Health

Health can be defined negatively, as the absence of illness, functionally, as the ability to cope with everyday activities, or positively, as fitness and well-being. In any organism, health is a form of homeostasis. This is a state of balance, with inputs and outputs of energy and matter in equilibrium (allowing for growth). Health also implies good prospects for continued survival. In sentient creatures such as humans, health is a broader concept.

The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist only of the absence of disease or infirmity." Though this is a useful and accurate definition, some would consider it idealistic and non-realistic. Using the WHO definition classifies 70-95% of people as unhealthy.

The most solid aspects of wellness that fit firmly in the realm of medicine are the environmental health, nutrition, disease prevention, and public health matters that can be investigated and assist in measuring well-being.

Related topics

• Disease
• Health professional
• Physical fitness
• Sexuality
• Health science
• Health disparities
• Medicine
• Longevity
• Wellness (alternative medicine)

External Links

• National Institute of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• World Health Organization
• WikiMD

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