The definition of health varies depending on whom you ask. For some people, it’s being able to do what they want to do; for others, it’s feeling good about themselves. Some see health as having enough money to live comfortably. Others define it as having no pain or discomfort. Still others believe that it’s being physically fit. And many think that health is simply doing what makes you feel happy.

In 1948, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” This definition focuses on the individual rather than the illness or disability. A person who smokes cigarettes and drinks alcohol might be considered healthy according to this definition, even though he or she is harming his or her body. Many people use the term ‘health’ to mean something different from the WHO definition. They often refer to health as “the absence of disease or infirmedness,” meaning that someone who has cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc., is sick and needs treatment.

This article uses the word ‘healthy’ to describe someone whose body functions normally without sickness or injury.

Types

Mental and physical health are probably two of the most commonly discussed types of health. But there are many others, including social, spiritual, emotional, and financial. These often go hand in hand with one another. For instance, people with poor financial health may struggle to pay bills, leading to stress and anxiety. This could lead to depression. In turn, lack of sleep might make you irritable and unfocused.

Medical experts have linked these to low stress levels and improved mental health. They’ve found that those with better mental health tend to worry less about money and have the means to purchase healthy foods more regularly.

Health inequities affect all of our lives differently. Some people face barriers to accessing care due to poverty, while others lack access to nutritious foods because of cost. And some people don’t have adequate transportation options to get to medical appointments.

Physical health

A person who has good physical heath is likely to have bodily processes and functions working at their peak. This is not only because there are no diseases present; it is also because regular exercise, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and stress management all help to promote good health. In addition, people receive medical treatments to ensure that the balance of their organs and systems works properly. They do this to prevent illness and injury and to treat existing conditions.

Maintaining physical fitness, such as cardiovascular conditioning, helps to protect and develop the endurance for a person’s breathing and heartbeat, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition.

Mental health

According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Trusted Source, it is easier to define “mental health” than “physical health.” Mental health encompasses both emotional well-being and psychological functioning. It includes having good relationships, feeling hopeful about the future, being productive, and living in accordance with one’s values. In short, there are no symptoms of mental health; rather, it is defined by how people feel.

With improvements in testing, however, doctors are now able to detect some physical indicators of some types of mental illnesses in CT scans and genetic testing. For example, a study published in April 2018 found that patients with major depressive disorder had lower levels of serotonin transporter binding sites in certain parts of the brain compared to those without depression. This finding suggests that low levels of serotonin transport might play a role in the development of depression.

Good mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness. Rather, it depends on a person’s capacity to:

enjoy life

experience positive emotions

feel hopeful about the future

be productive

Factors for good health

Healthy living depends on many things. You must eat well, exercise regularly, sleep soundly, keep stress levels low, and avoid harmful substances like alcohol and drugs. These are just some of the factors that affect overall health.

Genetic factors

A person is born with a range of genes. Some are inherited from one’s mother, while others come from one’s father. Genes are responsible for many things, including how tall you grow, what color eyes you have, whether you are left handed or right handed, and even whether you have a tendency toward heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.

In some people, an unusual gene pattern or change can lead them to develop a less-than-optimally healthy state. For example, someone might carry a mutation in a gene called BRCA1, which increases his/her chance of developing breast cancer. Or, a person could inherit a mutation in another gene known as APOE4, which increases his/ her chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

While it’s true that genetics play a role in our overall health, there are several important points worth noting about the topic. First, most people don’t know much about their genes. Second, just because a parent has a particular gene doesn’t mean that child will necessarily inherit that same gene. Third, research suggests that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle choices may actually affect how well we respond to specific genes.

Environmental factors

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that many illnesses are influenced by external factors such as air pollution, noise levels, temperature, water quality, food safety, and access to clean drinking water. A healthy environment helps promote good health, while poor conditions contribute to diseases like asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and mental disorders.

In addition to physical environments, social determinants of health include income inequality, education level, unemployment rates, poverty, and discrimination. These factors influence whether people have access to adequate housing, nutritious foods, safe neighborhoods, and medical care. They also determine how much control individuals have over their daily lives, including their ability to make decisions about their health.

