Do you know how healthy you are, really? Sure, you might know how you feel right now: energetic, tired, bored, sick, etc. But do you know if you’re living a healthy life? And do you know how susceptible you might be to certain infections or conditions?

The harsh reality is that how healthy you feel doesn’t always reflect how healthy you are. Indeed, it’s possible for seemingly healthy individuals to come down with surprisingly serious medical issues. With all that in mind, today we’ll help you examine your own health in a more objective manner:

Lifestyle Choices

Obviously, people do have a certain level of control over their own physical fitness. As such, decisions like diet composition and how often you exercise can have a big impact on your overall health. The problem, of course, is that judging a lifestyle is very difficult. Relatively few people follow their diets to a strict level –– and not everyone works out as often as they should. On the other hand, people with “bad habits” might still be relatively healthy for other reasons. Nevertheless, actions like eating fast food, smoking, drinking, and remaining sedentary for long periods of time are universally detrimental to health and wellness.

Genetics

The bad news here is that no matter how hard you try, you could be at risk for certain medical conditions simply because members of your family had them. Make no mistake, genetics plays a huge part in determining a person’s long-term health. So, for instance, if your mother and father each had high cholesterol, there’s a good chance you could have high cholesterol too –– regardless of how well you diet and exercise. 

Community Health

Believe it or not, the health and wellness of those around you can have an impact on your own fitness and morale. An obvious example would be someone who is married to a smoker –– since second-hand smoke can be just as damaging as inhaling smoking yourself. On a broader level, though, surrounding yourself with individuals who take their health seriously can improve your own self-discipline.

Ask for Help

It can be very tempting to look for easy solutions to health-and-wellness problems. Yet, quick-fixes rarely provide long-term benefits. (Consider bunion correctors as a real-life example of this axiom in action.) Individuals shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. At the end of the day, it’s imperative for everyone –– healthy, unhealthy, young, old (etc.) –– to consult with a medical professional on a regular basis. Doing so is the best way to take care of yourself and get a clear picture of your overall well-being.