respiration, heartbeat, blood pressure, and immune system.
The public health system works to eliminate many of the physical health problems by creating preventable habits through education, informing people about the dangers of smoking and tobacco smoke, promoting the use of sunscreen protection, and encouraging physical activity. There are a number of diseases that are the result of unhealthy lifestyles. On the other hand, there are a number of diseases that are associated with poor eating habits or physical inactivity. Eating disorders are a problem in the public health system as well as the mental health system. An eating disorder can lead to serious problems like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive overeating.
The definition of HEALTH has expanded from the original idea of health as a normal and necessary condition to include good health and its importance to one’s culture. Many of the diseases that are now called illnesses are not really diseases at all because they are symptomatic of other underlying conditions. A person may have very bad health due to heart disease, but still be alive and happy because of the presence of his or her mother with a heart condition. However, a heart condition alone does not produce HEALING because HEALING is the result of eliminating disease through prevention, treatment, or cure.