Health is a state of total physical, emotional and social well being in which infirmity and disease are absent. In short it means healthy living. There are various aspects of health; we will discuss some of them below.

A person who is in good general health is referred to as healthy. The term ‘good’ is defined as the absence of ill-health or injury that may hamper the normal activities of a person. This condition has two types: physical and mental. Physical refers to the absence of disability and ill-health. Mental refers to the absence of mental disorder such as mental illness, dementia, insanity, psychosis and depression. If you are healthy then the chances of experiencing ill-health or disability are very little. But if you are healthy but you are suffering from any illness then it is called ill-health or disability.

A person’s health can also be described as ‘unhealthy’ if they are experiencing ill-health because of the presence of some sort of disease. Ill-health can range from the mild to the severe and is caused by a variety of factors. Some of the factors that lead to ill-health include: smoking, malnutrition, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and unhealthy living conditions. It is important that a person is aware of their present state of health.

Body Mass Index (BMI) refers to the ratio of your height and weight. A healthy weight for height is considered to be around 20 or more than. Overweight is also an indication of poor health.

The presence of chronic diseases also leads to poor health. The term chronic diseases generally indicates serious illnesses like cancer, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS and heart disease. Some of the diseases that can cause long-term problems are arthritis, depression, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatism and heart disease. All of these have a long-term negative impact on the health and well-being of the person concerned.

A person’s health depends on the proper diet that he or she eats. A healthy diet is important as the food you eat determines your overall health. The right kind of food you take in determines your mood and well being. It is important to know your daily requirement before you go to eat in a restaurant. It is advisable to consult a doctor before choosing a restaurant to know what the menu is. and how to prepare your food.

Eating disorders are also causes of problems. The symptoms of eating disorders can vary from person to person and from one condition to another. The most common of these is anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia tend to look for instant gratification and will starve themselves to death. Some may have a sudden increase in weight and some will feel sick.

It is important to do physical activities on a regular basis to maintain the health of a person. Most people need to walk a few minutes each day or even run on occasion to prevent them from becoming inactive and getting weaker. The good thing about exercise is that it gives a person the physical energy that helps them stay active and keeps them going no matter how old they may be.