Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. A person is considered healthy when he or she lives a life that meets his or her own personal goals and values, and has the capacity to function in the context of society.
A definition of health is a complex task because of the variety of meanings associated with it. It is a topic that is widely debated and there are many different opinions about what it means to be healthy. These opinions are influenced by an individual’s culture, beliefs, and attitudes as well as by his or her experiences. Some people define health as a state of optimal functioning, while others believe that it is an overall feeling of wellbeing and happiness.
One of the most important aspects of writing about health is choosing the right topic. The topic should be interesting and relevant for the intended audience. It is also important to choose a topic that is not too broad or too narrow. A health article may cover a wide range of topics such as healthy lifestyle, rehabilitation after traumas, childcare, common or rare diseases, global advances in medicine and environmental health issues.
In the past, many medical professionals have defined health as the absence of disease. However, with the progress of medical science, it has become clear that this view is no longer accurate. As a result, it has become more common to define health as the ability of an individual to function in his or her own life situation and not just to avoid disease or illness.
Another important aspect of writing about health is to understand that a person’s level of health depends on the interaction between his or her genes, lifestyle and environment. This interaction is also known as the ‘healthy individual model’.
There are many different approaches to defining health, and these differ by context. Each approach has its own strengths and weaknesses. The first, and perhaps most widely used definition of health is the “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not primarily the absence of disease or infirmity”. This is an optimistic definition and it is based on the assumption that we are in control of our own health.
The second approach to defining health is a pragmatic concept of health that refers to the ability of an individual to conduct his or her life in a productive and socially useful manner. This definition was adopted in the WHO global strategy for “Health for All” by the year 2000. The third approach to defining health is an individualistic view of health, which refers to the ability of the individual to perceive and shape his or her own experience of being healthy or unhealthy. This is a subjective and relative concept of health that makes sense predominantly in the specific context in which it is elaborated, and does not make much sense outside this context.