Q.Discuss the factors that lead to positive health and well-being.

Positive health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being, not merely the absence of disease. It comprises a healthy body, high-quality relationships, a sense of purpose, self-regard, mastery of life's tasks, and resilience to stress. The main factors that act as stress buffers and promote positive health and well-being are diet (a balanced diet), exercise (regular physical activity), positive attitude, positive thinking (optimism) and social support from family and friends. Stress-resistant personalities a …

Positive health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Positive health comprises a healthy body, high quality of personal relationships, a sense of purpose in life, self-regard, mastery of life's tasks, and resilience to stress, trauma and change. Specifically, the factors that act as stress buffers and facilitate positive health are diet, exercise, positive attitude, positive thinking and social support.

Factors leading to positive health and well-being

• Diet: a balanced diet can lift one's mood, give energy, feed muscles, improve circulation, prevent illness and strengthen the immune system. The key is to eat three main meals a day and a varied, well-balanced diet, rather than reaching for high-fat, salty, sugary 'comfort foods' when stressed.
• Exercise: studies confirm a consistently positive relationship between physical fitness and health. Stretching exercises such as yogic asanas have a calming effect, while aerobic exercises like jogging and swimming increase arousal. Regular exercise manages weight and stress, reduces tension, anxiety and depression, and works as a stress buffer, letting individuals maintain well-being even in the face of negative life events.
• Positive attitude: positive health can be realised by having a positive attitude. Its components include a fairly accurate perception of reality, a sense of purpose and responsibility, acceptance and tolerance of different viewpoints, taking credit for success and accepting blame for failure, being open to new ideas, and having a sense of humour.
• Positive thinking: optimism, the inclination to expect favourable outcomes, is linked to psychological and physical well-being. Optimists assume adversity can be handled successfully, use more problem-focused coping and seek advice, whereas pessimists anticipate disasters and ignore the problem. …