Health is wealth. This is not a cliche. Recall a time when you were sick; you wanted to do a lot of things but were not able to because you were not feeling well. But what does it mean to be a healthy person? Does it only mean having a strong and healthy body? Health is a state of optimal well-being. It takes more than the meeting of physical needs; it also takes into account the mental, emotional, and social needs of a person. In this lesson, we will study these needs, how they relate to each other and what it means to be truly healthy.

Needs of a Healthy Person

Physical Needs

* Food supplies the body with carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals necessary for growth and development.

* Water helps the body process food into useful soluble substances, circulate blood, and maintain internal balance.

* Air gives life through respiration. Intake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide keep the cells alive and working.

* Clothes protect the body from external factors like too much heat or chilly winds that may cause illness.

* Exercise keeps the body fit and strong to do everyday tasks and able to withstand stresses.

* Hygiene keeps the body clean and free from disease-causing germs.

* Rest gives the body time to restore lost energy.

* Shelter provides a place for daily rest and affords protection from extreme weather conditions.

To be physically healthy is basically to be free from disease or disorder.

Mental Needs

* Learning enables the mind to understand and store information for use in everyday living.

* Mental exercise such as intelligent reading, answering puzzles, solving problems, drawing, and writing opinion essays constantly sharpen the mind. It keeps the mind alert and working.

* Critical thinking enables a person to see the pros and cons of a situation or option and gives him or her deeper understanding of life’s affairs. It helps a person come to a wise decision. For instance, a friend invited you to play computer games but you have an examination tomorrow, what will you do? What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing computer? Of reviewing your lessons instead of playing? What decision will you make?

* Priority setting helps a person think through his many concerns without being overwhelmed, depressed or unable to act. Take for example the projects you are required to submit. If you think strenuously that you have so much to do, you might end up doing nothing or finish them up in a mediocre manner. But if you prioritize and set your order of things to do, you will be able to focus and give your best as you do every single thing in your list.

* Mental rest and recreation grants the mind needed relaxation and time to let happy and inspiring thoughts of simple and grand things flow freely. This prevents the mind from being overloaded and stressed. Taking a nap, savoring the thoughts of your dream place to visit or playing your favorite sport can help lighten up your mind’s load.

To be mentally healthy is basically to be able to process information and make right and wise decisions.

Emotional Needs

* Security lets the person feel safe to grow and develop. It is usually fulfilled through love, acceptance, and attention.

* Sense of independence lets the person feel trusted and encourages him or her to make responsible choices.

* Sense of achievement helps develop confidence, aspiration and determination to do things. This is fulfilled by giving due recognition to positive traits exemplified and good things done.

* Sense of meaning and purpose gives the person fulfillment and direction in life.

* Emotional connection lets the person feel that he or she can communicate freely his or her emotions to another person or group of people. It also lets him empathize or identify with or show compassion towards others.

* Privacy gives a person time to reflect on his or her thoughts and experiences and learn lessons and principles not only in theory but by experience as well.

* Stability enables a person to withstand hardship, to stand up and start anew after committing a mistake, and to control his or her emotions.

To be emotionally healthy is basically to be able to handle emotions well and render the best possible attitudes in every situation.

Social Needs

* Sense of belonging is a need to be part of a group like a family or community.

* Interaction is a need to communicate and relate with others.

* Adaptability is a need to adjust to different personalities he or she interacts with to avoid conflict.

* Friendship is a need to form a close relationship with another person or group of people sharing the same interests and values.

How Each Aspect Affects Overall Health

Physical health is the foundation of all the other aspects. If you are sick, your bodily systems work abnormally and you cannot think well, you feel bad and you would rather rest in your room. When you have a headache for instance, can you still focus your mind on studying? Are you still not in the mood to have your usual chat with a friend? The answer is no and you will probably get easily irritated with the noise of your little brother or sister running around the house and end up shouting at him or her!

