Health Indicators

How do you know if you are healthy?

Health may be determined by the absence of disease, your energy levels, absence of aches and pains, and whether or not you feel healthy. 

You may feel healthier on a bright sunny day than on a grey rainy day. 

Your mood can psychologically and physiologically affect how healthy you think you are.  But is feeling healthy the same as being healthy?

There are several ways to assess your health status. These include physical, physiological and psychological assessment.

Physical Indicators of Health

Physical indicators of health are external measurements and observations of your body which can provide you with some idea of your internal health. 

Physical body measurements are correlated to health status. 

For example, waist circumference can indicate whether you are carrying too much abdominal fat which has negative implications for health such as increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 

Observations about hair, nails, and skin can provide you with an indication of your micronutrient status.

Gums which bleed easily and capillaries which lie just beneath the skin which spontaneously break producing pin prick sized hemorrhages on the skin may be an indication of vitamin C deficiency.  

Your physical fitness level also contributes to your health. Physical indicators of health include: 

• Body Weight
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Waist Circumference
• Body Composition
• Hair, skin, and nail analysis
• Cardiovascular fitnees

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