Valuing your Health

It is said “Health is wealth”. If health
is lost, everything is lost. If health is i’
lost, the capacity to work is lost.
Inability to work leads to poverty and
misery. On the other hand, if we have
health we are able to work and this, in
turn, adds to our wealth. Therefore
good health is one of the basic
foundations on which our lives are
built.
For the common man, health is merely
an absence of sickness and ailments.
This view is narrow and one-sided.
The term ‘health’ is much more
comprehensive. Good health is the
state of all-round physical, social and
mental well being of a person, which
enables him to live and work normally
and to resist the negative impact of his
environment.
The merits or the advantages of having
good health can hardly be
exaggerated. Good health is not only
important but is also an essential
ingredient for a happy life. A healthy
person is able to work and live on his
own.
He is not dependent on others. He is
in a better position to relax and to
enjoy the thrill of life. He is able to
enjoy life in its varied forms. On the
other hand, an unhealthy person finds
it difficult to be happy and joyful.
Physical ailments bring in pain,
sorrow, bitterness, mental tension and
sleepless nights. He survives on others
charity. “Bread bought with other’s
sweat is never sweet”.
Image Source: healingsolutions.ca
It is therefore essential that we should
try to acquire good health. Good health
cannot be bought, it can only be,
wrought. Acquisition of good health
calls for certain concrete steps.
According to many doctors and health
specialists three basic factors bring
about good health. They are: (a) clean
environment, (b) good habits and (c)
clean mind.
One of the basic requirements for
good health is to live in a clean and
healthy environment. Unfortunately,
this is becoming almost impossible
today. Our entire environment is
polluted. The water that we drink is
polluted.
The food that we consume is
contaminated. The air that we breathe
is full of dirt and poisonous elements.
Our cities, towns and rivers have
become dumping grounds of wastes
and breeding grounds of dangerous
microbes. Unless and until this
pollution is prevented our chances of
acquiring good health may remain a
distant dream.
Secondly, good personal habits go a
long way in helping to acquire good
health. Good habits, such as, getting up
early, maintaining personal
cleanliness, temperance in eating,
doing physical exercises, adequate
sleep and rest, etc., are vital elements
which help in the acquisition of good
health.
Thirdly, the importance of clean mind
for the acquisition of good health
cannot be undermined. Mind, to a
great extent, controls the body. Many
doctors say that the mind is so
powerful that it can dispel even the
most incurable ailments of the body, if
it, so desires. Optimistic outlook,
serene mentality, joyful spirit,
laughter, clean thoughts, etc. have
unfathomable impact in bringing
about good health.
I perfectly agree with the maxim
‘health is wealth’. Unfortunately, very
few care about this ‘wealth’. People
spend sleepless days and nights,
running after material wealth
forgetting that the first step to acquire
material wealth is to have good health