The mental and emotional aspects closely interact with one another to maintain your good disposition. If you are mentally and emotionally bothered, you might become stuck up or irrational in your thoughts and your emotions go extremes. For instance, your mom scolded you because you took money from her purse without asking her permission. You misunderstood her action and entertained thoughts like she doesn’t love you and nurtured within your heart a feeling of hatred towards her. As a response, you always disobey her or answer back rudely when she’s talking to you. On the other hand, if you are mentally and emotionally fit, you will have a better reaction. You will appreciate her act of scolding because you understood well that you did a wrong thing and she loves you so much that she corrected you so you will grow up to be a good individual. A person filled with negative thoughts and gloomy emotions tends to not care about his or her physical health or his or her body produces unnecessary substances that cause illness.

Another example are those who grew up in poor families; they either react rightfully and strive to work hard just to finish school and get a good-paying job so they can uplift their status of living or they react wrongfully and end up being robbers and gamblers. Those who grew up in rich families either work hard too because they understood that what they enjoyed was a result of their parents’ toil. They may develop compassion for the needy and be generous enough to help out. The opposite would be rich kids who take drugs or do unlawful things just because they believe they have the money to bend the law and get acquitted.

Social health is generally the manifestation of the three other aspects. Some people with disabilities or physical impairment tend to be introverts or shy. They don’t want to mingle with others because some people might throw jokes on them and they don’t want to be embarrassed. If you are in a good mental and emotional state, you can easily adjust to a new group of acquaintances and build lasting friendships. On the other hand, people who aren’t mentally and emotionally well will tend to become loners, attention getters in an exaggerated way, and create conflicts within a group.

Health is a state of optimal well being. This means that a person should be physically, mentally, emotionally and socially fit for him or her to be considered a truly healthy person. A strong and healthy physical body should be accompanied with reasonable thoughts, good character and fulfilling relationships.

The Important Roles of Family, Friends, and Community

Family is the basic unit of society and is the first institution that meets your physical, mental, emotional and social needs. Your parents took care of you since you were a baby; teaching you proper hygiene and inculcating proper values. They together with your siblings and relatives serve as your first community where you felt love, learned new things, developed emotional ties, faced different situations and adjusted to different personalities. Growing up in a family with constant conflict or growing up without a family negatively impacts a child’s well-being. Your family’s medical history also influences some of the illnesses you can contract.
Forming friendships is an essential part of a person’s growth and development. Think of all the friends you have had since kindergarten, how have they influenced you? You do activities together and in the process, help each other become healthy individuals. If your friends have colds or chicken pox, you might also contract the same if you keep in touch with them. On the other hand, if you have friends who are into regular exercise and is conscious of balanced diet, they may influence you to adopt those healthy practices. Having friends also give you mental exercise as you do puzzles and solve problems together. They also have an important roles in molding your emotional make-up because you share experiences, happy times and hurts, that teach you how to handle emotions and bring out the best in every situation. Friends serve as your mini social circle as well; with them you interact, gain confidence to relate with others and develop your social identity.

Community provides you a place to live your life and hence, it certainly affects your health. If there’s dengue outbreak in your community, you are prone to it and must be extra cautious to stay healthy. The affairs in your community also affect your mental and emotional state. If you live in a crowded community with filthy surroundings, you tend to be irritable. If you have neighbors who are always fighting or making up stories, they will have an effect on your countenance. If you live in a well-maintained community, you can think more before deciding, you have time to reflect, and your emotions aren’t easily provoked. If your community has regular health check ups, get together events and sports festivals then you will be encouraged to stay fit and you will be well-adjusted to mingling with groups of people or joining them in creating solutions to community concerns.

The Responsibility to Stay Healthy

Family, friends and community play important roles in making you a healthy or unhealthy person. Ultimately, the responsibility is yours to take care of your health. After learning about the various needs, you should consciously make effort to meet them. One of the most significant things you can do is keep your physical body strong and free from illness. This way, you can focus your energies to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, and socially fit. You must not leave your well-being to chances. It is a foundation for living your life happily and reaching your dreams. When you’re ill, you can go to a physician for diagnosis, medical advice and medication. When mentally disturbed, psychiatrists are the ones who can give treatment procedures. When emotionally and socially unwell, family and friends can readily help but if it’s already a serious case, psychologists can provide counseling and recommend therapies.