What is health and wellness?

Good health goes hand in hand with wellness, and to assess one's state of health and wellness one needs to consider several factors, the main ones being the proper functioning of the body and an emotional situation in balance. In fact, balance is the key to many achievements when it comes to health and wellness.

Indeed, to achieve health within standards of excellence a balanced diet is indispensable. In addition, it is necessary to balance work and leisure, physical exercise and sedentary lifestyle, among other aspects, since any imbalance can generate a physical or mental pathological state.

Health is the true good, which needs to be both acquired and preserved at all costs. It is an essential condition for a well-developed and productive life in all fields of human existence. By reading this article, you will get information that will help you keep up not only your health, but also your well-being.

Meaning of health and well-being

Health and wellness are two concepts, which although not exactly synonymous, are so interconnected that it is difficult to imagine one without the other. In fact, good health is the first step in achieving wellness. See below a definition with more details of both terms.

Definition of health

Health can be explained as the proper functioning of the organism in its multiple aspects and functions. Thus, any organic dysfunction that generates some kind of physical or psychological disorder prevents the classification of good health. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) establishes other requirements in the definition of perfect health.

For the WHO, the environmental, social and economic conditions that prevail in the environment where the individual is inserted should also be considered when assessing the health of an individual or group. These conditions interfere directly in the quality of life and in the emotional aspect of the person, hence its importance.

Definition of well-being

Well-being is a broad concept that involves objective and subjective aspects that need to be conquered. Thus, in its objective aspect, well-being is measured by the degree of satisfaction of economic and social needs, such as the acquisition of material goods and good social interaction in environments such as work, residence, schools, for example.

On the other hand, to live in a situation of well-being according to the subjective aspect, it is necessary to have a life in which there have been positive experiences more than negative ones, in short, experiences that make the individual feel happy and joyful for being alive.

Types of well-being

Wellness is a physical concept when it comes to the sense of the body, but in its holistic sense it is divided into several types, which need to be achieved in isolation to arrive at overall wellness. See the breakdown of the types of wellness in the next blocks.

Physical well-being

Physical well-being means obtaining the proper conditions for the functioning of the organism in its entirety, without signs of diseases or organic indispositions. This guarantees good health, which is an indispensable condition for physical well-being. In fact, it is difficult to imagine a situation of well-being while facing a health problem.

Thus, it is considered as physical well-being a set of circumstances that provide strength and vigor to perform daily activities, and at the same time, an emotional state that conveys playful and pleasant sensations, offering satisfaction for being alive.

Mental well-being

Feelings and emotions in balance are the primary conditions for mental well-being to exist. It is from these conditions that the individual can think of maintaining a stable standard of living. Certainly, the negative aspects will manifest themselves and, therefore, one must not allow oneself to be shaken.

Building mental well-being is a broad process that involves calm personal relationships, social and family life without jitters or confusion, among other factors. Mental well-being means a calm mind, able to face and overcome life's challenges in a calm and confident way.

Social welfare

Social welfare concerns the collectivity, and is therefore a function of the State, which has among its obligations the promotion of this benefit, so that it is extensive to the whole society. Thus, social welfare is no longer just an individual achievement, since it depends on public policies.

Social welfare can be achieved by fighting social inequalities, access to quality basic services such as health, education and security, as well as any other measure aimed at providing humanitarian conditions for the most disadvantaged part of the population.

Economic well-being

Economic well-being can be achieved individually with particular measures of saving, creation of source of income and an intelligent administration of resources, in which expenses are always lower than income. Through economic well-being, the achievement of other types of well-being becomes possible.

Moreover, economic well-being can also be the result of governmental measures that direct the country's economy towards this end. In other words, the State not only can, but should act so as to promote the population's economic well-being, especially at the lower end of the social pyramid.

Types of health

A perfect health is a physical and emotional state in balance, with all the organic functions presenting a satisfactory performance. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to consider health in its various forms, namely: physical, mental, social and others that you will know in detail in further reading.

Physical health

Physical health relates to muscular strength, to a strong heart, in short, to the full functioning of the organic functions necessary for the body's development, as well as the energy the body needs to perform subsistence activities. Total physical health is a difficult condition both to obtain and to maintain.

