We all have the need for health. If we are to survive in this world, we have to make sure that we are always healthy. There are different levels of health. We will be able to determine this by first understanding what health is. According to the Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition (2021), the following descriptions of health appear in order of their importance as they relate to the individual:

Good health is a condition of mental, physical and emotional well being where infirmity and illness are absent. A person with good health values his or her life to the extent that they have enough resources to manage their finances, provide for their family, take care of friends, and to contribute to society. It is also imperative that the person has respect for their physical and mental condition. A person who respects themselves knows that they can manage any health problems that might come their way.

There are three primary factors related to health status. The first factor is age. We get older and our body’s ability to fight diseases declines. The second factor is lifestyle. The type of lifestyle you lead can have a huge impact on your health status because it influences the types of diseases you may contract as you grow older. The third factor is genetic.

When you have poor overall health, you have poor wellness or self-image and you have a very difficult time coping with diseases and illnesses. Poor wellness can have an enormous impact on the physical as well as the mental state of an individual. Health experts believe that if a person is unable to manage their health well, there are high chances that they will acquire numerous health conditions. Therefore, people need to pay more attention towards their overall health care and wellness.

The third definition of health refers to the capability of an individual to live his life in a healthy way despite the presence of health obstacles. It is all about how you perceive your health condition and the challenges that you come across along the way. People who do not take good care of their mental health may face a number of issues like depression, anxiety, social isolation, mental disease, and even suicide. These issues may affect your work performance and also affect your relationships with other people. Your social well-being might be affected adversely by the existence of diseases like diabetes, heart problems, cancer, and arthritis.

There are various health issues and their definition is relative. Although there are many health issues and diseases that affect people in different ways, the bottom line is that wellness means a positive outlook, a sense of self-worth, and optimism. Positive thinking is important to the point that people with negative outlook are more likely to contract communicable diseases. Therefore, the bottom line for living a healthy lifestyle is to maintain a positive outlook and adopt healthy lifestyle choices.