Understanding Health: More Than The Absence Of Illness

By common standards, good health is often seen as being perfectly fine on the outside, devoid of any disease and illness. But that view on health has been left in the past. Health is now also influenced by various other factors and aspects.

We overlook important signs our bodies try to give us: fatigue, emotional strain, feelings of emptiness and disconnection. They are all important details we need to start prioritizing.

Health is not just the absence of illness; it is the presence of well-being.

For a long time, people have viewed health mainly through the lens of illness. No symptoms, no diagnosis and no reason to seek medical care equals a “healthy” person. This mindset has deeply shaped our approach to healthcare. We have largely focused on physical aspects while neglecting how the body functions, how the mind copes with stress, how emotions are managed and how individuals relate to others and their environment, all of which affect our sense of health. This leads us to our big question:

What is health?

The World Health Organization (WHO) constitution states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This definition supports our previous understanding, emphasizes our topic: “Understanding Health: More Than The Absence Of Illness.”

It's holistic wellness beyond simply not being sick.

In order to fully understand health, we need to explore the major factors that influence our emotions, behaviors, and the way we live.

Aspects Of Health

The two areas of health that are most frequently discussed are mental and physical health. But the aspects of health include so much more than just the two. Types of health also include social, emotional, environmental, spiritual and even financial health, all of which are interconnected.

For instance, people who live in healthy environments are less likely to fall ill. People who nurture their spiritual lives often feel happy and peaceful. Additionally, having good social relationships can increase happiness which promotes our mental, emotional and physical health.

Similarly, emotional stress can affect us mentally and emotionally making it more difficult to concentrate or manage stress. This will in turn affect our social health, and our physical well-being including sleep, vitality and energy. Our environment, spiritual life, and finances also influence every part of our well-being. Seeing these connections helps us understand health as a living, interconnected system, not just a set of separate parts.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at each aspect of health and how they work together to shape our overall well-being.

Physical Health

Your body's strength, stamina, vitality and capacity to perform daily tasks without discomfort or restriction are considered aspects of your physical health. Read more here.

Why it's important:

Managing life's demands, recovering from stress or illness, and supporting other aspects of health are all made easier with a strong body. Everything we do is based on our physical well-being.

Tips on maintaining our physical health

• Make sleep a priority because when you sleep, your body strengthens itself. Seven to nine hours of sleep is required for optimal health.

• Make sure to exercise and move your body everyday.

• Select nourishing and well-balanced meals.

• Keep your checkups and preventive care up to date

Mental Health

Mental health is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which affects how we think, feel, act, manage stress, relate to others and make decisions. The CDC emphasizes that mental health is more than simply the absence of mental illness and is essential for overall health. Read more here.

Why it's important:

Our ability to think, make decisions, and deal with life's obstacles is influenced by our mental health. You don't need to be experiencing a crisis before you get concerned about your mental health. Even when physical health appears to be good, poor mental health can also interfere with day-to-day living.

Tips on maintaining our mental health:

• Engage in fun activities or hobbies.

• Take deliberate mental breaks during the day.

• Practice self compassion

• When you're feeling down, talk to someone you can trust.

Your sense of connection to others and the quality of your relationships are key components of social health. Strong social ties are beneficial to your health in addition to making you feel good. Approximately one in six people worldwide report feeling lonely, according to the World Health Organization, and loneliness can have detrimental effects on wellbeing. Read more here.

Why it's important:

Both our physical and emotional well-being are enhanced when we feel connected, seen, and supported.

Tips on maintaining our social health:

• Communicate with loved ones on a regular basis.

• Join groups with similar interests.

• Pay attention and participate in conversations.

•Help others as much as you want to be helped.

Environmental Health

This looks at how our surroundings affect us. The World Health Organization explains environmental health as all the physical, chemical and biological factors to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It excludes the factors which are solely the result of a human being's behavior and which are not affected by their environment. Read more here.

Why it's important:

You are affected by our environment more than you realize, from the air you breathe to how safe and comfortable you feel. A poor environment can affect you physically leading to illness.

Tips for environmental health:

• Keep away from hazards that can harm your health (for example, smoke and pollution)

•Always keep your surroundings neat and tidy.

•Let more natural light and fresh air into your home.

• Stop littering the environment.

Spiritual Health

This looks at how we affected by relating with whatever deity we believe and engage with. You can read more here.

Summary

“Peak” health differs from person to person. As we pointed out, health cannot simply be defined as the absence of disease. How a person's body feels, what their mind does, how a person manages or deals with their emotions, the quality of their relationship, and the environment in which they live, all of these aspects of a person's health interact on a daily basis.

While we may never completely prevent strains on every aspect throughout the course of our lives, but by viewing health as we have learnt to do today, we can begin to see the small, everyday choices, habits and relationships that support our well-being and improve it.

Small improvements in one area can lead to larger improvements in many other areas! Be sure to try out our tips and research more ways to maintain your health.

Understanding Health: More Than The Absence Of Illness.

A holistic health series exploring each individual area of health individually. In the next posts we will share practical tips, deeper insights and evidence based guidance to help you support your overall well-being.

Note: “This article is for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for diagnosis or treatment.”