HUMAN WELL-  BEING :  A PERSPECTIVE  OF HEALTH AND FITNESS   THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN THIS COVID -19 PANDEMIC ERA

                                                                                                      DR TARASANKAR DEY

                                                       H.O.D., DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS

                                                              GOERNMENT COLLEGE, KHANDOLA, MARCELA , GOA

The human body evolved to be physically active in other  words , our body require physical activity to remain healthy. Physical   exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintain physical fitness and overall health and wellness. Physical activities is very important for maintaining for physical fitness and can contribute positively  to maintain   healthy bone density , muscle strength, joint mobility, promoting  physiological well -being , reducing surgical risk and strengthening the strong immune system which is required to  fight Corona virus.

Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living organism. Physical fitness is a general state of health and well being. Well-designed   exercises are effective and beneficial for improving   the  physical, physiological and psychological health outcomes of human beings.. Every participants engaging in regular physical activities display more desirable positive health across a variety of physical conditions. Similarly, participants in randomised clinical trials to physical activity intervention   show better  health  outcomes ,  including better general health related quality and life, better functional capacity and mood status. In epidemiologic   studies , physical activities have been associated with a decrease in the risk of Coronary   heart disease. The   most  recent  fedel guidelines  from the centre for Disease control and prevention and the American college of Sports Medicine as well as surgeon general’s physical activities and health endorse 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most , and  preferably all days of the week,  whereas earlier guidelines recommended vigorous endurance exercise for at least 20 minutes.  Three  or more times per week.

Therefore to maintain healthy and  active  life style it is extremely important to take part in regular physical  activities for reduction of the risk of the several complex multi factorial disorders like obesity, coronary heart disease , strokes, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and is also associated with other important health outcomes.

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered corona virus. Covid -19 is defined as illness caused by a  novel  corona virus now called severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 9 SARS-Cov-2; formally called 2019-nCoV),which was first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness .

 As COVID-19 continues to spread, we are acutely aware of the impact this is having on families, businesses, and communities. This is a global health emergency that will only be resolved by governments, businesses, academia, and individuals working together to better understand this virus and ultimately find a cure,” Teresa Carlson, Vice President for AWS’s. This effort is one among many that aims to monitor and control the COVID-19 pandemic using data and analytics tools.

Early information out of China indicated that age was the major factor predicting severity. After we began receiving data from the US and Europe, we started seeing the impact of chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure,” Boerwinkle   said.

WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene. The best way to protect   ourself   against the new corona virus is to keep at least 1 metre away from others and to wash your hand regularly. It is also for   our general health to maintain a balanced diet, stay well hydrated, exercise regularly, develop strong immune system and sleep well. Most research work suggests that exercise and physical activity are associated with better quality of life and health outcomes. Well- designed  exercises are effective and beneficial for improving physical, physiological, sociological and psychological health outcomes as well as to facilitate changes in exercise behaviour. The role of physical fitness in improving wellness has been the subject of many researchers over the last two to three decades. Health professionals and researchers alike have come to recognize the enormous impact physical fitness can have on overall wellness. This article is intended to share information regarding fitness and wellness and develop strong immunity power through the participation in physical activities.

Physical activity

Physical activity has been defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure. It also refers to all body movement that results from muscular contraction and leads to energy expenditure. Thus the concept of physical activity includes body movement during work, school and leisure time , as well as all types of callisthenics, physical exewasdrcise and indoor and outdoor activities.

Physical fitness

Physical fitness means the capacity to do the routine work without any fatigue or exertion and after doing the work the person has power to do some more work and recovery is quicker.

Wellness

Wellness is the capacity of an individual by which he leads a balanced life

Health

Health is a state of complete physical ,mental and social well- being  and not merely the absence of Disease or infirmity.

Health is a resource of everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.

1n 2009 , Researchers publishing in the Lancet defined Health as the ability of a body to adopt to new threats and infirmities.

 

Physical Fitness is “a set of attributes that are either health or skill-related.”

