The word health refers to a state of complete emotional, mental and physical well-being. Health care exists to help people stay healthy in these key areas of life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare costs in the United States were
However, despite these expenses, Americans have a lower life expectancy than people in other developed countries. This is due to a variety of factors, including access to healthcare and lifestyle choices.
Good health is essential to management stress and live a longer, more active life. In this article we explain what good health means, the types of health a person should consider and how to maintain good health.
In 1948, the
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and does not consist simply of the absence of disease or infirmity. »
In 1986, the
“A resource for daily life, not the purpose of living.” Health is a positive concept that emphasizes social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities.
This means that health is a resource to support an individual’s functioning in wider society, rather than an end in itself. A healthy lifestyle provides the means to lead a full, meaningful and meaningful life.
In 2009, researchers publishing in
They base this definition on the idea that in recent decades modern science has made significant advances in awareness of diseases by understanding how they work, discovering new ways to slow or stop them and recognizing that an absence of pathology may not be possible. .
Mental health and physical health are probably the two most commonly discussed types of health.
Spiritual, emotional and financial health also contribute to overall health. Medical experts have linked these stress levels to improved mental and physical well-being.
People with better financial health, for example, may worry less about their finances and be able to afford fresh food more regularly. Those with good spiritual health may experience a sense of calm and purpose that fuels good mental health.
Physical health
A physically healthy person is likely to have bodily functions and processes functioning at their peak.
This is not just due to the absence of disease. Regular, balanced exercise nutrition, and adequate rest all contribute to good health. People receive medical treatment to maintain balance, if necessary.
Physical wellness is about adopting a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of disease. Maintaining physical fitness, for example, can protect and develop a person’s respiratory and cardiac function endurance, muscle strength, flexibility and body composition.
Taking care of your physical health and well-being also means reducing the risk of injuries or health problems, such as:
- minimize risks in the workplace
- use contraception during sex
- practice effective hygiene
- avoid using tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs
- take vaccines recommended 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.
For example, mental illnesses, such as depression, may increase the risk of substance use disorders, according to
Mental Health
According to
Mental health is more difficult to define than physical health because many psychological diagnoses depend on an individual’s perception of their experience.
However, thanks to advances in testing, doctors are now able to identify certain physical signs of certain types of mental illness through CT scans and genetic testing.
Good mental health is not just about the absence of depression, anxiety, or another disorder. It also depends on a person’s ability to:
- enjoy life
- bouncing back from difficult experiences and adapting to adversity
- balancing different elements of life, such as family and finances
- to feel safe
- reach their full potential
Physical and mental health have close links. For example, if a chronic illness affects a person’s ability to perform their usual tasks, it can lead to depression and stress. These feelings could be due to financial concerns or mobility issues.
A mental illness, such as depression or anorexiacan affect weight and overall function.
It is important to approach “health” as a whole rather than as a series of discrete factors. All types of health are linked, and people should aim for overall well-being and balance as the keys to 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 profile or change can lead to a less than optimal level of health. People can inherit genes from their parents that increase their risk of developing certain health problems.
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 at increased genetic risk of a particular disease.
Access to healthcare plays a role, but the WHO suggests the following factors may have a greater impact on health:
- where does a person live
- the state of the surrounding environment
- genetic
- their income
- their level of education
- employment status
It is possible to classify them as follows:
- The social and economic environment: This can include the financial situation of a family or community, as well as social culture and the quality of relationships.
- The physical environment: This includes the germs that exist in an area, as well as pollution levels.
- Characteristics and behaviors of a person: A person’s genetic makeup and lifestyle choices can affect their overall health.
According to some studies, the higher a person’s socio-economic status (SES), the more
They also argue that people with low socioeconomic status are more likely to experience stress from daily life, such as financial difficulties, marital breakdown, and unemployment.
Social factors can also impact the risk of poor health for people with lower SES, such as marginalization and discrimination.
Low SES often means reduced access to health care. A 2018 study in
Cultural issues can affect health. A society’s traditions and customs and a family’s reaction to them can have a positive or negative impact on health.
According to Study on seven countriesResearchers studied people in some European countries and found that those who ate a healthy diet had a lower mortality rate over 20 years.
The study indicated that people who eat a healthy diet are more likely to consume high amounts of fruits, vegetables and olives than people who regularly consume fast food.
The study also found that people who followed the Mediterranean diet had a lower 10-year all-cause mortality rate. According to
How a person handles stress will also affect their health. According to
The best way to maintain health is to preserve it through a healthy lifestyle rather than waiting for illness or infirmity to resolve health problems. People use the term wellness to describe this ongoing state of heightened well-being.
THE
“Well-being is the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are two main concerns: the realization of an individual’s full potential physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually and economically, and the fulfillment of their roles and expectations within the family, community, place of worship and other contexts.
Well-being promotes active awareness and participation in measures that preserve health, both as an individual and in the community. Maintaining well-being and optimal health is a daily, lifelong commitment.
Steps that can help people achieve wellness include:
- eat a balanced, nutritious diet from as many natural sources as possible
- engage in at least
150 minutes of moderate-to-high-intensity exercise each week, according to the American Heart Association - screening for diseases that could present a risk
- learn to manage stress effectively
- engage in activities that provide purpose
- connect with and care for other people
- maintain a positive outlook on life
- define a value system and implement it
The definition of optimal health is very individual, as are the steps a person can take to get there. Every person has different health goals and different ways to achieve them.
It may not be possible to completely avoid the disease. However, a person should do everything they can to build resilience and prepare their body and mind to deal with illnesses as they arise.
