Health is a feeling of well-being and the state of being free from disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental human rights, and it is important to protect and promote it. The concept of health is complex and reflects the individual’s relationship with his or her environment. It has many meanings and is interpreted differently by different people.
There are three types of definitions of health: the first is that it is a physical state of well-being without any disease or impairment, the second is that it is an active process of coping with life and its challenges (including illness) and the third is that it is a way of living, which includes a balance between the body and the mind, good nutrition, exercise, a sense of humor and a healthy lifestyle.
The first view is most common among medical professionals and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization in its constitution: “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which includes mental and social wellbeing, is one of the fundamental rights of all human beings.”
For this reason, it is not surprising that a large number of diseases can be prevented by following simple habits such as eating a plant-based diet, exercising, losing weight, not smoking, getting enough sleep and not drinking alcohol. These habits can help decrease stress levels, lower the risk of chronic disease and increase energy.
Despite the importance of these simple lifestyle changes, it can be difficult to adopt and maintain them. This is partly because the benefits of these small changes may not be immediate, making it hard to stay motivated to continue. It can also be challenging to keep track of all the small steps that contribute to overall wellness, so it is helpful to have a tool to help.
An online tool called the Health Checklist can be a useful way to keep track of all of these small activities, helping individuals to establish and maintain positive healthy habits. It can be used to identify areas where improvements are needed, provide tips for changing these habits and track progress over time.
While the different views of health are legitimate and reflect a variety of perspectives, they also appear to have a degree of overlap. This is partially because most concepts have a ‘home context’, a specific set of circumstances within which the concept makes sense.
For example, an idea that works well in a city might not make as much sense in rural regions, where the environment is more sparse and less structured.
It is important to be aware of these different understandings, especially when developing and implementing health-related interventions. Critical analysis of the underlying concepts can help in this process.