¢  Health-related fitness includes cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition

¢ Skill-related fitness includes balance, agility, power, reaction time, speed, and coordination

 

¢  Role of Physical Activity

¢ Regular physical activity:

¢ helps maintain functional independence of elderly

¢ prevents disease

¢ assists in the management of many diseases

¢ enhances the quality of life for all

¢ reduces medical costs

                   Role In Society And Health

¢ It is the only program  that provides people with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding about the importance of physical activity.

¢ Students are provided with the knowledge, confidence, skills, and motivation needed to engage in a lifelong, healthy, active lifestyle.

¢ With the increase in diseases nationwide, the benefits gained from physical activity include: disease prevention, decreased morbidity and premature mortality, and increased mental health and self-esteem

¢ It is this overall increase in physical activity within society that will have far reaching affects such as increase in the average life span.

¢ People of all ages can benefit from physical activity.

¢ People can improve their health by engaging in a moderate amount of physical activity on a regular basis.

¢ Physical activities helps to develop responsible citizens by teaching them to respect the involvement of others through team or group activities

¢ Physical activity can also reduce obesity, alleviate depression and anxiety, and build bone mass density thus helps in staying in shape & improving appearance

¢ For example, it improves cardio respiratory endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance.

v wellness is the capacity of an individual by which he leads a balanced life.

v

The wellness is a state of optimal well – being that is oriented toward maximizing an individual’s potentials. Again wellness is a holistic approach that balances all entities of our life .

The Physical Health ( includes diet, activity and rest) :

Contemporary society values adequate medical care for physical health but the importance of emotional and well being for general health is less appreciated. Preventive health care at the physical level emphasizes the importance of nutrition, exercise and relaxation. These factor also affect emotional and mental health.

1. The Emotional  Health  (acceptance of own feeling, optimism):Most physical illness are at least partly Psychosomatics. Emotional health implies freedom from emotional pain.
2. The Mental Health ( Well-being) Mental health pertains to the mind and its thought processes. Healthy mental attitudes, beliefs and thought processes affect both emotional and physical well being.
3. The Existential Health ( Well being);Wholeness depends upon facing all the realities of human existence.
4. The Spiritual Health ( Well being):It is characterized by sense of inner peace. Compassion for others, reverence for life ,gratitude and appreciation of both unity and diversity. Healthy spirituality also implies qualities such as human wisdom , generosity and a capacity for non-attachment, self-transcendence and unconditional love.

 The Philosophy of wellness is –achievement of a well balanced life is responsibility of the individual. Importantly, in addition to physiological health, wellness and fitness also incorporate good psychological health. 

Health and  Fitness  to  make wellness :

It is for sure there is no sure – fire recipes for good health, the mixture of healthy eating and regular comes awfully close. Regular exercise or physical activities helps many of the body’s system function better, keep the heart disease, diabetes, obesity and host of other many diseases at bay, and is a key ingredient for losing weight.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our health. It can control our weight , reduces cardiovascular disease , reduces the risk of cancers, strengthen our bones and muscles, improve our mental health and mood, improve our capacity to do daily activities without falling fatigue, prevention of disease and develop strong immunity power to fight viral diseases and it also helps to delay the aging process, help prevent type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome ( a constellation of risk factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes), helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis, reduces the risk of falling and improve cognitive function among older adults, relieves systems of depression and anxiety and improves mood and improve sleep quality etc. In fact activities are basis of life. The participation in activities leads to physical fitness, and good health to make overall wellness.

Conclusions

This article provides important information regarding the effect of participation in Exercise  or  physical activities  which are a great way to feel better, gain positive health benefits and over all well-being. As a general  goal , aim for at least 30-45mins of Physical  activities/exercises everyday.  If you want to meet fitness goals, then you may need to exercise more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Being physically active plays an important role in ensuring heath, fitness and well-being, and there is a large body of research investigating the benefits of exercise.  Such knowledge is also essential in the development of public health in this pandemic era. The best way to protect our self  against the new corona virus is to keep at least 1 metre away from others and to wash your hand regularly. It is also for our general health to maintain a balanced diet, stay well hydrated, exercise regularly, develop strong immune system and sleep well.

 

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