Therefore, to enjoy a good physical condition it is necessary to adopt healthy habits such as exercising regularly, making a proper selection of food, and trying to escape from harmful environmental aspects such as air pollution or lack of good sanitary conditions.

Mental health

Mental health is a broader concept than the simple absence of mental illness, which can be temporary or not. Therefore, to be mentally well it is necessary the union of some factors, which should act continuously and together to enhance this state.

Thus, the WHO defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."

This situation foreseen by the WHO indicates the ideal condition for good mental health, which is well above the capacity of the majority of the Brazilian population. In fact, Brazil has a high index of mental problems such as anxiety and depression, in fact, one of the highest indexes in the world.

Social Health

The term social in this case connects with the individual's life within the environment in which he/she lives, in any of its multiple environments such as work, school, circle of friendships and others. Full human development occurs as a function of social relationships, hence the importance of social health, which is also influenced by the collectivity.

In this sense, social health is the ability to live in harmony in society, understanding its flaws, as well as seeking to establish increasingly friendly and productive relationships in its environment. It also means the ability to thrive within the social environment, collaborating to its development.

Financial health

The world sinks ever deeper into a cruel system, in which money dictates the laws and customs. Thus, the financial aspect becomes of fundamental importance in maintaining health in its various dimensions. Economic power can guarantee the basic needs indispensable for good health.

Therefore, it becomes unfeasible to achieve general health without financial stability that can promote the necessary care to the body and mind. On the other hand, it is necessary to have balance in the pursuit of financial health, since overwork to achieve this goal can cause many problems in physical and mental health.

Intellectual health

Enjoying good health in its broadest sense requires the development of the intellect, which is the ability to manifest thought in a clear and logical way. Brain activity needs to be stimulated in order to develop reasoning and enrich knowledge, which will facilitate victory over challenges.

Intellectual health is achieved through reading and study, as well as good quality cultural and artistic activities that induce the individual to exercise the brain and memory, while promoting social interaction. Good intellectual health is inseparable from a healthy life framework.

Occupational Health

No one can achieve a state of excellent health without having a decent job that provides not only the proper financial return, but also personal fulfillment. The very effort one uses to perform a job can act to improve overall health through the substances it releases into the body.

Thus, in addition to being dignified, work should offer relevant meaning and possibilities for personal and professional growth. Moreover, work when seen only as a source of income is usually enslaving and, therefore, harmful and damaging in the search for occupational health.

Spiritual health

The human being in its totality covers many different aspects, but all with equal importance, so that the absence or deficiency of one can harm the whole. In this sense, it is necessary to take care of the spiritual health, since this dimension being deficient compromises the good mental and psychological performance.

Therefore, spiritual health can be defined as a state of security and tranquility in the exercise of faith and personal religious skills, even if you do not profess any specific religion. Spiritual health does not impose a faith, but a living together in satisfaction with your chosen system.

Health care and wellness habits

For you to enjoy good health, in addition to feelings of well-being, it is important to cultivate habits that contribute to the acquisition of these goals. Most are simple measures that should become routine as hand washing and hydration. Follow the text and see more examples.

Wash your hands

The habit of washing hands frequently can significantly reduce the risk of infection by viruses and bacteria, which are the major cause of infections. These agents are spread everywhere and contact with the eyes, ears, nose and mouth facilitate their entry into the body, since these organs have openings, besides mucous membranes.

Thus, when touching objects such as doorknobs and faucets in public places, avoid touching these more delicate parts of the body until you can wash your hands with soap and water. In addition, wash your hands whenever using bathrooms, preparing and eating food or having contact with garbage, for example.

Remember to drink water

The fact that the human body has 60% to 70% water in its constitution already shows that water serves not only to quench thirst, but to perform many other functions. Thus, water serves, among other purposes, to transport nutrients, to hydrate organs and regulate temperature.

The minimum amount of water a person should consume per day should be two to three liters, but it can increase due to temperature rises or physical activities with a lot of sweating, for example. In addition, you should not wait until you feel thirsty to drink water, because thirst is already a sign of dehydration.

