Understanding the Concept of Health and the Need for Healthy Lifestyles

HEALTH

Understanding the Concept of Health and the Need for Healthy Lifestyles

For hundreds of years, health has been a major topic of conversation among leaders and citizens. The dictionary definition of health is “the state of being fit, fine and healthy.” According to the World Health Organization, “health is a state of full physical, mental and emotional well-being and not just the absence of sickness and disease.” Various definitions have also been applied differently over the years for various purposes. One of these purposes has been that of a civil rights issue.

Although the dictionary definition of “good health” is an overall condition of health that includes physical health and self-esteem, many people have different definitions of what it means to be in good physical condition. Some consider it to be healthy relationships with other people, while others believe that it entails living a lifestyle that reduces the risks of catching and transmitting diseases. Others believe that good health can be achieved through exercise and a change of lifestyle choices. Still, some professionals such as doctors and nurses define it as a reduction or elimination of all diseases, both infectious and non-infectious.

Because the human mind plays a key role in determining the physical condition as well as the quality of life, it has often been seen as an indicator of one’s mental health. Theories have gone on to suggest that patients who are in good mental health are more able to cope with physical problems. Additionally, there are those who subscribe to the theory that the capacity to experience positive things outweighs the ability to feel things that result in negative consequences, making those who are in good mental health mentally stable. Indeed, there are many ways by which a person can measure his or her level of mental health, and these include self-assessment tools that tap into the individual’s thoughts and feelings, interviews with friends and family members, and periodic self-psycho-diagnosis.

It has also been found that there is a strong link between physical well-being, or the ability to function day-to-day, and psychological well-being, or one’s capacity to feel compassion and have a sense of worth. There is a difference, however, between the term “developed countries” and “lower-income countries.” In developed countries, health-related indicators are well-developed, with research demonstrating that the differences in health, disability, illness, nutrition, attitudes, and values are primarily caused by social factors. In lower-income countries, development of health-related indicators is less frequent, with most of the differences being cultural and socioeconomic. This has been attributed to cultural differences in attitudes towards the concept of illness, physical and mental illness, and how to treat them.

The concept of HEALTH also refers to the way a person views his or her own body. Some experts argue that a healthy body is one that is in balance, while others believe that there is more to it than just a healthy brain. For example, overweight people tend to have poorer mental health than those who are thin. Similarly, people with poor diets tend to be unhealthy, physically as well as mentally.

Although the definition of HEALTH is determined by a person’s perception of his or her own health, heath issues can also be influenced by culture, religion, gender, ethnicity, politics, and medicine. There are new ways to look at health and how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. These include the use of the MindBody Therapy, which examines the interrelationship between our physical and mental wellness. The MindBody Therapy recognizes that physical illness and mental disorders are intimately related, and that a change in either one can have a dramatic impact on the other.