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Steps to take in achieving healthy living

The saying goes, "He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything." Research has found that adopting a healthy lifestyle could extend life expectancy by 14 years for women and 12 years for men. But what exactly is healthy living?And what does a healthy lifestyle entail?
Beef stew, white sweet potatoes and sukuma are often taken with ugali in Kenya. Eating healthy is part of healthy living. |FILE

Most people link healthy living and a healthy lifestyle to physical health only, and this cannot be any further from the truth. 

Healthy living means having the opportunity, capability, and motivation to affect your physical and mental health positively. A healthy lifestyle is a commitment in both mindset and practice to a balanced way of living. This includes consistent habits that promote personal well-being and fulfillment in all domains of life. This means that to live a healthy life, we take care of our physical, mental, emotional, social, and environmental health.

Physical health is the body's normal functionality at all levels. This means that the body is healthy if free of disease or serious illness. Regular physical activity is vital for having a healthy body and mind. It gives a huge number of benefits to the body as well as the mind.

According to the World Health Organization, physical activity can improve muscular fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, bone health as well as functional fitness. It also lowers the risk of many circulatory conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Moreover, one can maintain good body weight and avoid injuries and falls by staying physically fit. In children and adolescents, physical activity is linked to better physical fitness, cardio-metabolic health, and overall development.

When it comes to the mental health aspect, the release of chemicals in the brain from physical activity improves self-esteem, concentration, and well-being. It can also aid in lessening the signs of anxiety and depression.

Achieving good physical health involves several strategies including being physically active, developing your muscles, finding the right body weight, staying on top of your metabolism, maintaining a well-balanced nutritious diet, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep. It is also advisable to prioritize mental health and do mindfulness and relaxation exercises, as well as contact others and find ways of stress reduction. 

Drinking sufficient amounts of water, frequent hand washing, and regular health examinations are crucial to physical well-being.In a nutshell, physical health is not to be undermined.

Participation in regular physical activity and exercise not only leads to a healthy body and mind but also goes beyond to have a significant impact on the well-being of an individual as a whole.

Whether through sports, recreational activities, or simple daily exercises, staying physically active is a fundamental aspect of maintaining good health. Mental health is an essential part of general well-being as it covers emotional, psychological, and social aspects. It shapes how we think, behave, and feel and it also helps us to deal with stress, maintain healthy relationships, and make decisions amongst other things. 

Mental health can be influenced by many factors such as biological elements, life experiences, and also family history. It is not only the lack of mental disorders but also the well-being that enables people to live in harmony, balance activities, and withstand psychological stress.

Mental health is one of the factors essential for living healthy. It may result in a healthy life as it enables individuals to deal with the challenges of life, maintain good relations, work well, and reach their full potential.

Methods to improve mental health include being physically active, having adequate sleep, having good relationships, being part of a society and contributing to it, and working productively. Furthermore, doing things that bring happiness, avoiding harmful substances, and taking good care of physical health through regular exercise and a healthy diet are essential for maintaining mental well-being. Focusing on mental health helps people make the most of life, confront stress, and maintain general well-being.

Mental health is an important aspect of overall health and deserves top-level prioritization at individual and societal levels.The significance of mental health, the identification of prevalent conditions, and the provision of support and awareness are aspects that support the maintenance of healthy individuals and communities.

Emotional health is another crucial component of general well-being as it affects mental and physical health. Evidence suggests a positive connection between emotional health and physical well-being, including low blood pressure, a lower risk of heart problems, and a healthier weight.

Emotionally healthy people can handle life's challenges, have good relationships, and also maintain a positive self-image. It is necessary to pay attention to one's feelings and behaviors, to express feelings in the right way, and also to ask for help when needed. Emotional well-being influences an individual’s ability to manage stress, respond to changes, and also cope with challenging life events which consequently impact their relationships, work, and overall health. Through the prioritization of emotional health and learning how to manage both positive and negative emotions, people can gain back the feeling of control, minimize difficulties even in complex situations, and live a functional life.

Emotional well-being denotes an essential aspect of a healthy life and encompasses various mental and physical issues.
To invest in your emotional wealth is to learn to handle your emotions wisely, to develop positive emotions, and to deal with negative ones. It calls for continuous energy, reflection on self, and also a commitment to self-growth and advancement. 

Emotional wealth is much more than happiness. It is also about resilience, empathy, and inner strength. People can put more focus on the wealth of their feelings by channeling their emotions, becoming more resilient, practicing gratefulness, and creating supportive relationships. Also, asking for help when appropriate and being willing to receive any feedback are necessary elements of the building of emotional wealth. Investing in emotional well-being allows people to be much happier, more fulfilled, and also more resilient in difficult times.

The other type of health to be prioritized is social health. Social health means both an individual’s capacity to create and keep healthy ties with other people and also the ability to adjust to group demands and interact with society. It is an essential element of overall well-being, closely tied to mental and physical health. Social health can be impacted by different factors, for instance, family, friends, work, and community. Healthy social lives are of the utmost importance which we achieve through building and sustaining positive relationships, engaging in social activities, and getting support when necessary. Workplace social health is also encouraged through bonding activities, inter-departmental get-togethers, and wellness programs.

Through social health focus, people gain higher happiness, contentment, and robustness to endure life difficulties.
Social health is closely tied both to physical and psychological health. There is evidence that a positive social relationship leads to better physical health outcomes such as lower blood pressure, reduced risk for heart diseases, and a healthy weight.

Social health influences mental health, with research demonstrating that social relationships affect mental health and mortality risk. Social competencies such as communication, active listening and conflict resolution are important for the development of social health.

Participation in groups around hobbies or interests, volunteering, and community activities are methods of bettering social health. The other point is spending social time properly, being yourself, and participating in trust-building and conflict management. One should take into account that social health is so important that it is worth influencing mental and physical well-being.

Environmental health is the final aspect of achieving a healthy way of life. Environmental health is the effect of the environment on human health considering such factors as air and water quality, hazardous substances, and so on. Environmental and human health are very closely intertwined with many environmental factors driving public health outcomes. For example, air pollution is a serious environmental problem ranking very high on the mortality rates, second only to hypertension. In terms of health, it is associated with a variety of diseases such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Water quality is also an important aspect of environmental health which has repercussions for infectious diseases and general welfare.
Environmental health is very closely related to the overall health of human beings. Environmental qualities such as air and water quality directly affect human health and also general well-being. For example, the effects of environmental pollutants such as air pollution include many respiratory diseases, heart disease as well as also cancer. Besides, the use of the green environment and nature exposure has been linked with a lot of favorable mental health, better cognitive development in children, and greater physical activity. Moreover, the sustainability of all the living beings in the world requires ecological stability, which, in turn, guarantees the welfare of society. Thus, through the handling of environmental health issues and fostering a good health environment, human beings enjoy improved physical fitness, sound mind and also improved total quality of life.

In conclusion, a healthy lifestyle is a holistic approach that encompasses multiple facets of well-being. By prioritizing healthy living, individuals can experience improved physical health, mental well-being, and an overall higher quality of life. It is essential to recognize the interconnectedness of these components and take proactive steps to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. 

By TONNEY A. OCHIENG, Second Year Journalism and Mass Communication Student, Chuka University

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