Health is metabolic efficiency. Sickness is metabolic inefficiency. Nobody is totally healthy or totally sick.

Each of us is a unique combination of health and sickness. And each of us has a unique combination of abilities and disabilities, both emotional and physical. As we grow up, we learn that we are loved for our abilities but hated for our disabilities. This happens at home, at play, at school, and at work. Sometimes, this even happens with our doctors, especially if our disabilities mystify them or remind them of their own disabilities. So, we try to hide our disabilities from people and from ourselves. This charade undermines our relationships and our self-esteem. We learn to fear society and hate ourselves. Self-hatred is the most debilitating sickness. It interferes with our ability to seek and accept help. And everybody needs help. How do we free ourselves from self-hatred? First, we reclaim our disabilities, whether society accepts them or not. This means that we learn to accept ourselves. Then, we cope with our disabilities. This means that we learn to take care of ourselves.
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What is Health?
Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. There are three clearly identifiable aspects to health:

1. Emotional or Mental Health: Healthy thoughts and attitudes. Our emotional health, which is sometimes referred to as emotional intelligence, plays an enormous, and often unrealized, role in someones overall health and fitness state. If someone is suffering from mental health difficulties, they may attend counseling or psychotherapy to unlock previous emotional turmoil and then actually use their past emotional trauma in order to grow and develop their emotional intelligence, thereby improving their overall emotional health.

2. Structural Health: The health of the body is structurally sound - the bones, muscles, organs etc. are physically in good condition and not damaged performing the functions they should perform. Structural or physical health can be determined by considering someones height/weight ratio, their body mass index (BMI), their resting heart rate and recover time after exercise. Note the lower the resting heart rate, the healthier the heart is as this indicates the strength of the heart muscle is in good condition for pumping blood around the body.

3. Chemical Health: The chemicals in our body are correct - there are no toxic chemicals - the tissues are made up of the appropriate balance of nutrients etc. Chemicals, both naturally occurring and man-made, often get into the human body. We may inhale them, swallow them, or in some cases,

absorb them through skin. Often the body is able to breakdown chemicals or excrete them, thus reducing the accumulation of chemicals and the often harmful consequences of toxic overload. Human health is affected depending on the frequency and/or duration of exposure, patterns of exposure and of course the properties of the chemicals themselves. Some chemicals damage or kill cells and tissues, whereas others, may affect genetic material (DNA) directly, altering it and causing cancer as a result. There are many avenues available to achieve a healthy state and they all work interdependently. This means they connect, they are linked, one influences the other... So why have you or people you know become ignorant to their health needs? Surely there is nothing more important in life than health? That said, people forget, neglect and often abuse their healthy state, taking it for granted until it's too late. Learning more about your personal health, or the needs of the people you love, means raising awareness of your own condition and living a balanced life where all three aspects of health are nourished and cared for. By just recognizing this fact you are on your way to making the right decisions to do something positive about your health. This is the key to sustaining good health throughout life.
Here's some interesting facts you possibly did not know:

Flossing your teeth can improve your health. It has been scientifically researched and proven that by reducing plaque on teeth surfaces; you can improve your health. The bacteria which form plaque give off harmful gases when they respire which are damaging to your health. The more you smile, the longer you live. Smiling and laughing releases endorphins into the bloodstream which are chemicals which have an analgesia effect, helping you relax... and of course we should all know by now, stress has negative effects on the body, often leading to disease, which in turn may cause death. This is a cycle avoided by letting go and having fun! We all know stopping smoking is good for you, but did you know that nicotine lasts in the bloodstream for only three days. After that your apparent physical addiction is in your mind - ingrained by habits. Change your behaviour and improve your health. From the age of thirty, humans begin to shrink in size. Consider diet and nutrition to slow down this process and stay structurally strong throughout your years into old age. Humans produce a little more than 2 litres of sweat on average each day. This volume of lost water emphasizes our need to stay hydrated for health and vitality. We should drink between 2-3 litres of water each day just to replace what we lose.
www.acs.edu.au

What is health?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in 1948 as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This coincides closely with the holistic view seeing the patient first as a person within their family, community and workplace, and recognizing the positive and negative influences each can have on the person. Helping an ill person back to better health requires due account to be taken of factors other than their physiology and anatomy; meeting psychological, social, spiritual and environmental needs are important.

