What is health and how to keep it for years to come?

Health is the most important value of man, but as long as it does not fail, people rarely think about it. To start to protect health follows still when it is: to avoid that it spoils, and to adhere to that strengthens it.

What is health - definition

A look at what health is, has changed over time. So, in the 11th century BC. physician Galen defined health as a condition in which there is no pain, and which helps to fully perform the duties. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the view on health has changed significantly, expanded and deepened. The WHO definition of health suggests that health includes a set of factors consisting of social, physical and mental well-being.

Some scientists, reflecting on what health is, put in this concept and reserve capabilities of the body. The more easily the body reacts to changes in the environment, adapts, fights harmful agents, the stronger is health. The reserve capabilities include the ability to withstand long-term physical and psychological stress.

Physical Health

Physical health is a state of the body in which all organs and systems of organs function effectively. Good physical health helps a person fully engage in their duties, habitual business and rest. The defining components of physical health are such components:

• the level of physical development of a person;
• age anatomical and physiological features;
• level of physical fitness;
• presence or absence of diseases in acute or chronic form;
• physical defects.

Mental Health

The question, what is mental health, can be viewed from two sides:

1. From the point of view of psychiatry, mental health is the absence of mental abnormalities and anomalies of personal development.
2. From the point of view of psychology, it is a state that allows you to fully realize your abilities, to prove yourself as a person, to have an optimistic outlook on life, to strive forward and achieve your goals, to effectively interact with surrounding people and to be a useful member of society.

Levels of health

In medical and social studies, several levels of health are distinguished:

• individual health of a person, by which one understands the state of health of an individual person;
• regional health - the health status of the population of a single administrative district;
• group health - the health of a selected social or ethnic group;
• public health - the state of health of the whole society as a whole.

Health indicators

The main indicators of health include such items:

• genetic : they include the genotype, the absence of dysembryogenesis and defects inherited;
• morphological : the degree of physical development and the type of constitution;
• biochemical : the level of indicators of biological fluids and tissues;
• clinical , talking about the presence or absence of disease;
• metabolic : the rate of metabolic processes;
• functional : this group includes the rest norm and the reaction rate, as well as the reserve capabilities of the organism and the functional form;
• psychological , including emotional-strong-willed and cognitive sphere, type of GNI and temperament;
• socio-spiritual : moral values ​​and goals of the individual, needs and desires.

Indicators of human health

Objective indicators of human health include 12 scales:

1. Arterial pressure. The ideal pressure is 110/70 mm Hg. Art. Some sources say that with age, the pressure can increase to 120-130 mm Hg. and that such an increase is the norm. This opinion can be called indulgent, since in fact any increase in pressure is the result of illness and the conduct of an incorrect lifestyle.
2. Heart rate (heart rate) at rest. The standard is 60 pulses per minute.
3. Breathing movements. In a minute there should be no more than 16 breaths.
4. Body temperature. A healthy person has a body temperature of 36.60 С.
5. Hemoglobin. For women, the norm of hemoglobin is 120 mg / l, and for men - 130 mg / l. The fall of this indicator leads to negative changes in the data of other parameters.
6. Bilirubin. Normally this figure is 21 μmol / l. It shows how well the body copes with the processing of obsolete red blood cells.
7. Urine. Every day, a liter of urine is excreted from the human body with a specific gravity of 1020 and an acidity of 5.5.
8. Index of height and weight. This index is calculated from the tables by subtracting the body weight from the growth.
9. Blood sugar. The normal value is 5.5 mlol / l.
10. PH of the blood. Norms are considered to be within the range of 7.32-7.42. Data below 6.8 and above 7.8 are deadly.
11. Leukocytes. In a healthy person, the leukocyte count will be 4.5 thousand in the ninth degree. Elevated figures indicate the presence of an inflammatory process.
12. Cholesterol. The normal cholesterol level should not exceed 200 mg / dl. The index of 239 mg / dl is the maximum permissible.

Health indicators of the population

Public health shows the average health status of members of society and reflects its general development trends. It includes such factors:

1. Fertility rate. It includes the number of births per year per thousand people. The average indicator is the birth of 20-30 children.
2. Mortality rate. The average death rate is 15-16 deaths per year per thousand people. If mortality by age is considered the norm, then infant mortality is considered a pathology and reflects social unhappiness. A low infant mortality rate is less than 15 children per year per 1000 newborns, high - more than 60 children.
3. Population growth reflects the difference between the number of children born and the number of deceased members of society.
4. Average life expectancy. A good indicator is the figure of 65-75 years, unsatisfactory in 40-50 years.
5. The coefficient of aging of members of society is calculated from the difference between the number of people under 60 and after 60. A poor indicator is a percentage above 20, and a good indicator is less than 5.
6. The mechanical movement of the population shows the percentage of migration.
7. Incidence rate.
8. The indicator of congenital and acquired disability.
9. The indicator of physical development depends on the ethnic group, climatic and geographical conditions of residence.

Factors affecting human health

Human health depends on a number of conditions, so knowing what the risk factors for human health, and what contribute to its improvement, can help every member of society improve their health. All factors that affect a person's health can be divided into the following groups:

• Lifestyle;
• biological heredity;
• socio-economic conditions;
• the state of the environment;
• availability of medical care.

Factors contributing to health promotion

Analyzing how to preserve human health, doctors identified the following factors:

1. Rational nutrition and diet. The menu should be varied, balanced, and the food should be taken according to the regime.
2. Moderate physical activity.
3. A full rest, a healthy sleep.
4. Personal hygiene, clean housing.
5. Hardening procedures.
6. Good environmental condition. Although ecology does not depend on each person, one should nevertheless choose more clean regions for life.
7. Optimism and a strong nervous system. Since ancient times, it is known that the state of the nervous system is directly reflected in physical health.

Factors that destroy health

Reflections on what health is, are incomplete without an analysis of what has a negative effect on his condition. If you take into account the factors detrimental to health, and try to avoid them, you can raise your standard of living and feel yourself a happier person. The factors that cause harm to health include:

1. Harmful habits: alcohol use, tobacco smoking, drug addiction and substance abuse.
2. Incorrect food. The increase in the share of carbohydrates and fat-containing products in the menu and a decrease in the share of fruits and vegetables leads to weight gain, reduced immunity, vitamin deficiency and deficiency in the body of minerals.
3. Hypodinamy. Every year there is a decrease in the mobility of the population, which leads to a weakening of the body's functions and frequent illnesses.
4. Stresses and experiences.

Health protection

A healthy society is one of the components of a successful state. The health of citizens is responsible for the prevention and protection of public health. Healthcare is a combination of measures of a political, social, medical, cultural, economic and sanitary plan aimed at improving the health status of each member of society. These measures are aimed at preserving health, treating citizens and preventing. Children's health and women's health are priority areas of health care.