What is health?
The word health
refers to a state of complete emotional and physical well-being. Healthcare
exists to help people maintain this optimal state of health. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
What is good health?
Good health is central to handling stress and living a longer, more active life. In this
article, we explain the meaning of good health, the types of health a person
needs to consider, and how to preserve good health.
Types
Mental and
physical health are probably the two most frequently discussed types of health.
Spiritual,
emotional, and financial health also contribute to overall health. Medical
experts have linked these to lower stress levels and improved mental and
physical well-being.
People with
better financial health, for example, may worry less about finances and have
the means to buy fresh food more regularly. Those with good spiritual health
may feel a sense of calm and purpose that fuels good mental health.
Physical health
A person who has good
physical health is likely to have bodily functions and processes working at
their peak.
This is not only due not
only to an absence of disease. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and
adequate rest all contribute to good health. People receive medical treatment
to maintain the balance, when necessary.
Physical well-being
involves pursuing a healthful lifestyle to decrease the risk of disease.
Maintaining physical fitness, for example, can protect and develop the
endurance of a person’s breathing and heart function, muscular strength,
flexibility, and body composition.
Looking after physical
health and well-being also involves reducing the risk of an injury or health
issue, such as:
- minimizing
hazards in the workplace
- using
contraception when having sex
- practicing
effective hygiene
- avoiding
the use of tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs
- taking
the recommended vaccines for a specific condition or country when
traveling
Good physical health can
work in tandem with mental health to improve a person’s overall quality of
life.
Mental health
According to the
It is harder to define
mental health than physical health because many psychological diagnoses depend
on an individual’s perception of their experience.
With improvements in
testing, however, doctors are now able to identify some physical signs of some
types of mental illness in CT scans and genetic tests.
Good mental health is not
only categorized by the absence of depression, anxiety, or another
disorder. It also depends on a person’s ability to:
- enjoy
life
- bounce
back after difficult experiences and adapt to adversity
- balance
different elements of life, such as family and finances
- feel
safe and secure
- achieve
their full potential
Physical and mental health
have strong connections. For example, if a chronic illness affects a person’s
ability to complete their regular tasks, it may lead to depression and stress.
These feelings could be due to financial problems or mobility issues.
A mental illness, such as
depression or anorexia, can affect body weight and overall
function.
It is important to
approach “health” as a whole, rather than as a series of separate factors. All
types of health are linked, and people should aim for overall well-being and
balance as the keys to good health.
Factors for good health
Good health depends on a
wide range of factors.
Genetic factors
A person is born with a
variety of genes. In some people, an unusual genetic pattern or change can lead
to a less-than-optimum level of health. People may inherit genes from their
parents that increase their risk for certain health conditions.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors play
a role in health. Sometimes, the environment alone is enough to impact health.
Other times, an environmental trigger can cause illness in a person who has an
increased genetic risk of a particular disease.
Access to healthcare plays
a role, but the WHO suggest that the following factors may have a more
significant impact on health than this:
- where
a person lives
- the
state of the surrounding environment
- genetics
- their
income
- their
level of education
- employment
status
It is possible to
categorize these as follows:
- The
social and economic environment: This may include
the financial status of a family or community, as well as the social
culture and quality of relationships.
- The
physical environment: This includes which
germs exist in an area, as well as pollution levels.
- A
person’s characteristics and behaviors:
A person’s genetic makeup and lifestyle choices can affect their overall
health.
According to some studies,
the higher a person’s socioeconomic status (SES), the
They also maintain that
people with low socioeconomic status are more likely to experience stress due
to daily living, such as financial difficulties, marital disruption, and
unemployment.
Social factors may also
impact on the risk of poor health for people with lower SES, such as
marginalization and discrimination.
A low SES often means
reduced access to healthcare. A 2018 study in
Cultural issues can affect
health. The traditions and customs of a society and a family’s response to them
can have a good or bad impact on health.
According to the Seven
Countries Study, researchers studied people in select European countries and
found that those who ate a healthful diet had a lower 20-year death rate.
The study indicated that
people who ate a healthful diet are more likely to consume high levels of
fruits, vegetables, and olives than people who regularly consume fast food.
How a person manages
stress will also affect their health. According to the
Preserving health
The best way to maintain
health is to preserve it through a healthful lifestyle rather than waiting
until sickness or infirmity to address health problems. People use the name
wellness to describe this continuous state of enhanced well-being.
The
“Wellness
is the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are two focal
concerns: the realization of the fullest potential of an individual physically,
psychologically, socially, spiritually, and economically, and the fulfillment
of one’s roles and expectations in the family, community, place of worship, and
other settings.”
Wellness promotes active
awareness of and participating in measures that preserve health, both as an
individual and in the community. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a
lifelong, daily commitment.
Steps that can help people
attain wellness include:
- eating
a balanced, nutritious diet from as many natural sources as possible
- engaging
in at least
150 minutes - screening
for diseases that may present a risk
- learning
to manage stress effectively
- engaging
in activities that provide purpose
- connecting
with and caring for other people
- maintaining
a positive outlook on life
- defining
a value system and putting it into action
The definition of peak
health is highly individual, as are the steps a person may take to get there.
Every person has different health goals and a variety of ways to achieve them.
It may not be possible to
avoid disease altogether. However, a person should do as much as they can to
develop resilience and prepare the body and mind to deal with illnesses as they
arise.
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