The World Book
Learn, Share & Earn
The World Book
Learn, Share & Earn
Book: Health and Fitness
Author: Nayma Nishat - Researcher, Health & Fitness
We already know, Physical Health is a very important aspect, and a person’s health is not just the absence of diseases and disorders. But unfortunately, our physical conditions are frequently manifested by stress or imbalances within other aspects of life. That is why we need to recognize all the aspects of physical health, to maintain good health, and to create a balance between all aspects so that they work best for us.
As Salvatore J. Cordileone says,
“Care for life and physical health, with due regard for the needs of others and the common good, is concomitant with respect for human dignity.”[1]
So, you have to be conscious of your physical health. The following are the 10 aspects of physical health that you need to take care of through a balanced routine.
We all want to have good health and to improve our general condition. For you, I can unite the most important points to keep in mind in ten aspects of physical health that we should overlook. On this occasion, I want to say it’s everyone’s responsibility to know what we must do to be fit and achieve good health.
Maintaining a healthy weight is very important. Our body weight should not be more than our ideal weight and also should not less than that.
Let’s know about the Ideal Body Weight According to Height in kg:
For Males:
IBW = 48 kg + 2.7 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
For example, a male who is 5 feet 6 inches should weigh=48 +2.7*6=64.2kg
For Females:
IBW = 45.35 kg + 2.25 kg for each inch over 5 feet
For example, let’s take same height for a lady; 5 feet 3 inches should weigh=45.35+2.25*3=52.1kg
Maintaining a healthy ideal weight not only give you protection against obesity-related illness or disability but also keeps you fit and active.
You can try this advanced smart scale for a body check-up with instant feedback and highly accurate weight & weight trends, BMI, full body composition, and much more.
The heart is the hardest working muscle in the body. If you can keep your heart healthy, it will beat healthfully throughout your life.
So, make a fitness plan that incorporates cardiovascular activity on a regular basis. Be active, eat plenty of veggies, fruits, fiber-rich whole grains, low-fat dairy, and avoid or limit the intake of alcohol.
It’s very important to check your blood pressure regularly, but if it’s persistently high it needs to be controlled. Your blood pressure may be strongly influenced by your family history, eating habits including salty foods and alcohol, and also how much physical activity you do.
It is crucial among the physical health aspects. Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down all the time, adjusting to your heart’s needs depending on what you are doing. High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is persistently higher than normal. A blood pressure reading under 120/80mmHg is considered optimal. Readings over 120/80mmHg and up to 139/89mmHg are in the normal to high normal range.[2]
You can purchase this Blood Pressure Machine which measures five times more data points for consistent, precise readings.
Blood cholesterol levels vary by age, weight, and gender. Over time, a person’s body tends to produce more cholesterol, which means all adults should check their cholesterol levels regularly, ideally about every 4 to 6 years.
Total cholesterol is a reading of good and bad cholesterol. Triglycerides are another form of fat in the blood that can also raise the risk of heart disease. High triglycerides are often associated with low HDL cholesterol increasing risk, even though total cholesterol levels in the blood appear normal. When there is too much LDL-cholesterol in the blood, it builds up in the walls of the arteries (plaque). Over time, this builds up causes ‘hardening of the arteries’. This can cause chest pain and/ or a heart attack.[3]
The best recommendation for you to keep cholesterol levels in check to live a healthy, active lifestyle which includes eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise.
Healthy eating and good nutrition start by making nutrient-rich food or healthy food choices (foods with immense amounts of vitamins and minerals in fewer calories) from all food groups. Choosing a variety of nutrient-rich foods help you to maintain your physical health and also help you live a longer, healthier life.
Healthy eating should be about positive choices, focusing on foods that provide the nutrients you need to maintain good health. You can read about The Relationship between Health and Nutrition which will help you determine what you can do to make healthy eating decisions.
Achieving physical fitness for a lifetime requires dedication and consistency in your diet and exercise. By leading a healthy lifestyle, you will not only improve your physical health and physical appearance, but you can also increase your life expectancy by minimizing the risk of life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and many other health problems.
Physical exercise plays a vital role to attain physical fitness. As Ana Claudia Antunes says in ‘The Tao of Physical and Spiritual’,
“The less you move on the ground, the more the world moves around.”[4]
A routine of regular exercise is important to achieve and maintain good physical fitness. It is best to vary your workouts between low-impact workouts such as walking, swimming and biking, and strengthening exercises such as Pilates. Yoga is also recommended to help you relax your body and your mind.
It is ideal for you to work out for an hour almost every day. If you cannot spend so much time exercising or aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes a day, try to do workout three to four times a week. It will help you stay physically fit and stay in shape.
Flexibility is the ability of your joints and muscles to move through a range of motion. To increase flexibility do dynamic stretching before exercise and static stretching after exercise.
Joints require movement through a full range of motion to maintain the health of cartilage and other structures within the joint with increased blood supply and nutrients to joint structures with the increased quantity of synovial joint fluid (oil in the crankcase). This effect can be particularly noticeable in weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees.
Muscles that are inflexible tire more quickly, causing opposing muscle groups to work harder. Muscle fatigue can lead to muscular injuries and the inability of the muscles to protect joints from more severe injuries. For example, the hamstrings play a role in stabilizing the knee and preventing ACL tears. Decreased flexibility may also lead to abnormal stress on structures and tissues distant from the initial site of inflexibility. One example of this is that tendonitis in the knee can be related to calf tightness.[5]
We all need to sleep 8 hours a night to stay healthy and alert. But many of us especially young people, do not understand the importance of maintaining a regular sleep cycle.
Your body requires a regular routine, especially when it comes to sleep. If your sleep cycle is interrupted constantly, many negative symptoms can appear, such as extreme fatigue, slowness, memory problems, emotional instability, and even an increase in diseases.
Find out how much sleep you need by reading Physical Health – What, Why & How?
Maintaining personal hygiene is essential for many reasons; personal, social, health, psychological, or simply as a way of life. Keeping a good standard of hygiene helps to prevent the spread of infections, illnesses, and bad odors.
These are some strict hygiene practices which should be practiced by all. They are hand washing or using sanitizer, keeping nails short, avoid wearing nail polish, avoid wearing jewelry and loose clothing, and try to be clean all the time.
Research is showing the ancient spiritual practice of meditation and relaxation can help manage and prevent a range of physical health problems. Meditation encourages you to be in touch with your senses, which helps to bring your focus into the present moment and also improves your mental health.
There are no specific guidelines for how much relaxation a person should incorporate into their lifestyle, making time to unwind and enjoy life is an important part of maintaining good health. Deep relaxation, like meditation, when practiced regularly not only relieves stress and anxiety but also is shown to improve mood. Deep relaxation has many other potential benefits as well—it can decrease blood pressure, relieve pain, and improve your immune and cardiovascular systems.[6]
To be physically healthy, you should also have a goal-oriented health and fitness routine. Establish a meal schedule, as well as another schedule for training and playing sports. This simple gesture is one of the best ways to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves and maintain full control of what we are doing.
It will be very beneficial if you can find an ideal balance in your workout plan to accommodate all the aspects of physical health mentioned above. And don’t forget to Keep track of your daily progress by maintaining a daily progress chart so that you can measure your improvement over a certain period.
Finally, we must not forget that a healthy body is a body that can achieve well-being, stability, and emotional tranquility.
References:
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Founder: Nayma Nishat