Health – United Nations Sustainable Development

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution today calling on Governments to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for everyone across the lifespan. This resolution recognizes the need to take action now to reduce premature deaths, improve maternal and newborn survival, combat infectious disease epidemics and malnutrition, and protect our planet from climate change.

This resolution reaffirms the importance of universal coverage of health services, including prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation; care for those living with disabilities; essential medicines and vaccines; safe drinking water and adequate sanitation; clean air; and good nutrition.

In addition, it emphasizes the role of primary health care workers and calls upon Member States to strengthen health systems and invest in research and innovation.

Today’s adoption of the resolution follows the High Level Meeting on Health held during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos earlier this month. At the meeting, leaders committed to working together to achieve the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These include ending preventable deaths of children under five, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, ensuring universal health coverage, addressing the needs of women and girls, and achieving gender equality and empowerment.

COVID-19 response

The world needs everyone to play their part to stop the spread of coronavirus. This includes taking steps like washing hands regularly, avoiding touching our faces and staying away from others. But there is another important step we must take now: supporting each other. We know how hard it is to live with uncertainty about what might happen next. And we know how scary it can feel when you don’t know where to turn for help. So today I’m asking all countries around the world to join us in providing free access to counselling, psychosocial support and resilience training online for anyone affected by this outbreak.

Animal-to-human diseases on the rise in Africa, warns UN health agency

The number of animal-transmitted human diseases jumping from one continent to another has risen 63 per cent over the last 10 years, according to a report published today by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A total of 18 countries are now affected by such diseases, including Ebola and Marburg viruses, anthrax, rabies, plague, cholera and malaria.

Infectious agents spread via insects, rodents, bats, reptiles, birds, fish, domestic animals and wild animals. They include bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses and prions.

In Good Health

Is Always And Only An Opinion

The concept of health is often vague and ill-defined, and it is usually used to describe someone’s physical state. However, there are many different types of health, including mental health, emotional health, social health, spiritual health, financial health, occupational health, environmental health, and public health.

Health is sometimes defined as the absence of illness, pain, or disability; however, the term can mean something quite different depending on what is being measured. For example, some people believe that health is simply the ability to function without limitations. Others define health as the absence of disease or injury. Still others use the word health to refer to the absence of symptoms, while still others define it as the presence of wellness.

Regardless of how you choose to define health, most people agree that it is important. This is because having good health enables one to live longer, healthier lives. In fact, health is considered to be the greatest human resource.

Yet, despite the importance of health, it is a subjective term. Someone might say that he or she feels healthy, even though he or she has a chronic medical problem. Or perhaps someone is in excellent shape, but his or her family physician tells him or her otherwise.

As a result, health care professionals must exercise caution when making judgments about another person’s health status. They cannot assume that someone is healthy unless they know whether the patient is actually sick or injured. Otherwise, they run the risk of misdiagnosing a disease or prescribing a medication that could harm the patient.

For instance, a woman might feel fine except for occasional joint aches. Her doctor might prescribe ibuprofen for arthritis, thinking that she is experiencing minor discomfort. But the drug might cause severe side effects, such as stomach bleeding. If the same doctor later finds out that the patient really does have rheumatoid arthritis, he or she might recommend methotrexate, which can cause liver damage.

Similarly, a man might complain about frequent headaches. His doctor might diagnose migraines, assuming that the patient suffers from common stress-related problems. But the patient may have meningitis, which requires immediate treatment. A delay in diagnosis could lead to permanent brain damage.

50 Foods That Are Super Healthy

Foods like kale, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, and avocados aren’t just nutritious; they’re also delicious. But many people don’t eat enough of them because they don’t know what to do with them. This list includes some of our favorite recipes for making superfoods even better.

1–6: Fruits and berries

Fruits and berries are among one of the world’s most popular health foods. They contain essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and many other nutrients. Because fruits and berries are often high in sugar, it makes sense to eat them sparingly, especially if you want to lose weight. However, there are plenty of ways to enjoy them without adding too much fat or calories. Here are six delicious recipes to help you start incorporating fruit and berries into your diet today.

1. Apples

Apples are one of the most versatile fruits around. You can eat them raw, baked, juiced, cored, sliced, diced, chopped, pureed, or even frozen. There are many different varieties of apples out there, including red delicious, granny smith, honeycrisp, gala, fuji, greening, and more. Some apples come in a variety pack while others are sold individually.

Fiber One Apple Crunchers contain 30 grams of fiber per serving, making it one of the best snacks for weight loss. This crunchy apple snack contains no added sugar and is gluten free. Fiber One Apple Crunchers are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime during the day.

2. Avocados

Avocados are one of the world’s healthiest foods. They contain vitamins A, B6, E, K, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, potassium, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acids. In addition, avocados are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

They are not only creamy and delicious but also high in fiber. One medium avocado contains about 7 grams of dietary fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar spikes. Fiber also aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer.

STORY: “5 Health Benefits Of Eating Avocado Every Day”

3. Bananas

Bananas are one of the most versatile foods you can eat. They’re easy to grow, cheap to buy, full of vitamins and minerals, and delicious. But did you know that bananas are also one of the richest sources of potassium you can find? Potassium helps keep our bodies healthy by helping regulate blood pressure, muscle contraction, nerve function, and fluid balance. In short, it keeps us alive.

Potassium is found in many different foods, including milk, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and vegetables like potatoes and spinach. However, bananas contain about three times the amount of potassium found in beef, making them one of the best plant-based sources out there.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries are one of nature’s best sources of antioxidant power, according to data published by the USDA National Nutrient Database. A medium serving contains about 50 milligrams of vitamin C, nearly 20 times the amount found in oranges. They contain almost twice as much anthocyanin – another potent source of antioxidants – as red wine. And blueberries are loaded with fiber. One cup provides 4 grams, compared to 3.5 grams in a half cup of strawberries.

5. Oranges

Oranges are well known for being rich in Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. They are also high in fiber and potassium. In fact, one orange contains about 20% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C. And it’s easy to see why oranges are such popular snacks. They’re juicy, sweet, refreshing and nutritious.

6. Strawberries

Strawberries are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. They’re also one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. Here are some facts about strawberries you probably didn’t know…

• Strawberries contain almost twice as much vitamin C as oranges, making them one of nature’s best sources of the nutrient.

• Strawberries are also rich in potassium, folate, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and beta-carotene.

• Strawberries also provide a healthy dose of fiber, including insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels while soluble fiber reduces blood sugar spikes following meals.

• Strawberries contain fewer calories than many other fruit options, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. In fact, a cup of sliced strawberries contains just 86 calories.

• Strawberries come in several varieties, including red, yellow, white, green, and black. Red strawberries are generally sweeter than other types; however, they do contain less vitamin C.

Healthy Diet

Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.

The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.

For adults

A healthy diet includes the following components:

• Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

• At least 400 grams (5 portions) of fruits and vegetables per day.

• Less than 10% of daily energy intake from free sugars (10 levels teaspoons).

• Less than 30% of daily energy intake coming from fat (3).

The World Health Organization recommends a range of healthy eating patterns and physical activity for people around the world. These include limiting consumption of salt, sugar and saturated fat, while increasing consumption of fish, fruit, vegetables and fibre. WHO also advises reducing alcohol consumption to within recommended limits.

For infants and young children

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age, followed by continued breastfeeding along with complementary feeding up to two years of age or beyond. This includes appropriate introduction of solid, semi-solid and soft foods, starting at about 4–6 months of age. Breastfeeding provides protection against many diseases, such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, acute respiratory infections, measles, meningitis and HIV/AIDS. It also helps reduce infant mortality rates. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months protects against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and asthma. Although no one knows exactly why it works, there are several theories. Breastmilk contains antibodies that help protect babies against infection. Breastmilk also contains hormones that regulate metabolism and energy balance. Breastmilk contains substances called oligosaccharides that stimulate the immune system. Finally, breastmilk contains nutrients that promote brain development. There are also economic benefits associated with breastfeeding. Studies show that countries where women breastfeed tend to spend less money on health care and social welfare programs.

