What is health?

Written by Deborah 03/10/23

This is one of the first questions posed in all earlier health educational programmes I attended. The answer, provided by the claimed authority in health, the world health organisation, seemingly offers a well structured generic, all encompassing statement appearing as an accepted fact by many. In this post I share my own opinion on the commonly accepted, templated notion of what is health. I then provide an alternative view on what health is and which is accepted by Calm Oasis International.

Recently I have found myself pondering and reflection upon this question. I then sat down, pen, paper and wrote down - I have decided to share my thoughts here with you. I hope this post will inspire you to further exploration of the subject in question.

Initially this is a philosophical question that aims to engage peoples cognitive functionality to think about the concept of health and consider the answer in a short paragraph answer but requires a broader and wider investigation to outside the main stream perspective and back in time to the ancient days and to scripture.

For today this post focuses upon a narrow and short paragraph by the World Health Organisation; please note that I am no fan of this organisation based upon the fact the man heading the same is not a qualified medical physician and there are calls for him to answer to genocide of his own people sometime ago!

The World Health Organisation states;

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition".

My response

Health is the acceptance of dis-ease and infirmity as part of the lived experience of every man and woman with a driving force to attain the best outcomes possible for them with the use of aids and adjustments to promote a full and inclusive lifestyle.

Additionally the acceptance of those variables, distinctions, such as race, religion, creed, beliefs, specific to those Native peoples of nations, is key to respect those men and women and who they are as individuals. Those distinctions are a fundamental rights of People to hold in tandem with good health, vitality and wellbeing that is holistic and inclusive; no one has the right to remove race, religion, creed etc - to do so is an infringement of those People.

Calm Oasis International simple philosophy on the question 'what is health'

Health is...

"The application of natural, organic, health promoting activities that optimise the mind, body and soul to enjoy the unlimited abundance of the most beautiful world that gives glory to the Creator. This includes embracing those distinctions such as race, religion, creed and without sacrifice of ones own customs, traditions and laws, and without the infringement upon the rights of anyone to hold them"

This philosophical backdrop to what health is opens up to wider and broader areas of health to include:

The right of privacy and confidentiality

Duty of Care

Duty of Candour

Informed consent

The NHS constitution

The right to not register with the NHS

The right to decline recommended treatment

The right to a second opinion

The ancient scriptures!