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The overall condition of an organism at a given time.
Soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality.
A condition of optimal well-being: concerned about the ecological health of the area.
A wish for someone's good health, often expressed as a toast.

[Middle English helthe, from Old English hǣlth.]

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Thesaurus

health

noun

The condition of being physically and mentally sound: haleness, healthiness, heartiness, soundness, wholeness. See health/sickness.

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Medical

health (hĕelth)

The overall condition of an organism at a given time.
Soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality.

Directory > Medical > Medical Dictionary > health

WordNet

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun health has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
Synonym: wellness

Meaning #2: the general condition of body and mind

Directory > Language > WordNet > health

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health

Health can be defined negatively, as the absence of illness, functionally as the ability to cope with everyday activities, or positively, as fitness and well-being (Blaxter 1990). In any organism, health is a form of homeostasis. This is a state of balance, with inputs and outputs of energy and matter in equilibrium (allowing for growth). Health also implies good prospects for continued survival. In sentient creatures such as humans, health is a broader concept.

The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist only of the absence of disease or infirmity." This is a useful, but very idealistic and non-realistic definition. It classifies 70 to 95 percent of all people as unhealthy.

The most solid aspects of wellness that fit firmly in the realm of medicine are the environmental health, nutrition, disease prevention, and public health matters that can be investigated and assist in measuring well-being.

In some societies, health involves managing the body state after the more basic needs of food, shelter and basic medical care have already been met. Many of the practices applied in the pursuit of wellness, in fact, are aimed at controlling the side effects of affluence, such as obesity, heart disease and lack of exercise.

Wellness grew as a popular concept in the West starting in the late 19th century, just as the middle class began emerging in the industrialized world, and a time when a newly prosperous public had the time and the resources to pursue wellness and other forms of self-improvement. Many early consumer products, from corn flakes to mouth wash, derived from or exploited the emerging interest in wellness.

Wellness can include using scientifically-based tests and practices to maintain health, as in checking cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, and other body indicators. Or it can include controversial practices, such as avoiding certain foods or taking certain vitamins or alternative medicines.

The subjective nature of "wellness" can be illustrated by the hypothetical example of an individual who avoids food additives and is selective in choosing foods to prolong health, but thinks nothing of getting in a car and driving hundreds of miles. Statistically, the known risk of mortality or morbidity from automobile usage is far greater than the risk of mortality or morbidity from food additives, but avoiding certain foods and food additives feels "healthy," whereas avoiding automobile use feels merely inconvenient. For instance, recent research into the use of high-fructose corn syrup products has shown that these additives may cause diabetes.

Even when the techniques used are not scientifically proven, the pursuit of wellness can enhance health by a placebo effect. Someone who feels "well" may lower stress and enhance their sense of well-being, achieving an enhanced psychological state with proven beneficial effects on various body systems, including blood pressure, gastrointestinal system functioning, and immune response. The field of psychoneuroimmunology explores these linkages in a scientific manner, and is also a part of medicine proper. However it is new, and still exploring the biology, and has little or no clear advice to offer other than to avoid unnecessary stress or that which is out of one's control or capacity.

Some generically suggest eating a healthy balanced meal and exercising regularly. Many other products designed to improve sleep, air quality, water quality, pain management and nutritional levels (supplements) are on the market, but they add an extra expense to the simple alternatives. Mainly because of the baby boomer generation in the United States, some economists say that the worldwide wellness industry is projected to grow to over a trillion dollars by the year 2010.

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Health".

Directory > General Reference > Wikipedia > health

Translations

Translations for: Health

Nederlands (Dutch)
gezondheid, welzijn op iemands gezondheid drinken

Français (French)
santé

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gesundheit, Gesundheitszustand

Ε?λ?λ?η?ν?ι?κ?ή? (Greek)
n. υ?γ?εeί?αa πpί?ν?ω? σsτtη?ν? υ?γ?εeί?αa κ?ά?πpο?ι?ο?υ?

Italiano (Italian)
salute

Português (Portuguese)
n. - saúde (f)

Р?у?с?с?к?и?й? (Russian)
з?д?о?р?о?в?ь?е?, ц?е?л?е?б?н?а?я? с?и?л?а?, б?л?а?г?о?с?о?с?т?о?я?н?и?е? п?и?т?ь? з?а? ч?ь?е?-л?и?б?о? з?д?о?р?о?в?ь?е?

Español (Spanish)
n. - salud, sanidad

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hälsa

中?国?琣? (Simplified Chinese)
n. - 健?康?, 健?康?状?态?, 笔?勃?

