HEALTH - WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

Health is the most important value in our life, made up of our physical, mental and social well-being. To be well supported not only by its basic 2 pillars - physical exercise and healthy diet - but also additional lifestyle factors. Read on to learn about details.​

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND

Needless to stress that health is the overriding value of our physical/mental/social well-being – and longevity. That’s why, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), annual healthcare costs in the U.S. have crossed the mark of $3.5 trillion. With, inter alia,  1/3 of this amount for hospitalization, and 1/10 for prescription drugs.
 
Despite of that, however, the U.S. is ranking only 46 on World Health Organization global statistics of life expectancy. With special reference to broad spectrum of most debilitating but unsolved diseases as heart failure on top, followed by cancer. Despite of highly appreciated medical research and practice.
 
In fact, the philosophy behind of this vicious cycle is the necessity of appropriate lifestyle to tackle infirmities and threats endangering our daily life.
 
Basically, all factors contributing to our health are strongly linked and therefore, need to be balanced to achieve good health overall.

TYPES OF HEALTH – SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED 

Based on research at, inter alia, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
 
For appropriate understanding, let’s start with the respective types of health.

• Physical health

 
This type of health requires primarily a lifestyle cutting down the risk of developing certain diseases with respect to supporting physically the endurance of, inter alia,
- heart function
- breathing
- body composition
- muscular strength       
- flexibility with exercise, healthy diet and bodily rest.
 
By
- reduce risk of hazards at workplace
- avoiding tobacco and illegal drugs
- practicing appropriate hygiene
- etc.  

This should well be in line with

• Mental health

 
to be understood as the psychological, emotional and social well-being, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
 
Thereby, mental health is not only an issue of depression and anxiety but also
- enjoying life
- balancing certain parts in life such as finances and family
- feeling safe/secure
- bouncing back when having difficult experiences
- adapting to adversity   

In fact, there is a close relationship between physical and mental health especially in cases of chronic illness, leading manifold to stress and depression as the result of, inter alia, issues of mobility and/or financial problems.​

FACTORS FOR GOOD HEALTH – SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED 

While there are quite a few factors playing a role in our health, environment is one of most important, according the World Health Organization (WHO).
 
Based on research at, inter alia, the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, and Rice University in Houston, TX.
 
In following terms:
 

• Physical environment

 
Based on pollution in a certain area, with respective germs in place.
 

• Social/economic environment

 
Potentially with respect to the respective quality of relationships and social culture in general, or the financial situation of family and/or community.
 

• Personal characteristics/behaviors

 
With respect to the respective genetic pattern and lifestyle applied.
 
Research at, inter alia,
- Yonsei University in Wonju
- Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul&
- Pai Chai University in Daejeon(all 3 in South Korea)
   as well as
- University of Kragujevac in Kragujevac, Serbia
demonstrates that people with high socio-economic status afford good healthcare – and therefore better health. 
 
Also, Dutch medical research at the
- National Institute of Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven&
- Wageningen University in Wageningen
performed in European countries shows that health diet (with special reference to fruits, vegetables, and olives) lowered a 20-year death rate. 
 
Similar the results of research at the Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Lasi, Romania with respect to Mediterranean diet, with special reference to diabetes 2 and cancer.
 
Summing up briefly: the positive keyword is wellness to stay in good health, as demonstrated by the World Health Organization.
 
Covering, inter alia, following lifestyle aspects as indicated by, inter alia, the American Heart Association:
- balanced natural diet
- stress management
- exercising of 150 minutes per week (from moderate to high-intensity)
- see your future in a positive way 

IN A NUTSHELL​

Health is the most important value in our life, made up of our physical, mental and social well-being. To be well supported not only by its basic 2 pillars - physical exercise and healthy diet - but also additional lifestyle factors, as demonstrated above.  

​

​