Health is a state of total well-being where infirmity and illness are absent. It includes your ability to enjoy life, your relationships with others and your capacity to cope with pain and discomfort. Health encompasses all the aspects of life that are bodily and emotional. It also includes your ability to enjoy work, leisure, social interaction and physical education. It also encompasses your ability to maintain wellness and the physical strength to endure the demands of life.
A clear distinction between the terms’ health and well-being is important. Health refers to the capacity to enjoy life while well-being refers to the capacity to contribute to well-being through healthy behavior and proper diet and exercise. There is some debate as to what constitutes good health. It could be defined as an optimum level of total health, which could include both physical and mental health, and the capacity to engage in socially beneficial activity. On the other hand, good health could be defined as having well-being that is balanced through appropriate diet and exercise and active participation in activities deemed beneficial to good health.
Prevention and treatment for certain diseases are part of healthy living. Prevention of such diseases as heart disease, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, lung disease, leukemia and cancer, and other life threatening diseases are part of being healthy. There is an ongoing effort to find new ways to prevent and treat these kinds of diseases and their complications. In the United States, public health has taken on a much larger role in preventing and treating some of these kinds of diseases. Because of this, public health education has become a very important element in the promotion of good health.
People need to know what kind of a difference a good diet makes in their health status. Eating habits and portion sizes have been found to affect health. A diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low in saturated fat and sodium, and high in fiber helps people maintain good health. Certain foods seem to help promote good health, like the French fries we have at our favorite restaurants, fruits, and vegetables. Fast food makes us want more but sometimes it is not all that good for our health.
Determining the presence and severity of population health issues, as determined by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, is vital to healthy people being able to lead productive lives. These determinants have shown to differ by state. Healthy people tend to have higher incomes, lower unemployment, less medical costs, live longer and are better educated. For example, the uninsured rate for uninsured adults in the state of Arkansas is 4.5 percent. That rate is much lower than the national average.
Now that you know what the determinants of healthy diet are, take a moment to review your own personal habits. You might also find this main article of interest. If not, you can always visit my website or contact me directly regarding other health concerns you have.