Health is wealth Essays

Health is wealth Essays Health is wealth Paper Health is wealth Paper The strength of nation I determined by the health status of its citizens: a nation with predominantly unhealthy people is likely going to have reduced national output indexed by her Gross National Product and even the gross domestic product. The importance of health cannot be overemphasized at all levels of education and government. Besides, health is not just the absence of disease but a state of mental, physical and social wellbeing [WHO]. This implies that a healthy individual is one that is stable in his/her tripartite nature, maintaining homeostasis at these levels. In lieu of this, it is important to consider health and health related cultural practices that help to promote and sustain good health among the populace; these practices form the fulcrum of preventive care, and also constitute parts of palliative patient management. CULTURAL PRACTICES Culture is a way of life; it is the totality of a group of people. It involves their communication symbols, languages, education pattern, arts, methods of exchange and socialization, norms and beliefs, special events and the nature of their governance. It also includes the expectations of every member of the community. In this vein, health and health cultural practices refer to activities carried out regularly to maintain the sanity of the environment in which one resides, to maintain a good state of health and improved standard of living for local inhabitants; such are directed at preventing sources of ill-health such as infection, pollution in various forms, metabolic imbalance, accidents/trauma, immune suppression, neoplasia. It also includes measures taken to restore health in its absence such as care for the sick. PRODUCTIVE PRACTICES In essence, such health and health related cultural practices are broadly categorized into Preventive measures [targeted at preventing ill health by specific health measures], Restorative [Care in the presence of disease when there is hope of restoration to normal health; this is particularly seen in contemporary diseases like malaria, typhoid, influenza, measles, etc], and palliative [care in the presence of an incurable disease without hope to total or partial restoration to normal health] Preventive Measures that are employed as cultural practices: SANITARY MEASURES: this involvement regular clean up of the environment, rooms and work centers. Such help to maintain a clean environment that can support good living; this also inhibits the life cycle of infective agents and especially vectors such as insects [mosquitoes, tse-tesfly, arthropods, mammals]. This includes sweeping and mopping, grass and lawn mowing, washing dirty plates and hands after engaging in any acts that stain the hand and some others which are part of everyday house chores. Planting of trees and herbs: This helps to replenish the earth; it is also important in maintaining the stability of the ecosystem. It improves carbon and oxygen cycles that are inevitable for survival on the planet. DIET: this is a major way that health is maintained as typified by the signs and symptoms of a malnourished individual; such people suffer enormous discomfort and are prone to ill-health because of immune suppression. This underscores the fact that we are what we eat; our state of health is an indication of our diet status all things being equal. Cultural practices that encourage good and balanced diet are not common; many people are used to fast foods which are high-risk sources for contacting infections, and also for outbreaks from contamination. Besides, there are` reports that food obtained form these places contain trans-unsaturated fat that is not compatible with the health of the vascular system, as it predisposes to development of cardiovascular disorders and other co-morbidities. Some of the eating habit in this control also predispose to obesity and diabetes mellitus. Exercise: This is another health related cultural practice that is very important to maintain good and stable health. Only a few people all over the world engage in these productive acts. However, there are some cultures of the world that promote exercise as a normal way of life by virtue of the vigorous nature of activities and deliberate practices they are exposed to, on a daily basis. Other productive practices include massage and acupuncture to relieve stress and pain, respectively.