Health is an emotional state of mind where illness and infirmity are either absent or minimal. Various definitions have been used for many different purposes over the years. One definition that comes to mind is the quality of life you experience, the general health and the overall health of yourself and others. The definition also includes aspects such as freedom, the capacity to work, the capacity to enjoy life and one’s capacity to manage one’s own affairs and the ability to accept assistance. Health can be affected by various environmental, social and personal factors. Mental health has many components and is usually influenced by genetics and experiences.
The definition also includes the strength of the immune system. This is essential to fight against infectious disease. In order for diseases to be present there must be a host (the organism carrying the disease) and an infection (the agent causing the disease). The absence of both weakens the ability of the immune system to fight the disease.
A third definition is something that you cannot have. It is an inherited characteristic or gene that cannot be changed. It is usually affected by your environment but it can also be affected by your genes and your risk factors. Risk factors are those things that increase the risk of developing certain diseases. These include, obesity, gender, age, nutrition, family history and smoking habits.
The fourth definition is called communicable diseases. This is an illness transmitted through contact. This includes the following: blood, breast milk, skin, nasal secretions, mouth, sexual intercourse and others. It is also influenced by your physical attributes and other genetic factors. For instance, a person who has red hair may be more prone to develop communicable diseases of the lung.
The fifth definition is the self-rating health. The state of your physical well-being as determined by your previous evaluations. This measure assesses how well you perceive your health using your own answers to questions regarding your health. It can be influenced by your expectations and beliefs about yourself and your health. Your self-rating can reflect your current state of mental health, such as if you are happy or sad, anxious or scared, tired or energetic, and in poor or good health.
Your level of well-being can be influenced by your risk factors for disease. The presence of these risk factors can weaken your immune system and weaken the effectivity of your healing. These can include age, gender, race, ethnicity, physical health, and illness type. It can also be affected by the quality of your life: how you think, feel, talk and eat.