What the Body Wants – Defining Healthy Living

Health is an indeterminable condition of body, mind and spirit wherein infirmity and illness are absent. Various definitions have been employed over the years for various medical purposes. One of them is “life style” which signifies the mode of living one has and the habits one enjoys. The study of health involves the recognition and evaluation of a person’s diet, general health, personal health, social aspects and medical conditions.

People need to become conscious of their health issues at an early age so that they can prevent themselves from the many health problems it may entail in the future. Children are the main victims of communicable diseases especially diarrhea and viral gastroenteritis. In order for children to lead a healthy life, parents must be aware of the facts on how to properly care and feed them. Proper vaccinations and education on health issues are effective ways of preventing diseases and illnesses. It is also essential to be aware of the right way of living and the proper lifestyle choices one can make for a longer and a safer life.

Lifestyle choices include things we do everyday such as diet and exercise. We can improve our health status by adopting healthy lifestyles which usually means, not eating food that are high in fat and sugar, taking in lots of water, and doing physical activities that keep the body fit. These tips usually involve recognizing what kind of behaviors are good or bad for our health. It also entails recognizing stressors and learning how to cope with it. A stressed out individual is more prone to diseases and health conditions than an individual who is well balanced and in control of stress. It is important to maintain emotional and physical balance to maintain optimal health.

One of the United States’ foremost health promotion strategies is to identify and teach healthy people skills to deal with both physiological and psychological wellness. Among these health problems are obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, and sedentary lifestyles. It has been proven that all these are associated with greater risks to health. It is also believed that if people have healthy people skills, they will be less prone to health problems. Therefore, teaching good health practices to all Americans is the responsibility of each individual family as part of the overall effort in the fight against obesity and other types of chronic illnesses.

In defining health, it is essential to define the difference between acceptable and unhealthy. Acceptable health practices for one require complete lifestyle alteration which is considered to be unhealthy when one practices it but seldom. On the other hand, unhealthy lifestyle includes indulging in substance abuse, lack of exercise, and sedentary lifestyles. The government and other civil organizations have set up several programs in order to disseminate information on good healthful lifestyle to the public.

High blood pressure is just one of the many disorders and conditions that define health. However, there are other criteria that should be taken into consideration in defining health. Some other examples of this include smoking, diet, and physical activity level among others. These criteria may not necessarily be applicable to all people and health conditions but it is essential for all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent other diseases from occurring.