In order to live healthy, it is important that we educate ourselves about the different types of health and how we can maintain these differences. This can begin by reading the frequently asked questions and the source documents on health from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. WHO is a United Nations agency that provides information on critical topics in health, medical services and prevention of diseases. The HDI (Human Development Index), a measure of healthy life index, compares countries and summarizes progress made in reducing health problems and other aspects of life expectancy.
Life expectancy is one of the major indicators of health. Low life expectancy and high percentage of death due to age related illnesses, are alarmingly high in some countries such as AIDS-Free World and HIV-AIDS-infected states. Life expectancy at birth can also be influenced by diet, nutrition, access to quality health care, social support systems, social norms, culture, family background and experiences. Healthy life expectancy depends on a wide range of factors such as the health of the economy, access to quality health care, infant and child health, life expectancy of parents and future income generated. Societal and cultural factors such as education, wealth, health policies, social awareness, attitudes toward health, work stress and work related stresses can affect people’s life expectancy.
The concept of health and wellness has become an important way of measuring health. An infirmity is something that limits or affects the ability of an individual to function normally in his daily life. Illness can be chronic or may manifest slowly over a period of time and may be incurable. In order to develop a sound healthful lifestyle and to reduce health problems, it is essential to implement and practice a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise.