Health? Healthy?

Communication

Human beings are social creatures and in order to socialize, communication is key. Although the nonverbal aspect thereof is important, verbal literacy is prerequisite for sound communication. Without all parties involved conveying accurately and understanding in detail the exchanged messages, miscommunication shall be inevitable.

Healthcare industry

In the field of sports and nutrition, "health" and its derivative "healthy" may well be the most commonly used words. Despite their widespread usage though, they may also be some of the most nebulous terms utilized by "health" care professionals and laypeople likewise. Each of us probably does have some conceptions of these terms, but I would love to challenge you, the reader, to provide an actual, adequate definition of these terms in the comment section below! I highly encourage you to actually accept the mental challenge: pause here, think, and write down your thoughts below, and refrain from consulting external resources, you cheaters 😉. Please only proceed reading afterwards ...

Definitions

World Health Organization (WHO)

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Machteld Huber - Positive Health

Positive Health is a broader view of health, elaborated in six dimensions. This broader approach contributes to people’s ability to deal with physical, emotional and social challenges in life — and to be in charge of their own affairs, whenever possible.

Advice

Any wiser by now? I, for one, am not. On the one hand, according to the WHO, no one ever really is in a state of health. Who on earth is continuously in a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being? On the other hand, the 'Positive Health' framework is reasonable, but hardly objective and very little defining. Hence, since years I have come to the conclusion that one ought to be cautious with liberal utilization of the terms in question. As a suggestion to both laypeople and "health" care professionals: be specific in your speech and consequently avoid miscommunication. For instance, ask your dietitian or colleague whether or not they think a certain product or lifestyle reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity ... or if it aids in gaining muscle strength. Do this rather than inquire about how "healthy" a food item or lifestyle may be. As an additional piece of advice for people seeking professional advice: be wary of "health" care professionals who use these or other vague terms too generously; they either do not truly comprehend the matter at hand or do not conduct self-contemplation. Either way, you might want to reconsider the level of trust they deserve.

Thank you for reading! If this post did make you ponder, please drop a like, comment, and share.