Health is wealth
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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.’
Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, it seems that people have decided to start prioritising their health. For me, the pandemic shifted my mindset about the importance of looking after my overall health as before this I was prioritising my social well-being over my physical and mental so the virus 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 fitness, mental and emotional fitness, medical fitness, nutritional fitness and social fitness. In other words, 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 then trying to contemplate making all that happen?
To be fit and healthy can seem like a challenge at the best of times and for most health and fitness often will be pushed to the sidelines whilst the balancing act of life gets in the way.
On top of all of this, there are some factors to be considered. Factors outside of your control include genetics, age and gender however some factors 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.
These are really important things that need to be considered, as there isn’t a one size fits all approach to total fitness or being the epitome of health and you can only do your best with what you have. Health is your greatest wealth and asset, as 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.
It’s time to start prioritising your health.