A famous saying is that health is wealth. If you have good health, you have everything.
In simple words, physical health involves the absence of sickness. You are physically healthy when all of your body parts are functioning properly, while you are mentally fit when you observe, understand, and respond properly.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
And this state of healthy well-being comes when you follow healthy living tips.
In this article, we will discuss what are the two types of health and what are the three pillars of health. We will share the 8 most important healthy things essential for healthy well-being.
Types of Physical Health
Our overall health involves our physical, mental, and social well-being. Mental and physical health are closely linked to each other.
We cannot say that someone is physically sound if his or her mind is not functioning properly.
You are physically fit when your all body organs are working properly. While you are mentally healthy if you are in a state of psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Our mental health influences the way we think, feel, and act.
Physical health includes our mental health. As we know, a sound body possesses a sound mind.
It determines how to make choices and how to handle stressful and depressed situations. Thus both types of health go hand in hand.
3 Pillars of Physical Health
In light of health studies, we can find that there are three pillars of physical health.
In the absence of any one of these three pillars, we cannot imagine a healthy lifestyle. These three pillars are Nutrition, Physical Activity, and a night of good sleep.
1. Nutrition
Proper nutrition is crucial for our mental and physical health. Nutrition, in our body, acts like fuel in a car. No fuel means no car running.
For the better functioning of our body, we need a balanced diet.
A balanced diet means an appropriate and adequate diet. A balanced diet includes all nutrients our bodies require to function properly.
It includes a balanced proportion of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, essential minerals, and vital elements.
A balanced diet boosts our immune system and improves our physical and mental performance.
Appropriate nutrition reduces inflammation and stress and helps our body to heal itself naturally.
2. Physical Activity
Physical activity is essential for good physical health.
Our bodies are designed to move. Lack of regular physical activity, our bodies are prone to joint and heart diseases like joint dysfunction and serious cardiovascular issues.
Like smoking, physical inactivity is injurious to your healthy lifestyle.
Therefore regular exercise is essential for the proper physical and mental functioning of our body.
3. Regular Enough Sleep
Another pillar of good physical health is regular quality sleep. But we often undermine this vital tool of sound mental and physical health.
And enough regular sleep enhances the overall functioning of our body and makes us less prone to deadly diseases.
Six to eight-hour rest after spending a hectic day makes us physically fit and mentally sound to get ready for another day.
8 Tips for a Better Physical Health
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
The first tip to enjoy healthy well-being is to intake a healthy diet at least three times a day. A healthy diet includes a great proportion of proteins and fibers.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole seed grains are the natural sources of all nutrients our body needs.
Healthy food improves our immune and digestive systems and naturally repairs our bodies by acting as a medicine.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
We can enjoy a healthy lifestyle by making our choices healthy. We should avoid unhealthy foods containing harmful proportions of fats.
So take a healthy breakfast, a proper lunch, and a balanced meal enriched with proteins and fibers.
2. Limit The Heavy Consumption Of Alcohol And Smoking
Alcohol and smoking are injurious to our health. Regular consumption of alcohol and tobacco leads to numerous health problems.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose of alcohol and smoking make our immune system weak.
Thus we become less prone to health problems. We may become more vulnerable to many cancers, including throat, lung, and liver cancer, kidney failure, and serious heart problems.
According to the National Institute of Health, regular heavy intake of alcohol and tobacco can also disturb our normal mental functioning. It may lead to the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and antisocial behaviors.
Studies reveal that smoking is more injurious to passive smokers compared to direct smokers. Thus it leads to serious hazards even for those who are not consuming alcohol and tobacco.
If you’re a smoker, you should limit the consumption of alcohol and smoking for you better. But if you’re a nonsmoker, you should fight for your right to healthy well-being.
3. Regularly Check your Blood Pressure
American Heart Association, hypertension is very common in the USA. More than 100 million adults are diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Severe headaches, shortness of breath, and often nose bleeding are the common symptoms of hypertension. It may cause strokes and heart attacks.
Research has shown that patients suffering from high blood pressure often manifest the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Studies reveal that hypertension seriously disrupts our mental functioning even before high blood pressure is diagnosed. This is the reason that hypertension is also known as a silent killer.
Studies reveal that the major cause of hypertension is unhealthy lifestyle choices. The best way to avoid the impacts of hypertension is to make healthy changes in our lifestyle. Along with having a balanced diet and enough sleep, we should visit our doctor regularly.
4. Drink Safe Water And Avoid Sugary Beverages
A regular sufficient intake of safe water can help you stay healthy. Intake of one and a half liters of water daily is crucial for healthy living.
Researchers reveal that drinking unsafe water causes serious health issues, including hepatitis, diarrhea, and cholera. Drinking unsafe water has the highest chance of polio.
It is better to boil water before consuming it. Clean your water tanks regularly and measure the quality of water at regular intervals.
Many studies have proved that a healthy intake of safe water helps in weight loss and thinking more clearly by avoiding stress.
So, if you are not good at consuming a sufficient amount of water, eat enough fruits and vegetables, and drink those beverages which are healthy and rich in water.
5. Reduce Sitting And Screen Time
Movement is the sign of life, and stillness is the sign of death. Physical inactivity and sitting for hours may cause serious health problems.
It may cause weight gain, digestion issues, joint pains, and eyesight issues. It may also cause fatigue, dizziness, and headaches and reduce learning and decision-making abilities.
Small illnesses may cause serious physical and mental issues.
According to Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic- Arizona State University, sitting is more injurious than smoking, and it kills more than HIV.
6. Exercise Regularly And Be Physically Active
Physical exercise is crucial for healthy living. Regular physical activity increases the circulation of our blood and improves our energy levels and our overall physical strength.
So keep yourself physically active most of the day time. Household chores, jogging, walking, and swimming are the best physical activities for your healthy living and sound well-being.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” Joseph Pilates
7. Get Enough Regular Sleep
Studies have shown that we can live weeks without eating food, while we cannot live a week without getting enough sleep.
Sound sleep improves your immune and digestive systems. Seven to eight hours of sleep daily is crucial for our good health.
Studies have shown that lack of enough sleep causes changes in our brain parts and makes us less focused. While proper sleep enhances our abilities and improves our decision-making powers.
Having sound regular sleep improves our mental and physical well-being. So have a quality sleep and stay healthy.
8. Go For Regular Check-ups
Even if you’re eating proper nutrition, having a good sleep, and taking daily exercises, you must go to the doctor for regular checks up. Regular follow-ups help to diagnose and treat health issues before they become severe.
Therefore, you should visit your doctor regularly. Follow the prescription of your doctor and stay healthy.
Final Words
In short, you enjoy good health if you are mentally and physically sound. To ensure our physical well-being, we should take proper nutrition, enough regular sleep, and regular physical activity.
When you are physically and mentally fit, you are less vulnerable to numerous health problems.
Your immune system improves, and your mind becomes more active. We often take health for granted and do not pay heed to our well-being.
Thus the need is to realize the importance of physical health and take measures to improve our well-being to stay healthy.
