WHAT IS HEALTH? IS HEALTH THE STATE OF OUR BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT THAT KEEPS ITSELF IN GOOD CONDITION OR SHOULD IT BE INTENTIONALLY AND THOUGHTFULLY PURSUED? WHAT INFLUENCES THEM THE MOST AND HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT?
We learn in schools, we finish our studies, and we learn in various ways. It takes us a long time. Mostly it is related to the idea of becoming a good specialist in a given area of life, which will give us a good job and a sense of stability.
But are we trying to become an expert on our own? About your own health, body or mind? How does it all work? Are there simple rules? What to pay special attention to? What is highly important? Why do some people enjoy a long, healthy and happy life while others are unhappy and get sick? Do these questions arise in our daily lives? .. and if so, only when we start to lose them?
Let us consider where we derive our knowledge of the above aspects from and whether it is by chance that this knowledge is only general and insufficient at the same time. Can we afford such possible shortcomings in today’s world?
When asked what amazes him most about humanity, the Dalai Lama replied: “ Man- Because sacrifices his health to earn money, and then spends money to recover. In addition, he is so concerned about his future that he is not happy about the present. As a result, he lives neither in the present nor in the future; he lives as if he would never die, and then he dies, not really alive. “
When looking for answers to the above questions, it would be necessary to introduce and systematize certain concepts that will allow to create a general outline of the topic, fortunately quite pictorial. This image should accompany us every day so that we can reach for it every time we need it. When we are happy or sad, healthy or sick, when we are in pain or when we have problems. These are all symptoms or signs of what happens to us every day, what appears in our emotions and what manifests itself in our physical bodies. Our task is to look for the reasons. The knowledge that will make us understand. Information that will bring the answer. If we lack energy on a daily basis, we feel bad, we often get sick, and our health more and more often worries us, we are nervous or we feel powerless, these are not only symptoms but also information that something is getting out of control. Let us not wander around the problem, but look for a solution with an open mind. Let’s start an investigation into our own case.
First of all: let’s find out, what is health basically? Let us turn to the formula here:
Health – a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just complete absence of disease or disability. Also, the ability to “lead a productive social and economic life” as well as a spiritual dimension.
Stands out:
- Physical health – the proper functioning of the body, its systems and organs;
- Mental health :
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- Emotional health – the ability to recognize emotions, express them in an appropriate way, the ability to deal with stress, tension, anxiety, depression, and aggression;
- Mental health – the ability to think logically, and clearly;
- Social health – the ability to establish, maintain and develop proper relationships with other people;
- Spiritual health – in some people related to religious beliefs and practices, in others a personal set of rules, behaviours and ways to achieve inner peace and balance.
It is wrong to present health and disease as opposite ends of one-dimensional continuity. The mental state of the sick person and social kindness may balance the sick state. On the other hand, emotional problems or social isolation may make a person feel sick despite being fully fit.
It follows that health is a multidimensional and complex concept. Not only physically but also emotionally. It is the result of the above elements. The imbalance of one of them affects the entire system. The matter seems quite simple, so the question arises: why do we not feel healthy so often, and even get seriously ill?
First of all, let us pay attention to the fact: that we have an organism and a mind at our disposal, which is the most complicated and complex creation that inhabits this planet. However, we did not receive a specific instruction manual for this kit. When buying any equipment in today’s world, the manual is attached regardless of the level of advancement of the device. If we do not follow it, we will lose the warranty, as the equipment will probably be damaged.
Unfortunately, our many years of education do not contain such specialized knowledge, and every user should have it. Let’s try to create such a simplified instruction. Our body is the subject of the study, so it will be obvious to learn something more about it.
Our body and its proper functioning are influenced by what we introduce into it in the form of food, drink and the air we breathe, and what we remove from it as metabolic remnants. What remains in the body as something undesirable is important. The emotions that accompany us on a daily basis are very important.
Our organism consists of 12 systems, such as respiratory, blood, digestive, etc., which include organs: heart, lungs, liver, etc., created by tissues. Tissues are made up of groups of specialized cells within a given area. This is where the essence of the matter begins. The cell is the basis and most important element of our body structure. It is from her point of view that the health of the entire system should be considered. Cell biology is basically a very young field of science. There are still many unanswered questions. Nevertheless, the cell is an incredibly complex life form. Highly specialized, wonderful nanotechnology, in a truly microscopic version. Its level of advancement significantly exceeds the technology known to us today. It is also beyond the imagination of the average person. Within it, thousands of biochemical reactions take place every second. It is self-sufficient, with its own systems, such as: respiratory, circulatory, excretory and nervous systems; with its own transport system or power source. They are capable of moving, growing, reproducing and inheriting the genetic code that occurs through division. Every single cell holds information about everyone else throughout the body. There is intense communication between them.
