World Health Day 2021 supports the mission of building a fairer and healthier world that is accessible to all. Everyone deserves to live a healthy life regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, economic status, or disease. One of the first steps in developing a healthy life is educating yourself on the pillars of health and learning how to implement them into your daily life. Your health is impacted by five main dimensions: physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual health. Educating yourself on these basic components of health and creating a plan to incorporate maintaining these aspects in your daily life is a great way to start your health journey.
Your physical health is greatly affected by exercise habits and healthy eating. Aim to exercise 3-5 times each week. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine will help boost your physical health and keep you active longer. It is important to keep in mind that any exercise is better than no exercise, and regular movement will increase your mobility and boost your independence.
When making diet choices try to minimize processed foods, fried foods, sweets, and soft drinks. These items have little nutritional value and can decrease your overall health and wellness. Prioritize whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
Another important aspect of your physical health is sleep. Quality sleep improves your overall health and decreases your risk of emotional and physical issues such as depression and obesity. Aim to get 6-8 hours of sleep each night to wake up feeling energized. To aid in developing a healthy sleep pattern avoid drinking coffee or caffeinated beverages late in the day, dim your lights close to when you plan to go to sleep and sleep in a completely dark room.
Social health is defined as your ability to interact and develop meaningful relationships with others. It is important to stay engaged socially throughout your life to stay happy and healthy. Get involved in organizations, clubs, or groups that interest you to stay active in your community. Other methods to stay social include calling your loved ones, making plans with friends and family, and chatting with neighbors. Maintaining proper social health can also decrease your risks of developing unwanted health issues.
It is crucial to maintain your emotional health. People who are emotionally healthy are aware and in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This also involves mitigating and managing negative emotions such as stress. Developing coping mechanisms for negative emotions is a great way to prioritize your emotional health. Common stress relievers include exercise, creative hobbies, and reading. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind who you can rely on for emotional support. Talk with those you trust and love to cultivate positive relationships and boost your emotional health. If you have ongoing emotional health problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to professionals for support.
An individual’s spiritual health helps develop altruism, ethics, and a sense of purpose. Spend time thinking about what gives your life purpose, think about the surrounding world, and take time to appreciate it. If you are religious this could be time for your to study and practice it. Spiritual health looks different for everyone, find what gives you a feeling of purpose and prioritize time for it.
Intellectual health involves the desire to increase understanding, improve skills and continuously challenge yourself. Additionally, it involves being open to new experiences and ideas. There are many ways to stimulate your mind and maintain your intellectual health. Being open to learning new things and ideas is a great way to start. You can continue to cultivate your intellectual health through cognitive exercises, developing new hobbies, reading, and many other activities.
Your overall health should be a top priority in your life. Maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle will improve your overall quality of life and decrease disease risks. Everyone deserves a healthy life, and educating yourself is the first step to take to improve your personal health.
For more resources and information on World Health Day and health recommendations look through these resources:
World Health Day 2021: Together we can reach a fairer and healthier world