Extended Definition of the Word Healthy
Throughout my life, for as long as I can remember, I have tried to live a healthy lifestyle. When I was younger, I was always active, running around the yard or neighborhood. I ate right, although not necessarily because I wanted to but because it was the food my parents provided. I have since carried these values with me into college; getting a chance to run on the cross country and track teams has given me even more values that I will take with me to continue to be healthy as I grow older. But wait, what exactly is healthy?
It is a word that we throw around loosely a lot. Everyone has their idea of what healthy is but according to the dictionary, healthy is possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality. This definition circles around the word health too much. Health in the dictionary is the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially free from physical disease or pain. There is more to being healthy than just possessing a sound body, mind, and spirit. I have learned that healthy is all about balance. The saying of too much of a good thing is a bad thing can be applied here.
Too much exercise or eating too many vegetables, things that we often consider to be healthy, is actually unhealthy. We need rest to recover and other food groups to have a properly functioning body. I have found this out the hard way. As a runner in college, there is more emphasis on higher volume of training along with faster repetitions; all to make us better at what we do: running. However, when our bodies cannot keep up with the amount we stress them, they begin to break down. Running injuries are very common and I have had my fair share of them. I know what is like to be sidelined. Being in that situation gives you a lot of time to think. My biggest complaint about college running is that we take gambles too much with our health by stressing them so much. There is a never medium between training. It is run, run, run, or be sidelined for an extended period of time. This is not healthy, this is not balance.
The same goes true for those that strive to be healthy by making sure that they exercise everyday, eating only the right foods and cutting out all “bad” ones. It eventually becomes an obsession, or an addiction all the while sacrificing their sanity and the relationships with those around them. In no way is that healthy. Healthy deals with more than just physical health; but instead mental and social health as well. In order to be healthy, someone cannot have one without the others.
Still not done though, I have more to add.
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