In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health with a phrase that modern authorities still apply: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
In 1986, the WHO made further clarifications:
“A resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.”
This means that health is a resource to support an individual’s function in wider society, rather than an end in itself. A healthful lifestyle provides the means to lead a full life with meaning and purpose.
In 2009, researchers publishing in The Lancet defined health as the ability of a body to adapt to new threats and infirmities. They base this definition on the idea that the past few decades have seen modern science take significant strides in the awareness of diseases by understanding how they work, discovering new ways to slow or stop them, and acknowledging that an absence of pathology may not be possible.
TYPES
Mental and physical health are probably the two most frequently discussed types of health.
Spiritual, emotional, and financial health also contribute to overall health. Medical experts have linked these to lower stress levels and improved mental and physical well-being.
People with better financial health, for example, may worry less about finances and have the means to buy fresh food more regularly. Those with good spiritual health may feel a sense of calm and purpose that fuels good mental health.
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Physical health is the well-being of the body and the proper functioning of the organism of individuals, which is a normal condition for individuals of both physical, and mental condition who are not suffering from any type of sickness.
Traditionally, physical health might have been understood as your physical body being free of disease or disability but as our healthcare has improved and people have started living longer and living with many different conditions, this definition has really evolved to reflect that concept.
So, now the Physical health definition might be more focused on being able to live comfortably to do the things that you want to do. The more accurate definition of physical health could be ‘The ability to perform daily tasks and live comfortably in one’s body’.
Physical Health is correlated with Mental Health because good physical health leaves a better personal feeling in the long term.
The American Heart Association says:“Physical activity boosts mental wellness. Regular physical activity can relieve tension, stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. You may feel a good sensation immediately following your physical activity, and most people also note an improvement in general well-being over time as physical activity becomes a part of their routine.”
Why you should be careful about your Physical Health?
Hope you all understand, health is a way of life and what does physical health mean actually. So, you have to choose to be healthy. But the problem is, we forget that our body is a magnificent creation of our creator. It is a house or a sanctuary for our spirit and our body is also as important as our spirit.
Unfortunately, we have the tendency to put the hyper-focus on the spirit only, but don’t focus on the thing that holds the spirit. People work for growing in spiritual formation but the things that hold their spirit is disintegrating. And only because of indulgence and neglect.
Let’s see the Leading Causes of Death as WHO puts,
Of the 56.9 million deaths worldwide in 2016, more than half (54%) were due to the top 10 causes. Among them, the top five causes of death are as follows:
Heart disease
Cancer
Chronic respiratory diseases
Accidents
Stroke
Here we find that the first three of them are linked to physical health. If you can’t move your physical body, if you incapacitated or if you die prematurely for sickness because of your own neglect and indulgence, then your purpose is cut short in the earth. So what do you think? You should be careful about your physical health or not?You should, because your body is the vehicle to handle and to fulfill your purpose. That is why your physical health is important which is interconnected with your overall health. So you have to care about your physical health and remember IF YOU DON’T CHANGE YOUR LIFE, YOUR LIFE WILL CHANGE YOU.
HOW TO MAINTAIN A GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH?
Having a healthy body, a healthy lifestyle, a healthy diet, regular exercise, going to a doctor for screening tests, and proper sleep is essential.
1. A Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle can help you to maintain your physical health. It can help you to feel good, stay at a healthy weight, and have plenty of energy for both work and play.
It also can lower your risk for serious chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. You can follow a few steps listed below to improve your physical health.
2. Healthy Diet
You can maintain your physical health by keeping a balanced diet. You should eat foods that contain vitamins and minerals. And the types of food contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and a source of protein. Balanced nutrition is really good for your health.
Foods are grouped because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients. For example, key nutrients of the milk, yogurt, cheese, and alternatives group include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. It is also important to choose a variety of foods from within each food group because different foods provide different types and amounts of key nutrients. Choosing a variety of foods will help to make your meals interesting so that you don’t get bored with your diet.
3. Regular Exercise
Physical exercise is really important to maintain good physical health. There are many benefits of regular exercise and maintaining fitness because it increases energy levels, improves muscle strength and brain function, it reduces the risk of many diseases and it can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
So we need to move our bodies. Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic- Arizona State University, says,
“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”
Researchers also found that prolonged sitting increases the risk of developing numerous serious diseases like various types of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, etc.
Exercise helps you to maintain good physical health. Whatever stage of life you’re currently at, there are plenty of different exercise options to try. Exercise doesn’t just mean going to the gym or heading out for a run. It may be as simple as walking to and from the shops instead of getting in the car or getting off the bus a few stops earlier.
4. Screening Tests
A screening test is used to detect possible diseases or health disorders in those people who don’t have any symptoms of the disease. It plays an important role because it is the best way to find the disease early.
American Cancer Society states that screening can find or even prevent about half of the new cancer cases. Secondly, screening tests reveal the risk factor which is a health condition or behavior that puts us at risk of developing the disease. If we know our risk factors then we can make certain lifestyle changes that ultimately prevent the disease or disorder that they may lead to.
5. Sleep
Do you know not getting enough sleep is linked to fat? Lack of sleep is one of the largest risk factors in obesity. In a short study on sleep duration, researchers found that adults not getting enough sleep were 55% more likely to be obese worse than that, children were actually 89% more likely to be obese not getting enough sleep.
Besides this, Lack of good sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, tiredness, poor memory, anxiety, and depression.
So getting enough good quality sleep is crucial for all. How much sleep you need also varies from person to person. Here's a general guide:
Infants aged 4–12 months: 12–16 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 1–2 years: 11–14 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 3–5 years: 10–13 hours a day (including naps)
Children aged 6–13 years: 9–11 hours a day
Teens aged 14–18 years: 8–10 hours a day
Adults aged 18–64 years: 7–9 hours a day
Adults aged 65+ years: 7–8 hours a day
FINAL THOUGHTS
From the above discussion, we can know what does physical health means and its importance in our life. When people are in optimal physical health, they can perform various activities, promote well-being, and continue to develop or cultivate skills for their general health. Their body is solid and disease-free, so their mental and emotional health is also in good health. Now, it’s your turn to take wise decisions that are going to help your body and help you to feel Healthy, Strong, and Active.
References:
National Sleep Foundation US, 2015