: ''For other uses see
Health (disambiguation). See also:
Wellness.''
Health is the level of functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism at both the micro(cellular) and macro(social) level. In the medical field, health is commonly defined as an
organism's ability to efficiently respond to challenges (stressors) and effectively restore and sustain a "state of balance", known as
homeostasis.
Another widely accepted definition of health is that of the
World Health Organization (WHO), which states that "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"
[1]. In more recent years, this statement has been modified to include the ability to lead a "socially and economically productive life." The WHO definition is not without criticism, as some argue that health cannot be defined as a state at all, but must be seen as a process of continuous adjustment to the changing demands of living and of the changing meanings we give to life. The WHO definition is therefore considered by many as an idealistic goal rather than a realistic proposition.
Determinants of health
The
LaLonde report suggested that there are four general
determinants of health including ''human biology'', ''environment'', ''
lifestyle'', and ''
healthcare services.''
[2] Thus, health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of
health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual.
Exercising and eating a
healthy diet to
reduce body fat and attain
physical fitness,
managing stress, and
stopping smoking and other
substance abuse are examples of ways to improve one's health.
An increasing measure of the health of populations is
height, which is strongly influenced by nutrition and health care, and by standard of living and quality of life matters. The study of human growth, its regulators, and its implications is known as
auxology.
Wellness
Wellness is a term used in the field of
alternative medicine to describe one's overall state of being.
Workplace wellness programs are recognized by an increasingly large number of companies for their value in improving the health and well-being of their employees, and for increasing morale, loyalty, and productivity. Workplace wellness programs can include things like onsite fitness centers, health presentations, wellness newsletters, access to health coaching, tobacco cessation programs and training related to
nutrition,
weight and stress management. Other programs may include health risk assessments, health screenings and
body mass index monitoring. Mostly overseen or not mentioned is a group of determinants of health which could be called
coincidence,
hazard,
luck or bad luck. These factors are quite important determinants of health but difficult to calculate.
Health science
Main articles: Health science
Health science is the branch of science dealing with 'health', and it includes many subdisciplines. There are two approaches to health science: the study and
research of the human body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure
diseases.
Health research builds primarily on the basic sciences of
biology,
chemistry, and
physics as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields (for example
medical sociology). Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make exceptionally significant contributions to health science are
biochemistry,
epidemiology, and
genetics.
Applied health sciences also endeavor to better understand health, but in addition they try to directly improve it. Some of these are:
biomedical engineering,
biotechnology,
nursing,
nutrition,
pharmacology,
pharmacy,
public health,
psychology,
physical therapy, and
medicine. The provision of services to improve people's health is referred to as health care (see below).
Health care
Main articles: Health care
Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the
medical,
nursing, and
allied health professions. According to the
World Health Organisation, health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.
[3] The organized provision of such services may constitute a
health care system. This can include a specific governmental organization such as the
National Health Service in the UK, or a cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in
Shared Care.
Exercise
Main articles: Physical exercise
Exercise is the performance of some activity in order to develop or maintain
physical fitness and overall health. It is often directed toward also honing athletic ability or skill. Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component in the prevention of some of the
diseases of affluence such as
cancer,
heart disease,
cardiovascular disease,
Type 2 diabetes,
obesity and
back pain.
Exercises are generally grouped into three types depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:
★ Flexibility exercises such as
stretching improve the range of motion of
muscles and joints.
★
Aerobic exercises such as
walking and
running focus on increasing
cardiovascular endurance.
★
Anaerobic exercises such as
weight training or
sprinting increase short-term muscle strength.
Physical exercise is considered important for maintaining physical fitness including healthy weight; building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints; promoting physiological well-being; reducing surgical risks; and strengthening the immune system.
Proper nutrition is just as, if not more, important to health as exercise. When exercising it becomes even more important to have good diet to ensure the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients whilst providing ample micronutrients; this is to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise. When the body falls short of proper nutrition, it gets into starvation mode developed through evolution and depends onto fat content for survival. Research suggest that the production of thyroid hormones can be negatively affected by repeated bouts of dieting and calorie restriction
[4]. Proper rest and recovery is also as important to health as exercise, otherwise the body exists in a permanently injured state and will not improve or adapt adequately to the exercise.
The above two factors can be compromised by psychological compulsions (
eating disorders such as
exercise bulimia,
anorexia, and other
bulimias), misinformation, a lack of organization, or a lack of motivation. These all lead to a decreased state of health.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness can occur after any exercise, particularly if the body is in an unconditioned state relative to that exercise.
Nutrition
Main articles: Nutrition
Nutrition is the
science that studies how
what people eat affects their health and performance, such as foods or food components that cause diseases or deteriorate health (such as eating too many calories, which is a major contributing factor to
obesity,
diabetes, and
heart disease). The field of nutrition also studies foods and dietary supplements that improve performance, promote health, and cure or prevent disease, such as eating fiberous foods to reduce the risk of colon cancer, or supplementing with vitamin C to strengthen teeth and gums and to improve the immune system.
Between extremes of optimal health and death from
starvation or
malnutrition, there is an array of disease states that can be caused or alleviated by changes in diet. Deficiencies, excesses and imbalances in diet can produce negative impacts on health, which may lead to diseases such as
scurvy, obesity or
osteoporosis, as well as psychological and behavioral problems. Moreover, excessive ingestion of elements that have no apparent role in health, (e.g.
lead,
mercury,
PCBs,
dioxins), may incur
toxic and potentially lethal effects, depending on the dose. The science of nutrition attempts to understand how and why specific dietary aspects influence health.
Sports nutrition
Main articles: Sports nutrition
Sports nutrition focuses on how food and dietary supplements affect athletic performance (during events), improvement (from training), and recovery (after events and training). One goal of sports nutrition is to maintain glycogen levels and prevent
glycogen depletion. Another is to optimize energy levels and muscle tone. An athlete's strategy for winning an event may include a schedule for the entire season of what to eat, when to eat it, and in what precise quantities (before, during, after, and between workouts and events). Participants in endurance sports such as the
full-distance triathlon actually eat ''during'' their races. Sports nutrition works hand-in-hand with
sports medicine.
Mental health
'Mental health' is a concept that refers to a human individual's emotional and psychological well-being.
Merriam-Webster defines mental health as "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."
According to the World Health Organization, there is no one "official" definition of mental health. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how "mental health" is defined. In general, most experts agree that "mental health" and "
mental illness" are not opposites. In other words, the absence of a recognized mental disorder is not necessarily an indicator of mental health.
One way to think about mental health is by looking at how effectively and successfully a person functions. Feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress, maintain satisfying relationships, and lead an independent life; and being able to "bounce back," or recover from difficult situations, are all signs of mental health.
Encompassing your emotional, social, and—most importantly—your mental well-being; All these aspects—emotional, physical, and social—must function together to achieve overall health.
See also
Main articles: List of basic health topics
References
1. WHO. Constitution of the World Health Organization , Geneva, 1946. Accessed October 30, 2006.
2. Lalonde, Marc. "A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians." Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services; 1974.
3. Why do health systems matter?, World Heath Organization Report., , , WHO, 2000,
4. Common fitness mistakes people make Stay Fit retrieved on 11-13-2006
★ WHO (1979) ''Health for All'', Sr. Nos. 1, 2
External links
★
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work EU-OSHA
★
The Public Health Portal of the European Union
★
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA)
★
National Center for Health Statistics (USA)
★
National Institute of Health (USA)
★
National Library of Medicine pubmed journal search
★
World Health Organization
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