Being healthy is relative. Some people are considered healthy just because they don’t have a serious medical condition or because they’re physically fit according to conventional standards. But others can be the epitome of mental health despite not having a particularly toned or fit body.
The point is that it’s hard to define what’s healthy and what’s not because health itself varies from one person to another. This means that you shouldn’t be threatened to maintain an image of good health, as long as you’re not neglecting any aspects of your overall well-being. In fact, here are three that are often forgotten about:
Mental Health
Many people tend to neglect their mental health to focus on their physical wellness because they think that the latter is more important. But this can be a wrong mindset because your mental health is just as important as your physical health. This means that you shouldn’t neglect your mental well-being just because you’re physically okay.
You can still function normally even if you’re stressed out, depressed, or anxious. However, the main difference here would be that you’ll be functioning on auto-pilot because your mind is preoccupied with other matters. This is especially true if you still push through with your routines despite being overwhelmed by everything around you.
But this isn’t just your fault because society has ingrained in people’s minds that they should just work through their burnouts. You may have been gaslighted into believing that everything you’re feeling is all in your mind, but it’s not. It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed and exhausted even if you’re not showing physical signs of illness.
The stigma on mental health is real, and it has to be broken. Otherwise, more people will be forced to act as if everything is okay even when it’s not, and it can cause them to develop debilitating mental illnesses that can affect their lives. So, if you feel like the world is becoming too much for you to bear, don’t be afraid to reach out to the people who can help.
Oral Health
The mouth is considered the gateway to a person’s overall health because it leads to the organs, digestive, and respiratory systems. Some people don’t give as much importance to oral health as it deserves, and that’s what needs to change because mouth issues are often indicators of more serious underlying health problems.
Although you’re brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, these may not be enough to maintain your oral hygiene. That’s why you should never wait for problems in your mouth to become worse before reaching out to your dental practitioner. If you’re experiencing pain or inflammation of any kind, don’t hesitate to get it checked by a professional.
However, even if you don’t notice anything wrong with your teeth or gums, you must still maintain good oral hygiene by eating a healthy diet and reducing your sugar intake. Also, don’t miss your regular dental checkups and appointments for consultations, cleanings, or the occasional dental procedures.
Social Health
You might think that just because you’re always active on social media platforms or talking frequently with your friends means you’re taking care of your social health. And while you’re connecting to people in some sense, it doesn’t take away the fact that you’re lying on your bed, alone in a dark room at home.
Spending all your time online isn’t exactly healthy, even more so if all you do is scroll idly on your social media feeds. To form meaningful connections with other people, you have to go beyond posting stories and reacting to every post you see on your timeline. You need to spend time with real people.
Being alone with your thoughts all the time can be stressful, which can then affect your physical and mental health. To address this, what you need is an outlet for all your thoughts and emotions, especially since you’re always exposed to the negativity on the internet. You have to learn where to draw the line and step away from social media.
By deliberately distancing yourself from social interactions, you might start developing anti-social behaviors and prefer to be alone. So before these get any worse, what you should do is start small, such as opening up to your closest friends and family about what you’re feeling. Don’t bottle everything inside because soon enough, you might implode.
Focusing on your overall health and wellness means not compromising or neglecting any aspects for the other. You have to find a balance between all these different aspects—your mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being—before you can say that you’re a really healthy person.
