The Right to Health and Wellbeing

Health

Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being that reflects the complex interactions between the individual’s environment, genetics and lifestyle. It also includes a person’s psychological and social well-being, which can be affected by a range of factors including their social connections and support, the quality of their food and lifestyle habits, and their overall sense of wellbeing (World Health Organisation 1946).

A person’s health is a complex interplay between a number of determinants that influence the quality of their life. These include their income, education, employment and housing status; social connections and support; the environment and their behaviours. A variety of policies, programs and actions are aimed at improving these determinants in order to reduce the risk of poor health.

Many countries have endorsed the right to health as a human right that places a legal obligation on states to safeguard access to quality healthcare in a timely and acceptable manner, while ensuring provision for the underlying determinants of health. This aims to increase and maintain the enjoyment of health by all individuals without discrimination.

However, this is only one component of the right to health as it must be balanced with other rights. These other rights are essential to achieving the right to health, such as access to water and sanitation, housing, food, education and information.

In addition, the right to health is an integral part of a person’s life and should be given equal consideration with other aspects of their life, such as their relationships and career. A person’s health is a key element in their happiness and a source of satisfaction.

It is not just about what we eat or do but is also about how we feel and how we think, which affects our ability to make healthy decisions. It involves a wide range of activities, such as eating a balanced diet; engaging in regular exercise; and getting enough sleep. It also involves taking part in recreational and leisure activities to improve our mood, physical fitness, mental and social well-being.

Some of these activities are regulated by governments and others are voluntary. There are many things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing, such as exercise, eat more fruit and vegetables and drink less alcohol.

You can also take advantage of free or low cost community resources, such as parks and museums. You can learn about the latest research findings in healthcare to help you make informed decisions and stay healthy.

People with good health tend to have their bodily functions and processes working at peak capacity, avoiding the need for medical treatment. They can have a healthy body weight and have a sense of self-esteem, which is vital for mental health.

They have a good relationship with their family, and have an adequate level of education and training. They are involved in their community and contribute to it, and have trusting relationships with other members of the community.

The ‘healthy’ definition of the World Health Organization may be too ambitious and absolute for our times. It was conceived in a time when there were very few scientific understandings of disease, and it was not possible to understand that ‘disease’ is not just a collection of symptoms and a set of lab results but also a complex interaction between the individual, their environment, their genetics and their lifestyle. It is therefore not realistic to expect everyone to be ‘healthy’ at all times.

Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being that reflects the complex interactions between the individual’s environment, genetics and lifestyle. It also includes a person’s psychological and social well-being, which can be affected by a range of factors including their social connections and support, the quality of their food and lifestyle habits, and their overall sense of wellbeing (World Health Organisation 1946). A person’s health is a complex interplay between a number of determinants that influence the quality of their life. These include their income, education, employment and housing status; social connections and support; the environment and their behaviours. A variety of policies, programs and actions are aimed at improving these determinants in order to reduce the risk of poor health. Many countries have endorsed the right to health as a human right that places a legal obligation on states to safeguard access to quality healthcare in a timely and acceptable manner, while ensuring provision for the underlying determinants of health. This aims to increase and maintain the enjoyment of health by all individuals without discrimination. However, this is only one component of the right to health as it must be balanced with other rights. These other rights are essential to achieving the right to health, such as access to water and sanitation, housing, food, education and information. In addition, the right to health is an integral part of a person’s life and should be given equal consideration with other aspects of their life, such as their relationships and career. A person’s health is a key element in their happiness and a source of satisfaction. It is not just about what we eat or do but is also about how we feel and how we think, which affects our ability to make healthy decisions. It involves a wide range of activities, such as eating a balanced diet; engaging in regular exercise; and getting enough sleep. It also involves taking part in recreational and leisure activities to improve our mood, physical fitness, mental and social well-being. Some of these activities are regulated by governments and others are voluntary. There are many things you can do to improve your health and wellbeing, such as exercise, eat more fruit and vegetables and drink less alcohol. You can also take advantage of free or low cost community resources, such as parks and museums. You can learn about the latest research findings in healthcare to help you make informed decisions and stay healthy. People with good health tend to have their bodily functions and processes working at peak capacity, avoiding the need for medical treatment. They can have a healthy body weight and have a sense of self-esteem, which is vital for mental health. They have a good relationship with their family, and have an adequate level of education and training. They are involved in their community and contribute to it, and have trusting relationships with other members of the community. The ‘healthy’ definition of the World Health Organization may be too ambitious and absolute for our times. It was conceived in a time when there were very few scientific understandings of disease, and it was not possible to understand that ‘disease’ is not just a collection of symptoms and a set of lab results but also a complex interaction between the individual, their environment, their genetics and their lifestyle. It is therefore not realistic to expect everyone to be ‘healthy’ at all times.