If you are one of those who have made a New Year resolution for improving health. This write-up may be helpful to understand pointers on being truly healthy. If we remember from our science school book about Definition health by WHO (World Health Organization), It says, Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
When I revisited this definition I just sat and thought that in my journey I have rarely seen people who are truly healthy in all three areas. In my experience, most of us have forgotten about this concept and started feeling healthy just because we don’t have major illnesses.
This write up is all of us to understand checklist of each area, so we all can take conscious steps to create a healthy body, minds and inter as well as intra personal relations.
Physical Health
We all have an idea of what "fit" should look like. For some people, it means having a sleek Hollywood body, while others want to have massive muscles or a perfect hourglass figure.
But fitness isn't defined by appearance! There are five components of physical fitness you need to consider:
1. Muscular Strength
this is the "power" that helps you to lift and carry heavy objects. Without muscular strength, your body would be weak and unable to keep up with the demands placed upon it. The way to increase strength is to train with heavyweights.
2. Muscular Endurance
Endurance is the ability of the muscle to repeatedly exert force against resistance. Exercises by using both body weight (squats/pushups) and free weights (biceps curl /leg extension) help to improve muscles endurance.
3. Cardiovascular Endurance
Cardiovascular endurance is your body's ability to keep up with exercise like running, jogging, swimming, cycling, and anything that forces your cardiovascular system (lungs, heart, blood vessels) to work for extended periods.
4. Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, components of physical fitness. Without flexibility, the muscles and joints would grow stiff and movement would be limited. Flexibility training ensures that your body can move through its entire range of motion without pain or stiffness. The sit and reach test (sitting on the floor and reaching toward your toes) is another good way to assess your flexibility. The more flexible you are, the closer you will come to touching your toes and beyond.
5. Body Fat Composition
Body fat composition refers to the amount of fat on your body. (Men < 15% & Women <20 %). Another important parameter is ideal waist circumference (For Men: 94 cm /37 inches and Women: 80 cm / 31.5 inches). Role of Diet is significant in maintaining normal body fat%.
Mental Health
Mental well-being is about how we all think, feel, behave and function with our self and with others.
Connect – connect with the people around you as well as to nature.
Give to others – even the smallest act can count whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word.
Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Learning – learning new skills can give us a sense of achievement and new confidence. Invest in value-adding Reading books/ watching video/ listening audios that uplift or inspire you.
Approach – Be solution/opportunity oriented.
Social Health
According to WHO, Social wellbeing refers to a healthy society. Although we should have a positive expectancy to have harmony in society/ city/ country /world we live, certain things are beyond our control. For our social wellbeing, we should consciously choose our association with Social Media/ Mass Media/ Social Club as well as our quantity and quality association with our Colleagues / Friends / Family. This is a very important decision because Research has shown that we eventually become a dress, think, talk and act like the people we surround ourselves with. We need to be clear on exactly what we want to achieve in our life, what our values and principles and associate with those who support or have similar characteristics.
Write up by Prachi M (Dietitian)
prachi.managute@gmail.com
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