Health
- For the science of human and animal health, see Health science.
Defined negatively, health is the absence of illness, functionally, as the ability to cope with everyday activities, or positively, as fitness and well-being.
In any organism, health is a form of homeostasis. This is a state of balance, with inputs and outputs of energy and matter in equilibrium (allowing for growth). Health also implies good prospects for continued survival. In sentient creatures such as humans, health is a broader concept.
The World Health Organization Constitution states that health is "not merely the absence of disease and infirmity but a state of optimal physical, mental and social well being" (World Health Organization, 1946). Using the WHO definition classifies 70-95% of people as unhealthy.
The most solid aspects of wellness that fit firmly in the realm of medicine are the environmental health, nutrition, disease prevention, and public health matters that can be investigated and assist in measuring well-being.
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