"Optimal health" describes the interrelation and balance between several health aspects, as well as how that balance interacts with the environment. Freedom from disease is not the same as optimal health; true health is a lifelong pursuit, explains Susan Walter, co-founder and president of the American Holistic Health Association. Optimal health also might be called true health or holistic health.
Physical Health
Your physical health is the most obvious aspect of your overall health. If you have an illness or injury, you will not be operating at your peak capacity. Physical health also includes your lifestyle choices such as nutrition, smoking or drinking habits, and exercise and fitness. Dr. Robert A. Rakowski, clinic director of the Natural Medicine Center in Houston, recommends a fitness program that balances flexibility, speed, power and endurance.
Intellectual or Mental Health
Intellectual health comes from mental stimulation. Your interactions with others---at church, school and work---help develop your mental health. Rakowski suggests you engage in daily planning sessions and goal-setting to help you maintain a feeling of control over your life. Craig Hospital for spinal cord and brain injuries offers many suggestions for patients seeking optimal health, including reading books and newspapers and attending lectures and seminars to maintain mental health.
Social Health
In addition to influencing your mental health, your interactions with others also affect your social health. Strong, healthy relationships are important to your overall well-being, and the ability to communicate effectively has a direct effect on your social health. Craig Hospital advises patients to be less critical, show affection and master relaxation techniques as a way to improve their social health.
Emotional Health
Your emotional health has a significant impact on your overall health. Your sense of self-worth and the way you deal with stress are strongly related to your state of mind and your emotional health. Rakowski notes that your ability to deal with adversity is a key component of your emotional health. To increase your emotional health, learn relaxation and stress-management techniques, and participate in leisure activities, suggests Craig Hospital.
Spiritual Health
Though it is often associated with religion, spiritual health encompasses your own personal belief system. Craig Hospital also includes your ability to love and be loved, your feeling of goodwill toward others and your sense of purpose in the definition of spiritual health. Suggestions for developing this aspect of your overall health include writing in a journal, engaging in daily meditation or prayer and reading a spiritual book or attending a religious service. The hospital also recommends choosing a positive personality trait, such as compassion or patience, and developing it until it becomes a key part of your nature.
