Health is a condition where illness and infirmity are completely absent. In other words, health is not a state of being in good shape or condition. Various definitions have also been used over the years for various purposes.
Some people may believe that good health is subjective, while others believe that it is objective. Well-being is affected by both internal and external factors. We are influenced by our physical environment and our expectations about how we should behave. Our sense of personal well-being is also affected by the emotions we are surrounded by as well as our relationship with other people. These factors can be neglected and lead to grave health conditions such as sickness, injury and even death.
Many health promotion programs concentrate on the promotion of physical activities, promoting mental health and emphasizing social and personal resources. For instance, health promotion programs designed to reduce stress are focusing on reducing the negative impact of stress on people’s lives. Studies show that stress has negative effects on health and can lead to a number of illnesses as well as physical disorders. Thus, the focus on physical capabilities, including health promotion, is to reduce the negative impact of stress on a person’s daily life.
The importance of a healthy diet and physical exercise has also been emphasized by health specialists. Studies show that people who have balanced diets have lower instances of depression, diabetes and heart diseases. Moreover, people who have regular physical exercise also lead a longer life span. Thus, public health experts have been concentrating on these issues as they can potentially help in reducing the number of life-threatening diseases in developed countries. This is also true in developing countries, where life expectancy is much lower than in the developed countries.
Developing physical skills like yoga and Tai Chi have also been advocated as they have been found to be effective in fighting stress, depression and anxiety. These wellness activities encourage people to look after themselves physically as well as mentally. They promote flexibility and strength. The experts recommend that people should adopt physical fitness activities at least 20 minutes daily. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle will go hand in hand with such wellness programs.
Developing a balanced lifestyle and an active lifestyle have become more important in today’s world. Stress, depression and illness are some of the major reasons for the alarming rate of physical illness and premature death in the developed world. A holistic approach to fighting these illnesses has become more important as prevention is better than cure. In developing countries, where lack of resources make treating health problems more difficult, prevention is the only method of ensuring the overall health of the population. A healthy diet and physical fitness are the cornerstones of this process.
