The concept of health has been around for ages and it’s always been a source of concern to the people. Health is a condition of mental, physical and social well being where infirmity and disease are absent. It is often said that ‘health is wealth’, so good health protects you from getting sick. Well, being is the state of having good habits, being happy and peaceful in ones’ surroundings and having good relationships with friends and family. Being fit and healthy is becoming more important as modern living creates an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and leads to a sedentary economy.
Being fit and healthy would also mean that one is within heath, this could be in terms of being mentally or physically sound. Within ourselves we have a great deal of potential for growth and improvement, so much so that this is true within everyone. However, with age comes a slowing down of this growth and improvement, a process called aging. This process of aging is not a random occurrence but rather a predetermined process that all of us have to face at some stage or another. Being fit and healthy within oneself would then allow us to cope with the changes that come with old age, whether it be good or bad.
A definition of healthy therefore would be a state where all three aspects of the definition are satisfied. This would then include a definition of physical being where all three aspects of health are present and where there is a total feeling of well being. Mental well being is also included in this definition as it allows us to function daily with a clear mind and spirit. The definition of social as it relates to healthy relationships also falls within this definition, as does the definition of total mental and physical well being.
The goal of any healthy lifestyle is to maintain a balance between all three aspects of health. A balance which varies between the three aspects would be perfect health, which is a mixture of the three aspects within any healthy lifestyle. Health can only be maintained if the person is living a lifestyle that contributes towards the maintenance of balance. For example, if an individual were to smoke, this would contribute towards the increasing of the risk of heart disease or cancer, as well as contribute towards the other chronic diseases.
In order to avoid these chronic diseases, then the goal of any healthy lifestyle would be to remove diseases from the equation. Any definition of good health however, cannot eliminate the disease altogether. A healthy definition will state that the prevention of disease is far more effective than the treatment of disease. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle must include proper diet, exercise and supplementation in order to prevent the onset of chronic diseases.
Healthy lifestyles must also include an assessment of one’s current lifestyle, in order to determine any existing diseases or medical conditions. Any disorders present will also need to be addressed. A definition of healthy would therefore also include an examination of one’s emotional state. Emotionally, people may be experiencing low self-esteem due to their physical health, and therefore they may be susceptible to disease. There are a number of disorders associated with low self-esteem such as depression, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.