Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “the condition of being fit and healthy, free from diseases and ailments of a general nature manifested by the body and its organs.” Various definitions have also been employed over time for the purpose of defining health. The dictionary definition is “exceeding the normal condition of health, maintaining or functioning properly; the proper functioning of the whole body subjected to normal circumstances.” Another definition is, “health is the state of being able to cope with ordinary physical demands with good health and free from pain.” Health is a state which has many individual aspects and it is a state that affects an individual’s life and the way in which he or she takes it upon himself or herself to be healthy.
A person who values his physical health and believes in staying fit should not, therefore, fail to take care of his mental health. Both these concepts go hand in hand and they go hand in hand with one another. The need for physical as well as mental health is evident in all age groups. The old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” can be applied in this case as well.
There are two broad categories of health: physical well-being, which is the pre-dominantly felt aspect, and mental well-being, which is the deeper sense that informs and reflects on a person’s whole personality and his actions toward life. We are talking about two completely different concepts, though they are closely related to each other. The concepts of physical well-being depend on a person’s ability to sustain a minimum standard of health, measured by his capacity to do the functions essential for his existence. Mental health, on the other hand, depends on one’s ability to value and respect one’s own body, mind, and soul as a whole. Thus, good health and good relationships are closely connected to one another.
Health is a complex concept and it is very hard to keep in mind just what comprises of it. Well-being, on the other hand, is much easier to understand because it is grounded on the notion of value. A person’s well-being is reflected in his ability to create new personal values, to choose good partners, to be creative, to feel good, to love, and so on. All these things contribute to his ability to maintain a quality physical health, but financial health is arguably the most important aspect of a person’s well-being.
Financial health refers to the capacity to purchase the things that one needs and that are necessary for his continued well-being. It also refers to a person’s capacity to acquire the things that are necessary for his growth as an individual. If you have a good financial health, you can use it to ensure that your physical well-being is ensured. Thus, you have a double protection: a physical health that can be achieved through fitness activities, and a mental health that can be achieved through healthy interactions with other people.
A person with a great financial health can invest to achieve his dreams. He can put aside the small or big things that may be holding him back, he can take risks to try new things, and he can pursue his goals at a high rate of success. On the other hand, a person with a poor health can often remain bound to his old ways of thinking and his restricted social circle. Both of these states of health are injurious to health, and it is through financial health that a person can truly overcome them and develop a good mental health.