3.1 What Is Health, Really?
Probe and Ponder
How does your body respond when you catch a cold? Why do we rarely see smallpox or polio today, yet diabetes and heart problems are more common than ever? Can stress and worry actually make you sick? And why, in the same outbreak, do some people fall ill while others stay well?
These questions all circle one big idea — that health is far richer than simply “not being ill.”
Ask most people what “healthy” means and they will say “not having any disease.” But that is only part of the picture. Think about someone who has no infection at all, yet feels lonely, anxious, and cannot sleep. Are they truly healthy? Most of us would say no.
The Three Sides of Health The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.” A healthy person looks after their body, keeps a positive mind, and enjoys good relationships — and can handle everyday tasks and difficult situations with ease.
A story worth pausing on
Activity 3.1 — Read and reflect A Grade 8 student moved to a new city. With no friends and busy parents, he felt lonely. To cope, he spent hours on his phone and social media — but it only made him feel worse. He stopped trying to make friends, started getting headaches, lost weight, and couldn’t sleep. A doctor advised less screen time and a counsellor, and the school counsellor helped him make friends and recover.
Think and reflect: he had no infection — so what made him unwell? Notice how his habits (too much screen time) and his surroundings (loneliness) harmed his health, even though no germ was involved.
This is the heart of the chapter: health depends on mental and social well-being just as much as on the body. You can eat well and live in a clean place, yet still feel unwell if you are lonely or upset. Health and happiness are closely linked — being happy helps us stay active and well, and good health lifts our mood.
Our Scientific Heritage: Ayurveda Ayurveda teaches that true health is a balance of body, mind and surroundings. Following dinacharya (a daily routine) and ritucharya (a seasonal routine), eating fresh wholesome food suited to one’s prakriti (body constitution), and getting regular exercise, cleanliness and restful sleep all support well-being — as do yoga, meditation and mindfulness. The idea that health is a balance, not just the absence of disease, is thousands of years old.