Practical advice on maintaining a healthy diet

Eating at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables each day reduces the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), according to research published today in the European Journal of Nutrition.

The study found that people who eat high amounts of fruit and vegetables reduce their chances of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity by up to 40%.

In addition to being good for health, consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables is good for the environment too – it saves money and resources. A recent report showed that increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables could save the UK £5 billion over 10 years.

Fruit and vegetables contain many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. They also provide bulk and help keep us feeling full. However, most adults do not consume enough fruit and vegetables every day.

To help increase fruit and vegetable consumption, the World Health Organization recommends that we eat at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables each day. This equates to about four pieces of fruit or eight cups of vegetables.

However, there are several practical ways to improve our levels of fruit and vegetable consumption. For example:

• Always include vegetables in meals – adding a serving of cooked green vegetables to dinner, for instance, makes it easier to reach the recommended intake.

Fats

Reducing the amount of total energy intake to less than 30%, or 20% for overweight adults, reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes in adults. This is because it lowers the body mass index (BMI), increases resting metabolic rate, decreases hunger, improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation (1, 2,3).

The risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension and stroke are lower among people who consume diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, poultry, vegetable oils and olive oil compared to those who consumed low amounts of such foods (4, 5).

Research suggests that increasing consumption of healthy food groups and decreasing consumption of unhealthy food groups leads to a reduction in BMI and a decrease in the prevalence of obesity (6).

A study published in 2018 showed that dietary patterns associated with low levels of total fat intake and high intakes of fiber, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins could reduce the risk of developing T2DM by up to 50% (7).

In addition, studies show that a diet rich in whole grain products, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and olive oil can help control blood glucose levels and improve lipid profiles (8, 9).

Studies suggest that replacing saturated fats and industrially- produced trans-fats with unsaturatated fats, particularly polyunsaturated fats, can help prevent chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, T2DM, some cancers, osteoporosis and depression (10, 11, 12).

Salt, sodium and potassium

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that most people consume too much sodium (corresponding to eating about 8 grams of salt daily), while not getting enough potassium (about 3.5 grams). This combination leads to high blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.

Reducing salt intake to the suggested levels of less than five grams per day could prevent 1,700,000 deaths every year worldwide (12). However, it is important to note that there are many factors that influence how much salt we eat. For example, some people tend to avoid certain food groups because they contain too much salt, e.g. pizza, pasta, chips, etc.

In addition, the majority of salt used in the world today is produced industrially rather than coming from naturally occurring minerals in soil or sea water. Therefore, although reducing our salt intake is essential, it is also important to ensure that we do not go overboard by avoiding salt altogether.

Sugars

Free sugars are added sugars and syrups such as table sugar, honey, molasses, agave nectar, maple syrup, corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, lactose-reduced milk products, and some types of candy. They can include naturally occurring sugars like those found in whole fruits and vegetables, and can even come from dairy products and meat.

The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugars to no more than 10% of daily calorie intake, while the American Heart Association recommends keeping it under 5%.

Fitness and stress management

Exercise helps us feel better about ourselves and our bodies. It gives us energy and makes us happy. But it also improves our health and well being. Exercise reduces stress levels, increases self esteem, lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity, strengthens bones and muscles, and even improves sleep quality.

When we are stressed out, our body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones make us think faster, work harder and give us more energy. They also cause us to crave sugar and salt, making us want to eat more unhealthy foods. This constant state of stress causes us to gain weight and lose muscle mass.

But exercise helps reverse this process. When we exercise, our body produces chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are natural painkillers and help reduce stress levels. By exercising, we release serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine into our bloodstream. Serotonin and dopamine relax us while norepinephrine keeps us alert. All three of these neurotransmitters improve mood and increase feelings of happiness.

Social health

The transition into college life can be challenging. Many students experience stress related to adjusting to a new place, meeting new people, making friends, finding a job, etc. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide. If you feel like you might need help, please contact our office immediately. We want to make sure you’re safe and healthy during this time.