Give up sugar and soft drinks

The search for a satisfactory state of health needs to go through dietary control, which in turn requires reducing sugar consumption. Since soft drinks are produced with high amounts of sugar, in addition to other potentially dangerous substances, they should also be avoided.

Regular consumption of soft drinks causes weight gain that paves the way for a host of risky diseases such as diabetes, increased blood pressure, kidney stones and other complications commonly associated with the consumption of these beverages.

Eat more vegetables always

The daily intake of vegetables is a healthy way of eating that brings several health benefits. Therefore, fruits, vegetables and legumes are essential foods among the followers and seekers of good health. The best known result is weight loss, but the advantages go well beyond this factor of weight loss.

The vegetables act in the intestine regulation through fibers, increase immunity against several diseases and fight cancer-causing free radicals. In addition, a diet rich in vegetables can contribute to a peaceful sleep, since it is easily digestible.

Give up sedentary lifestyles

Sedentarism is a great enemy of people who are aware of the need to achieve a healthier life. Son of laziness and accommodation, sedentarism is directly responsible for the emergence of several diseases in the human body. Thus, sedentarism can cause a drop in human activity in general, affecting all systems of the body.

The problem is so serious that sedentarism is among the habits considered a public health issue, requiring government policies in order to combat the bad. Sedentarism is defined by the absence or reduction of physical exercise, a very simple definition that does not even remotely expose the danger it represents to health.

A good night's sleep is very important

Among the many practices that are necessary to maintain health is the habit of sleeping well, but remember that sleeping well does not mean sleeping a lot. The amount of hours of sleep can change depending on the metabolism, age and other factors, but the recommendation is seven to eight hours of sleep per day for adults.

It is during sleep that the organism recovers from the daily effort of performing routine activities. Sleep needs to be peaceful, without interruptions or jolts so that it can have a restorative effect, even improving mood, among other benefits.

Stay optimistic

Good health is not achieved only with physical and mental care, but also with the way you position yourself in front of life's challenges. Therefore, to achieve this goal it is very important to adopt an optimistic, cheerful and friendly posture to deal with life and people.

Thus, you will hardly see a person who enjoys good health and well-being wasting his time with useless grumbling, lack of perseverance and negative attitudes. Being optimistic means being always confident, positivist and stimulated, qualities necessary to live with more health and disposition.

Seek out productive reading

It is not possible to separate good health from a lucid, agile and well-informed mind, which responds quickly to the demands that present themselves in life. Thus, it is necessary to train the mind and the best means is productive reading. Reading helps mental health, improves reasoning and increases creativity.

In addition, productive reading prevents degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's. Reading productively means choosing instructive topics, at regular and frequent times, until it becomes a habit.

Seek self-knowledge

Self-knowledge is a tool of great importance for physical and mental health, as well as for well-being. With self-knowledge you travel to your inner self, discovering your strengths and weaknesses, so that you can work on them to improve yourself in all aspects.

Self-knowledge can make the sincere seeker promote true intimate revolutions, substituting harmful habits for salutary ones and exchanging futile objectives for others of relevance, which are in tune with progress and health, both physical, mental and emotional.

Practice meditation

The practice of meditation is a powerful aid in the process of achieving health and well-being. Meditation is recognized as relaxing and reducing stress and its harmful effects on the body and mind. Meditation comes in different types and can be practiced individually or in groups.

Meditation reduces the possibility of several diseases related to mental state such as anxiety and depression, for example. In addition, meditation solves insomnia problems, helps in controlling blood pressure and serves as an aid in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders.

What are the benefits of taking care of health and wellness?

The care for health and well-being is more than a search for benefits, being an intimate obligation of each person, which can be driven even by the survival instinct. Thus, these two factors become the most important agents to achieve a full, fulfilled and happy life.

Therefore, taking care of health and wellness in a preventive way, you will have at your disposal a strong, robust and beautiful body, which together with a lucid, fast and dynamic mind, will become a single organism. A being with potential to plan, execute and enjoy life in a constant and much more lasting way.

Perfect health doesn't seem possible in this world of so many diseases, but still progress happens. So, imagine what could be done having at your disposal a body totally harmonized with the mind, and both completely healthy. Think about it and seek yours.