The Importance of Health

The Importance of Good Health
‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’ - World Health Organization

Many people do not realize the importance of good health, and even if they do, they may still disregard it. Whether we work at home or in an office, we need good health in order to perform our duties well. When people talk about health, they usually refer to the condition of the body. However, health does not merely mean being free from physical pain or the symptoms of disease. The mind is of crucial consideration in the overall assessment of wellbeing.

The necessity of good health is not limited to a particular religion, caste, creed or gender. Most diseases have their origin in mind, or the manomaya kosha. A person can be said to be healthy when his or her body is healthy and the mind is clear and calm. While many people may not have material problems, they may be unhappy or agitated at the psychological level. They may suffer from insomnia due to stress, or feel depressed, irritable and aimless. All these are the result of an unbalanced mind.

Unfortunately, most of our attempts to become happy relate only to the body. We strive for materialistic ends, such as lucrative income, status, a big house, an expensive car, jewelry and so on, because we believe these things will make us happy. Seldom do we give attention to our mind and soul, which the time and resources we spend in trying to fulfill our physical needs and desire, we are still unable to achieve lasting peace and happiness through satisfaction of bodily needs. This is because we have not learned how to listen to our mind and soul.

A human being is a composite unit of five sheaths. The ancient Ayurveda health system propounded this truth more than five-thousand years ago when it emphasized the importance of a balanced life, taking into consideration not only the body, but also the mind and the soul. Indeed, the wisdom of Ayurveda is profound and enduring, as it heals the body, mind and soul. It gives knowledge of die, hygiene attitudes and lifestyles that induce total health.

Everything we eat does one of two things: it either nourishes us or poisons us. Food that has been over-processed and contains preservatives acts like slow poison. The entire modern food handling process, where emphasis is on long shelf life, is turning our food into poisons. In order to keep the body healthy, it is fundamental to follow a wholesome diet, consisting of fresh vegetable proteins in the form of lentils, beans, milk products, dried fruits and the like. Besides healthy food, we also need sufficient sleep, fresh air, and proper physical exercise, such as yogasanas or other sports.