What is good health?
• What is health?
• Types
• Factors for good health
• Preserving health
• Summary
The word health refers to a state of complete emotional, mental, and physical well-being. People may be able to maintain or improve their health by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and connecting with others.
Healthcare exists to help people maintain or improve their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Good health is central to handling stress and living a longer, more active life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare costs in the United States were $3.8 trillionTrusted Source in 2019.
However, despite this expenditure, people in the United States have a lower life expectancy than people in other developed countries. This is due to various factors, including access to healthcare and lifestyle choices.
What is health?
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In 1946, the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted
Source 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 1986Trusted Source, they 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.”
A 2021 commentary expands on this, suggesting that good health requires the ability to adapt when coping with stress. The commentary’s authors indicate that environmental, social, and personal factors can affect health.
They also suggest that health is multi-dimensional, dynamic, and continuous. It may be distinct from a person’s ability to function and instead determined by adaptation and balance, which allows for considerations of health within a context of disability.
Types of health
Mental and physical health may be the two most frequently discussed types of health. However, health is a multi-dimensional concept. Spiritual, emotional, and financial health may also contribute to overall health. For example, people with better financial health 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.