The social determinants of health

The social determinants of health are sometimes referred to as the causes of the causes. There are many examples of such determinants including tobacco. While smoking causes ill health and premature death the social determinants are those factors that persuade or encourage individuals to become smokers, and to persist in the smoking habit despite their knowledge of the harm it is doing. These factors are important health inequalities and as well as being causes of the causes of illness may also contribute significantly to poor responses to treatment. A model of the main determinants of health (see figure 1 below) highlights some of the key factors determining the health of populations. This model demonstrates that there are layers of influence on health that can be modified to improve health [i]. The Marmot Review on health inequalities 'Fair Society, Healthy Lives' (February 2010) details the need for social justice, material, psychosocial and political empowerment. Health inequalities are not inevitable and can be significantly reduced. They stem from avoidable inequalities in society: of income, education, employment and neighbourhood circumstances. Inequalities present before birth set the scene for poorer health and other outcomes accumulating throughout the life course. The central tenet of the Marmot Review is that avoidable health inequalities are unfair and putting them right is a matter of social justice. Figure 1: Factors determining the health of populations

References [i] Dahlgren G,Whitehead M (1992) Policies and strategies to promote equity in health. Copenhagen: World Health Organisation. Regional Office for Europe

What is Disease?
This article talks about the meaning of disease and its categories. Disease, disease, disease...... How many times do we hear this word and yet we do not pay attention until we have one. Most of us do not even bother to care of our body. They don't want to go through the hassle of this and that. Taking care of our body and health will prevent a number of diseases. There a number of recommendations on how to prevent diseases. These tips will allow us to sleep better at night, feeling good inside and have a more active lifestyle. Prevention of diseases can help you avoid years of suffering, expensive treatment or even an untimely death. What does disease means? Wikipedia and world wide web defined disease as an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is also a pathological condition of a part, organ or system of an organism that results from different causes like infection, genetic defect or environmental stress. The term disease have a variety of definition, but it has a common concept. It is a term for any condition that impairs normal functioning of an organism or body. Plants and animals have diseases too, not just human beings. But we are more concerned with diseases affecting humans and thorough research were made to prevent, control and cure these diseases. Diseases are classified into three categories: intrinsic, extrinsic and of unknown origin. Intrinsic is defined as coming from within the body and is more familiar to us now a days. Examples of intrinsic diseases are autoimmune disorders, cancers, stress-related, hereditary and conditions resulting from malnutrition. On the other hand, extrinsic or infectious simply means coming from the outside or external organism such as smallpox, measles, H1 N1 and many others. These are disease triggered by external factors like bacterial organisms entered into our body and affects the normal function of healthy organisms inside. The third category is of unknown origin, like Alzheimer's Disease. Until now doctors and scientist failed to know the main cause of Alzheimer's disease and this is greatly affecting elderly population. Now that we have learned the different categories of diseases. This will give us insights on how to prevent the detrimental effects of diseases. Disease that are external in nature can be prevented with proper hygiene, healthy diet, exercise, and taking some vitamins or supplements to boost your immune system. However, disease that are intrinsic can be also prevented in some ways and controlled. The best way to prevent is to check your family's medical history, so that you will know whether there are some underlying illness that you might inherit. If you are too stressed, give yourself some time to unwind, to give the healthy organs time to breathe and maximize their potential. Disease are often times curable but in some special cases, it is a life long illness that can only be controlled by medical management. Even so, we need to take of our bodies not just for ourselves but for our love ones who depend on us, especially our children.

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Models of Health
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Medical Model (M.B. Belloc & L. Breslo, 1972)

y

Health is the state of being free of signs or symptoms of disease. Illness is the presence of signs or symptoms of disease.

Health Illness Continuum (McCann/Flynn & Heffron, 1984)

y

Health is a constantly changing state, with high level wellness and death being on opposite ends of a graduated scale or continuum.