A cell can be compared to highly organized cities within one country, their number estimated at around 50 to 70 trillion creates a highly specialized community, which is our organism. Cells consist of about 30,000 basic proteins that make up hundreds of thousands of protein parts composed of the appropriate sequence of amino acids. Proteins are created on assembly tapes by machines and molecular devices containing a complete instruction manual.
Nothing happens by accident here. Real life takes place within a cell, bordered by the cell membrane and embedded in the intercellular fluid. This fluid plays a very important role. It is from this place that cells, through the cell membrane, selectively take up all the nutrients provided there by the blood and excrete metabolic products that the blood picks up to the appropriate organs for cleaning and removal from the body.
By the way, let us pay attention to the fact that the modern knowledge of the cell, although far from full knowledge, significantly differs from the Darwinian image, which assessed the cell as a clump of cytoplasm, a jelly-like ball. In this image, he built a theory of evolution.
Therefore, with regard to the cell, a conclusion should appear, namely: the cell as the basic element of our body, its elementary building block, can be figuratively compared to the brick that forms, together with millions of others, a magnificent, e.g. a baroque building. The basic structure will therefore constitute the solidity and durability of this architectural masterpiece. Its quality, durability, and resistance to various unfavorable factors. If in this case, the brick is solid, of the first order of quality, the building will delight the next generations.
And what limits the life span and the condition of individual cells in our body? Here, research conducted by several world-renowned scientists, including Nobel laureates, will come to our aid.
Already at the beginning of the last century, Alexis Carell, a French surgeon, philosopher and moralist, Nobel laureate in physiology and medicine in his research on tissue culture, noticed that the environment in which a cell lives largely determines its regenerative capacity.
Some important information should be entered here. The cells of our body, leading to daily life processes, are subject to degradation or ageing. Protein parts are subject to wear processes. In the respiratory and energy production pathways, free radicals are produced that damage its structures; each cell is attacked in this way tens of thousands of times a day. Attacks of viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi or toxins, heavy metals and ionizing radiation should also be included here. There is a constant struggle between damage and the cell’s ability to repair itself, i.e. replace damaged parts. When a cell is unable to repair itself, the process of mitotic division takes place. From the mother cell, from the DNA template, an identical daughter is created. Somehow old and worn it is replaced with a new one. It is the most natural process and, importantly, if not disturbed, it ensures the state of balance and health. Hundreds of millions of cells die in this way every day.
An interesting fact will probably be the information that every few years all cells of our body are replaced with new ones (although this process takes place in different degrees in different tissues), i.e. we get a new body in the set. The question should arise here: what influences the regenerative capacity of the cell?
Many factors influence the regenerative capacity of the cell. At this point, we will discuss two, i.e. what we deliver to the cell and what we manage to collect from its undesirable area. What does it mean? It’s about food. For proper development, a cell needs 21 amino acids, which are building blocks, 20 vitamins, about 90 minerals and 7 groups of enzymes that are a kind of mortar for it, three unsaturated acids, i.e. omega 3, 6 and 9, to plaster everything. The source of energy will be carbohydrates and fats. If these nutrients are supplied in sufficient quantity each day, the cell’s regenerative capacity is greatly increased.
In addition to food, the cell needs water to function properly, which is the most important nutrient. Each biochemical reaction taking place in our body takes place with its participation. Our body consists of approximately 70% of water. So with a body weight of 70 kg, water is approx. 50 litres. It has countless functions. It transports nutrients, dissolves and eliminates metabolic waste and 80% of toxins, and regulates body temperature. It makes up 95% of the blood composition. Let us note here important information. These 50 litres of water from the above example do a huge usable work during the day. It can be graphically and briefly determined that during this time it is significantly worn or dirty and excreted.
This means that daily water in our body should be in the right amount and, importantly, of the right quality, replenished – 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight. In our case, a 70 kg individual should refill about 2 litres of water. So with approx. 50l, the 2l is a fresh supply. Such an exchange is probably within the limits of decency. The water should be spring, slightly alkaline, i.e. ph approx. 7.
