Defining Health

I was getting my haircut yesterday at the local Supercuts, and the young lady performing this helpful service spent most of the time telling me about her life.

One thing she said that made me cringe was that she goes to a tanning booth so she can, “have healthy looking skin”.  Now let’s quickly review some information I received from this brief interaction with her.  She is 21 years old, clearly obese, and wanting that “healthy” look for her skin by going to a tanning booth.  She also told me that she babysits, and likes to give the kids lots of sugar, take them to the park to go crazy, so that they will crash afterwards.  What is wrong with this picture???

The World Health Organization has this definition “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 

A good measure of health in my opinion is the ability of the body to adapt appropriately to a constantly changing internal and external environment.

So, ask yourself, would you rather be healthy in reality, or healthy in perception?  I have to admit I want to be healthy in reality and perception.  Now as far as the young hair stylist, I didn’t say anything to her.  Would you have said something in response to her?