Role Performance Model (Parsons, 1958)

y

Health is the ability to perform all those roles from which one has been socialized.

High Level Wellness (Dunn, 1961)

y

High-level wellness refers to functioning to one s maximum potential while maintaining balance and purposeful direction in the environment.

World Health Organization Definition (WHO, 1947)

y

Health is the state of complete physical, mental, social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.

Needs Fulfillment Model

y

Health is state in which needs are being sufficiently met to allow an individual to function successfully in life with the ability to achieve the highest possible potential.

Wellness / good health has traditionally been viewed as freedom from disease; thus, if you were not sick, you were considered healthy. This perspective is changing. While everyone agrees that the absence of illness is one part of being healthy, it doesn't indicate whether you are in a state of well-being. Wellness, as a state of health, is closely associated with your lifestyle. Each person has a responsibility to provide for such health essentials as good nutrition, proper weight control, exercise, and controlling of risk factors such as smoking, alcohol and drug abuse. These things all play a role in wellness. Wellness research shows that Americans who take care of themselves and manage their lifestyles are healthier, more productive, have fewer absences from work, and make fewer demands for medical services. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that, in one study, the "wellness" approach resulted in a 17 percent decline in total medical visits and a 35 percent decline in medical visits for minor illness. The subjects involved participated in a year-long self-care education program. Since lifestyle has been found to be the single most important factor determining your pattern of general health, it is important that you be educated to "take charge" of your daily life and to set healthy lifestyle goals. The choices you make have a dominant influence on your health ad wellness. The secret is not in medical care, but consistent self- care. While traditional medicine concentrates on alleviating or curing disease, the wellness approach encourages you to take personal responsibility for your well-being. Wellness is not the mere absence of disease. It is a proactive, preventive approach designed to achieve optimum levels of health, social and emotional functioning. Wellness can also be defined as an active process through which you become aware of and make choices toward a more successful existence. A wellness-oriented lifestyle encourages you to adopt habits and behaviors that promote better health and an improved quality of life. It also involves the recognition that you have physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs, with each dimension being necessary for optimal levels of functioning. Wellness is a positive approach to living - an approach that emphasizes the whole person. It is the integration of the body, mind, and spirit; and the appreciation that everything you do, think, feel, and believe has an impact on your state of health.

Definition of Wellness
What is the definition of wellness? More than ever before, we hear this word in the news, on billboards, in conversation and even at work. Interestingly, there is no universally-accepted definition of wellness. There is, however, a set of common characteristics seen in most thoughtful attempts at a definition of wellness. We generally see a reference to a state of wellbeing, which is vague, to say the least. Also frequently seen is a state of acceptance or satisfaction with our present condition. The truth is wellness is a tough word to define. That said, well leave it to Charles B. Corbin of Arizona State University who gives this definition of wellness: Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being. Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.
   

Process means that improvement is always possible Aware means that we are continuously seeking more information about how we can improve. Choices means that we consider a variety of options and select those in our best interest. Success is determined by each individual to be their collection of life accomplishments.

Dimensions of Wellness
If wellness is multidimensional, what are the dimensions of wellness? The most commonly described sub-dimensions are the following:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Social Wellness Occupational Wellness Spiritual Wellness Physical Wellness Intellectual Wellness Emotional Wellness Environmental Wellness Financial Wellness Mental Wellness Medical Wellness

Vocational Wellness and Environmental Wellness are not personal in nature, but a person's working and physical environments are factors that influence personal wellness. Research is necessary to clearly establish the relationship among the sub-dimensions. While the exact dimensions of wellness could be debated, we believe the ones listed here make up a good list.

Ultimately, the dimensions of wellness all fall into two broader categories, being mental and physical. This is critical to note, as the mental or emotional component is often overlooked as focus on such main staples as physical fitness and chronic disease risk factors. In order to achieve a state of wellness in our own lives or try to guide others to it, we must pay due diligence to each of the dimensions. We may not all be physically fit or free from disease; we can, however, strive for increased wellness by working with what weve been dealt.