Coming back to Alexis Carell, he also became interested in the cell itself in his research on tissue culture. In his experiment at the Rockefeller Institute in New York City, he placed chickens’ heart cells in a body fluid similar to our intercellular fluid. He changed it regularly, supplementing all the necessary nutrients needed for the proper functioning of cells.
They lived in such conditions for the next 34 years.
After this period, Carell discontinued the experiment and told the world that the cell could be immortal, arguing that the environment in which it was placed determines its viability. These were, of course, laboratory conditions. Nevertheless, this experiment shows how important it is to provide all the nutritional values for the cells of our body every day, as well as replenishing the proper water quality.
Let us introduce one more very important piece of information here. But Alexis Carell did not discover what the world-renowned microbiologist Leonard Hayflick was able to do. Inspired by Carell’s discovery, he and the talented cytogeneticist Poul Moorhead in 1961 challenged his views in a series of experiments. They proved by culturing human cells that they have a certain amount of ability to divide or replace with new cells, followed by final cell death.
As previously mentioned, cells undergo degradation processes but also repair themselves. If the rate of damage exceeds its repair capacity, the cell announces mobilization to divide or rebuild from scratch. Leonard Hayflick in his experiment accelerated the processes of cell division and monitored their number. It turned out that they did not have the capacity for endless divisions. More importantly, the amount is specified. The term Hayflick Limit has since been coined.
There are telomeres at the ends of the chromosomes. These are some kind of counters that control the number of cell divisions. With each division, the telomere shortens. This counter is programmed for about 50 divisions. When used, the cell goes into the so-called senescence state, which is the last possible division, followed by the state of apoptosis – programmed death. The process of apoptosis is crucial in maintaining the organism’s homeostasis, i.e. the balance between the number of cells produced and those that must be destroyed, because its structures are so damaged that they cannot perform their functions and therefore may pose a threat to the community. It should be added here that this discovery was quite turbulent, often verified and corrected. Nevertheless, it gives us some idea of the properties and capabilities of our body’s cells,
In summary, the conclusions are as follows :
We are a cellular organism. The condition of cells affects the health of tissues, and the proper functioning of organs and individual systems, and this inevitably affects the functioning of the entire body. Cells degrade and repair themselves. When the damage exceeds its repair capacity, a new one is formed from the DNA template. The old one is dismantled and removed from the body. The life span of a cell and its ability to perform specific functions within a given tissue is related to its regenerative capacity, and this depends on the quality and value of the food component provided.
Water plays a key role. Most of the nutrients dissolve in water and in this form, they are absorbed by the cells from the extracellular fluid. Thanks to the water, unnecessary metabolic products and various types of toxins are eliminated and removed. If these conditions are met, the life of the cell extends, although eventually, it will naturally divide anyway. The number of cell divisions is programmed at approx. 50.
Therefore, it is easy to imagine the difference in the lifespan of cells that divide every two years from those that are forced to divide, e.g. once a year. The reduced number of cells within a given tissue, and further on the organ, reduces the efficiency of individual systems and this affects the proper functioning of our entire body.
To conclude this part of the investigation into our health, I would like to draw your attention to the quality of food, which in many cases we are used to and which we are habitually effective for almost a lifetime. Let’s think about whether we eat what we want or what the food industry has to offer, which is rather profit-oriented than health-oriented. Shouldn’t we eat what is best for the body? What is the level of our knowledge about it? Are our food intake criteria only our taste buds and the feeling of fullness?
If we do not get all the nutrients we need, we will continue to receive hunger signals. Our taste buds are deceived by all kinds of chemical additives, flavour enhancers, aromas, dyes and preservatives. During the year, the amount of additives in the consumed food reaches two kilograms. There are also plant protection products, antibiotics and hormones. The list goes on and on. These relationships are not indifferent to our health. On the other hand, the nutritional values of certain food products decrease.
Research proves that the amount of vitamins and minerals contained in today’s fruits or vegetables in industrial production, compared to those from several dozen years ago, has decreased by up to 80%. Therefore, more and more often we receive information about the need to supplement the body. Without a full set of vitamins and minerals, we are unable to function properly. We should also pay special attention to the fluids we drink. Clean water with appropriate parameters should be the main source of their replenishment.