● `color{Brown}"Health"`, for a long time, was considered as a state of `color{Violet}"body and mind"` where there was a balance of certain `color{Violet}"humors"`.

● This is what early Greeks like `color{Violet}"Hippocrates"` as well as `color{Violet}"Indian Ayurveda"` system of medicine asserted.

● It was thought that persons with `color{Violet}"blackbile"` belonged to `color{Violet}"hot personality"` and would have `color{Violet}"fevers"`.

● This idea was arrived at by pure `color{Violet}"reflective thought"`.

● The discovery of blood circulation by `color{Violet}"William Harvey"` using experimental method and the demonstration of `color{Violet}"normal body temperature"` in persons with blackbile using thermometer disproved the `color{Violet}"good humor hypothesis"` of health.



● In later years, biology stated that `color{Violet}"mind influences"`, through `color{Violet}"neural"` system and `color{Violet}"endocrine"` system, our `color{Violet}"immune system"` and that our
immune system maintains our health.

● Hence, `color{Violet}"mind and mental state"` can affect our health.

● Health is affected by –

`star` `color{Brown}"Genetic disorders"` – deficiencies with which a `color{Violet}"child is born"` and deficiencies/defects which the `color{Violet}"child inherits"` from parents from birth.

`star` `color{Brown}"Infections"`

`star` `color{Brown}"Life style"` including `color{Violet}"food and water"` we take, `color{Violet}"rest and exercise"` we give to our bodies, `color{Violet}"habits"` that we have or lack etc.

● `color{Violet}"Balanced diet"`, `color{Violet}"personal hygiene"` and `color{Violet}"regular exercise"` are very important to maintain good health.

● `color{Violet}"Yoga"` has been practised since time immemorial to achieve `color{Violet}"physical and mental health"`.

● `color{Violet}"Awareness about disease"`s and their effect on different bodily functions, `color{Violet}"vaccination"` (immunisation) against infectious diseases, `color{Violet}"proper disposal"` of wastes, `color{Violet}"control of vectors"` and `color{Violet}"maintenance of hygienic"` food and water resources are necessary for achieving good health.

● `color{brown}"Health:"` does not simply mean `color{Violet}"absence of disease"` or `color{Violet}"physical fitness"`.

● It could be defined as a state of complete `color{Violet}"physical, mental"` and `color{Violet}"social well-being"`.

● When people are healthy, they are more `color{Violet}"efficient at work"`.

● This increases `color{Violet}"productivity"` and brings `color{Violet}"economic prosperity"`.

● Health also increases `color{Violet}"longevity"` of people and reduces `color{Violet}"infant and"` `color{Violet}"maternal mortality"`.

● When the `color{Violet}"functioning"` of one or more organs or systems of the body is `color{Violet}"adversely affected"`, characterised by various `color{Violet}"signs and symptoms"`, we say that we are not healthy, i.e., we have a `color{brown}"disease"`.

● `color{brown}"Diseases"` can be broadly grouped into `color{Violet}"infectious"` and `color{Violet}"non-infectious"`.

● Diseases which are `color{Violet}"easily transmitted"` from one person to another, are called `color{Violet}"infectious"` diseases.

● Infectious diseases are `color{Violet}"very common"` and every one of us suffers from these at sometime or other.

● Some of the infectious diseases like `color{Violet}"AIDS are fatal"`.

● Among `color{Violet}"non-infectious"` diseases, `color{Violet}"cancer"` is the major cause of death.

● `color{Violet}"Drug"` and `color{Violet}"alcohol abuse"` also affect our health adversely.