One of the most disappointing days of my career was the day I learned the definition of health. I foolishly imagined simply looking up the word health might be the starting point for some troubled soul to start down the path to mental, spiritual, and physical bliss. That’s healthy, right?
health /helTH/ noun
the state of being free from illness or injury.
I had higher expectations. Before I learned its definition, I thought it would be more descriptive, more meaningful, more … helpful?
Welp, I was wrong.
How could such an important word have such a lack-luster meaning? How is it the meaning of health, something so important to each of us, can’t be used as the key for unlocking all of the secrets of healthy living?
This troubles me. Nay, blows me away! How does this definition help? Who thought of it? Is there a manager I can talk to?
As a farmer's son from northern Utah I figure I’ve done my share of mundane repetition. If you’ve ever hauled hay by hand or fenced miles and miles of property line, you know what I’m talking about. I refuse to put more effort into a chore than is absolutely necessary. And the thought of trying to improve health without clearly understanding it feels like an exercise in futility. I believe the lack of a clearly defined vision of “health” has become the first foot in the grave for most folks in their healthy journey. Due to this fact and since you can’t rewrite a definition of something, I propose a NEW goal for those of us over 40 along with its own definition.
New Goal = Optimal Health
Optimal Health /ˈäptəm(ə)l/ /helTH/ noun
The state of being free from illness or injury while achieving perfect balance in eight unique and distinct aspects of one's life. The eight identified aspects of health are as follows: mental, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial, environmental, and physical.
How’s THAT for a starting point for becoming healthier? Look, I get this opens a can of worms. Now we have to define what each of the aspects are. Also, we have to agree there are only eight aspects of healthy living. Are there more? Are there fewer? Are some of these redundant?
These are good questions. I’m glad we are asking them. It’s about time someone did.
Over the years, I’ve become convinced there are only 8. Once, I was giving a speech on “Optimal Health” at a conference of my peers. It was the first time I had ever presented it outside of my gym. During the questions & answers portion of the speech a lady stood up and commented, “Sexual Health should be a thing.”
I thought about it. Eventually, I disagreed with her. I told her I felt “Sexual Health” would be a blend of Emotional, Social and Physical Health. Some might even argue, depending upon the type of sex one has, “Spiritual Health” might exist somewhere in there. A debate ensued! It was a magnificent, lengthy and involved Debate. A dozen expert health and fitness professionals weighed in. Some said the list was too lengthy (example: mental and emotional health were the same things - they are wrong.). Others said it wasn’t long enough (some proposed “hygenic health” and “public health” - also, wrong).
My general rule for how to know a thing is “spot on '' is when many sides disagree on multiple issues, but none of the issues are “generally” disagreed upon - it’s money! We have discovered a thing that will be for the collective good.
The list has changed a little over the last 12 yrs. More about this later, and that’s OK. When it comes to the components of “Optimal Health” I don’t feel the need to be right about it. It’s fine if I’m wrong, but the list can’t be wrong. So, after you learn about the “8 Aspects of Optimal Health,” please feel free to contact me about any changes you’d make. Any thoughtful answer that adds to the collective will be debated and considered. I welcome this, because if we get it right, we can all GET RIGHT.