A Healthy Diet Can Lead to Good Health – 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health Now
Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is ‘a state of full physical, emotional and social well being and not the absence of illness and infirmity.’ Over time a variety of definitions have also been used for that purpose. Today the word ‘wellness’ is used to refer to a general term for all of those quality factors that contribute to our ability to live a life well. Some people consider health to be subjective, meaning that your view of your health is influenced by how you feel day to day and what you have experienced during your lifetime. Another definition considers health to be a state of total well being, which includes the physical, emotional, and social components.
A major part of the definition is a statement made byWHO: “In the absence of a universal definition, health can be regarded as the collection of bodily and mental processes that maintain the general welfare of an individual.” This is a broad statement, but it has been the source of some confusion. WHO has also used the term, “healthy body,” which implies that there are a number of systems within the body that are healthy, rather than a static state. Another issue is the lack of agreed upon definition between the medical community and individuals. There is considerable debate regarding the definition of healthy, with some groups considering it to be synonymous with disease, while others disagree.
According to some groups, a life course approach is best used when considering the definition. Life course theory suggests that the path from childhood to death is the only path to lasting health. The absence or presence of risk factors in an individual’s life course determines the likelihood of developing disease or acquiring a disease in his/her life. Based on this third definition, health may be considered as a sum or a range of individual outcomes, rather than a binary state. These groups further argue that there are no absolute or clear-cut guidelines to achieving optimal health, and that health should be viewed as a process rather than as a single variable.
The absence of absolute guidelines is problematic because it complicates the process of achieving optimal health. Without a set of standards, individuals will be at risk for disease whether or not they have established or developed these habits. If you smoke and are exposed to second-hand smoke, your chances of contracting lung cancer are greater than if you had never lit a cigarette. The same is true for other common chronic diseases: obesity, inactive lifestyle, alcohol intake, and tobacco use all predispose people to develop the disease, and some of these diseases may be associated with higher presence or absence of risk factors. Thus, health can only be achieved through a process, beginning with good life-style practices such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, and regular exposure to sunlight.
The fourth definition is “excessively risky.” It has been suggested that a person who becomes ill or lives a risky life-style is at increased risk of getting an illness and of dying during the time of his life when he would otherwise be in good health. This is the essence of morbidity, and all that is required for good health is well-being: not just physical well-being, but mental, social, and spiritual well-being as well. It includes avoiding the risk factors associated with illness and death; eating healthy, exercising, quitting smoking, and minimizing environmental toxins. A person’s level of social and physical network has a profound impact on their well-being.
The fifth definition is “unhealthy feeling.” This is closely related to “unhealthy feeling.” People who are depressed, anxious, and lack positive mental outlook on life are often those who suffer from low levels of physical health. Low levels of physical health often lead to high blood pressure, a condition that leads to serious medical complications. Also, depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure are symptoms of metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by insulin resistance, obesity, poor nutrient intake, and abnormal fat storage. Health experts believe that metabolic syndrome causes heart failure, high blood pressure, and other serious health problems.