Health is a condition of physical, mental and emotional well being where infirmity and illness are absent. It implies the absence of disease, the absence of death and infirmity and the security of life in all its aspects. The concept of health has withstood the test of time because it has been shaped by culture and tradition from time immemorial and even today health has become something that people want to achieve for the sake of their physical and mental health. Health is a composite term that indicates many related concepts like health, sickness, health and well-being. It also implies a combination of other concepts like health maintenance, health promotion and health education.
There are three main definitions of health that are agreed upon by practitioners all over the world. The first definition, which is widely used in the United States is the definition of the word health as having “the ability to live a long and healthy life”. The second definition is the definition of health as the ability of the body to maintain its normal physical environment without any external stress or strain. The third definition, which is the most popular, is used in the United Kingdom. It is the definition of health that emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good diet, exercise, and monitoring the body’s vital signs.
There are several problems with this first and third definition of health. Firstly, the ability of the body to have a good health depends on the kind of life one leads. Sudden changes in lifestyle, exposure to different kinds of diseases, underdevelopment of the immune system, lack of sleep and a poor diet are some of the major causes of death around the world. Hence, it can be said that health is a mixture of absent diseases with good health.
The second definition emphasizes the idea of being in the optimal state. Optimal state is a health condition wherein all the major systems of the body are functioning well together and health is maintained at the maximum level. Optimal state can be attained through stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. A healthy mind and a healthy body can help people to live longer lives and avoid the major diseases such as cancer, heart attack, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.
The third definition emphasizes that the absence of disease is not equivalent to good health. absence of any kind of disease does not mean that a person is in good health. For instance, a person who is fit and healthy may suffer from a minor disease for a short period of time. But a person with a chronic illness, especially chronic inflammation, may suffer from the disease for a lifetime. So, the absence of disease is not equivalent to good health.
People may get sick for any number of reasons and diseases are common. But in order to receive timely and adequate treatment, it is necessary to receive medical attention. But absence of disease does not mean the absence of medical attention. If you do not receive medical care for any reason, you should contact your insurance company and find out what coverage you have, so that you can pay for your medical expenses.