Health is wealth
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It’s time to start prioritising your health.
The word health is defined by the World Health Organization (1948) as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’
Health & fitness trends have always been on the rise, but due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, it seems there has since been a shift toward people prioritising their health. For me, the pandemic did exactly that for my mindset, as it highlighted the importance of looking after my overall health. Before, my priority was my social well-being over my physical and mental so a global pandemic putting the brakes on life was likely a blessing in disguise.
To be considered healthy, an individual should embody the components of total fitness. These components include physical, mental, emotional, medical, nutritional, and social fitness. Simply put, you must ensure the well-being of the body systems and mental state, be free from injury, chronic disease and illness, eat a healthy diet with a balanced nutritional intake for fuel, growth and repair and have healthy interactions and relationships with others.
Does anyone else feel exhausted reading this list and trying to contemplate making all that happen?
On top of this, there are some additional factors to consider. Factors outside your control include genetics, age and gender however, some can be controlled and are usually influenced by lifestyle behaviours. Low activity levels, poor diet, smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse can all be detrimental to your health.
Although you may have control over your lifestyle behaviours, there are environmental factors that strongly influence the likelihood of an individual leading a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle. Income and social status, education, physical environment, social support networks and health services all can have an impact depending on the resources you have available.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to total fitness or being the epitome of health. You can only do your best with what you have, and there are factors to consider, especially when comparing with others. We are all on a journey, but health is your greatest wealth and asset, without it, you wouldn’t have the potential, strength, and energy to help you achieve better results and find happiness in every aspect of your life.
You are not alone in finding prioritising your health a challenge at the best of times, and for most people, health is often pushed to the sidelines while the balancing act of life gets in the way. You may find it beneficial to work with a mentor or a coach to hold you accountable, help you put systems into place to make impactful lifestyle changes and offer a supportive network. If this sounds like something you are interested in finding out more about, please enquire here.