Health: The Foundation of a Good Life
Health is one of the most important elements to human beings. Without good health, all other aspects of life, such as wealth, relationships, career, and happiness become irrelevant. However, to be clear, health is not merely the absence of disease but rather a general term referring to physical, mental, emotional, and social wellness. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
In today’s busy and changing world, health and maintenance of health is becoming increasingly important because of environmental and lifestyle changes and the emergence of chronic diseases. Health is multidimensional and understanding health, along with the elements that contribute to it, the common threats to it, and how an individual and society can increase health is what this article will focus on.
1. The Dimensions of Health
a. Physical Health
Physical health is the condition and functioning of the body and its systems. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, appropriate sleep schedule, and absence of disease contribute to a person’s physical health. Key aspects of physical health include:
Cardio-respiratory (aerobic) fitness
Muscular strength and endurance
Body weight and body composition
Hydration
Immunocompetence
If a person maintains physical health, they increase their chance of decreasing chronic disease diagnosis (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers).
b. Mental Health
Mental health deals with emotional, psychological, and cognitive well-being. A mentally healthy person is able to effectively manage stress, establish and maintain meaningful relationships, and make positive choices. Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, are increasingly prevalent and deserve the same level of attention as physical illnesses.
c. Emotional Health
Like mental health, emotional health involves the ability recognize and manage emotions, deal with stressful situation and challenges, and express emotions thoughtfully and constructively. Having a high emotional intelligence (EQ) can enhance one’s life and relationships significantly.
d. Social Health
Social health relates to our interaction with each other in society. Being social creatures, having positive social bonds is necessary for our health and wellness. We have our friendships and our social circles that can provide emotional support to help with situations that may lead to stress, build emotional resiliency, and even health.
e. Spiritual Health
Spiritual health is about a person’s purpose, meaning, and sense of inner peace. It can be based on religious beliefs, personal values, or finding one’s connection to something greater than oneself. Many individuals may turn to faith-based practices like meditation, prayer, and mindfulness to reach a level of spiritual health.
2. Factors Affecting Health
a. Genetics
Genetics affect a person in that the genetics may predispose a person to certain diseases or conditions. While there is nothing a person can do to change genes that are inherited, with some genetic conditions, it is helpful to know hereditary risks so a person may plan for the lifestyle and preventative care.
b. Lifestyle Choices
Lifestyle choices refer to how a person’s choices related to food, exercise, sleep, alcohol, and smoking can affect a person’s health. Poor lifestyle choices are among the top causes of preventable illness and death.
c. Environment
Clean air, drinking water, and the overall health of the environment are critical to a person’s health. Pollution and climate changes are public health issues today.
d. Socio-economic status
Access to healthcare, to education, to nutritious food, and to safe housing is often linked to income and a person’s social status. Health disparities often follow social disparities.
e. Access to healthcare
Timely access to medical care, screening, and immunizations, as well as health promotion and education, can significantly impact health outcomes. Universal health care systems aim to resolve disparities in a more equitable way by providing heath care to everyone.
3. Common threats to health
a. Non-communicable diseases (NCDS)
Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease are examples of NCDs. Many NCDS are attributable to health behavior, and these diseases account for over 70% of deaths worldwide.
b. Communicable diseases
Despite significant advances in medicine, communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria, as well as COVID-19, present as significant public health threats – especially in lower-income areas of the world.
c. Mental health illness
Mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, have risen in numbers. Stigmatization and lack of access to care and treatment often limits an individual’s ability to seek care.
d. Obesity and poor nutrition
Malnutrition and obesity are two sides of the same coin. Many people suffer from malnutrition because they cannot access enough food to eat, while others suffer from obesity because they are consuming a diet with too many calories and not enough nutrition. Health issues arise from both forms of malnourishment.