中?國?疏? (Traditional Chinese)
n. - 健?康?, 健?康?狀?態?, 笔?勃?

日?本?畢? (Japanese)
n. - 健?康?, 健?全?, 健?康?状?態?, 乾?杯?

ا?ل?ع?ر?ب?ي?ه? (Arabic)
‏?(ا?ل?ا?س?م?) ص?ح?ه?, ا?ز?د?ه?ا?ر?, ر?خ?ا?ء?, ن?خ?ب? ي?ش?ر?ب? ف?ي? ص?ح?ه? ا?م?ر?ء?‏?

ע?ב?ר?י?ת?‬? (Hebrew)
n. - ‮?ב?ר?י?א?ו?ת?‬?

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medical

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Dictionary

med·i·cal (mĕed'ĭi-kə?l)
adj.

Of or relating to the study or practice of medicine.
Requiring treatment by medicine.

n. Informal.

A thorough physical examination.

[Medieval Latin medicāalis, from Latin medicus, physician, from medēerīi, to heal.]

med'i·cal·ly adv.

Directory > General Reference > Dictionary > medical

Medical Term

Prefixes, medical

Medical words are often put together, cobbled from two or more building blocks. Among these building blocks are the prefixes. Examples of prefixes used in medicine include:

· a- : Prefix much employed in the health sciences indicating "not, without, -less" as, for example, in alexia (not read), aphagia (not eat), aphonia (not voice, voiceless). The "a-" usually becomes "an-" before a vowel as, for example, in anemia (without blood), anotia (no ear), anoxia (no oxygen). The prefix "a-" comes from the Greek meaning "not."
· ab-: Prefix from the Latin meaning "from, away from, off" as in abduction (movement of a limb away from the midline of the body), ablate (carry or cut away), abnormal (away from normal), absorb (to suck away). "Abs" in the plural is slang for the abdominal muscles.
· ad- : Latin prefix meaning "toward" and "in the direction of" (among other things), As, for example, in adduction (movement of a limb toward the midline of the body), adrenal (toward the kidney).
· alb-: Prefix from the Latin root for the color white, "albus." As in albino and albinism. The term "albino" was first applied by the Portuguese to "white" people they encountered in West Africa. Those "white" people probably had partial or complete albinism, an inherited lack of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes.
· colpo-: A combining form usually used as a prefix from the Greek "kolpos" meaning a fold, cleft, or hollow, often in reference to the vagina. Words incorporating colpo- include colposcopy (examination of the vagina and cervix with a colposcope) and colpotomy (incision of the vagina).
· dextro-: From the Latin "dexter" meaning on the right side. For example, a molecule that shows dextrorotation is turning or twisting to the right. The opposition of dextro- is levo- (from the Latin "laevus" meaning on the left side) so the opposite of dextrorotation is levorotation.
· dia-: Prefix taken straight from the Greek meaning through, throughout, completely as in diagnosis and dialysis.
· entero-: Combining form pointing to the intestine (the gut). "Entero-" comes from the Greek word "enteron" for intestine, related to the Greek "enteros" meaning "within." What went into the intestine was within the body.
· hetero-: Combining form from the Greek "heteros" meaning different. The opposite is homo- which comes from the Greek "homos" meaning same. For example, heterogeneous and homogeneous, heterosexual and homosexual, etc.
· homo-: Combining form from the Greek "homos" meaning "same." The opposite is hetero- from the Greek "heteros" meaning "different." For example, there is heterogeneous and homogeneous, heterosexual and homosexual, etc.
· hyper-: Means high, beyond, excessive, above normal. For example, hypercalcemia is high calcium in the blood and hypersensitivity is oversensitivity. The opposite of hyper- is hypo-.
· hypo-: Prefix meaning low, under, beneath, down, below norm
Related Links on MedicineNet.com

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Statements and information regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any course of supplementation or treatment.

Directory > Medical > Medical Analysis > medical

Medical

med·i·cal (mĕed'ĭi-kə?l)
adj.

Of, relating to, or characterizing the study or practice of medicine.
Requiring treatment by medicine.

A thorough physical examination.

WordNet

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun medical has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a thorough physical examination; includes a variety of tests depending on the age and sex and health of the person
Synonyms: checkup, medical checkup, medical examination, medical exam, health check

The adjective medical has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: relating to the study or practice of medicine
Pertains to noun: medicine (meaning #3)

Meaning #2: requiring or amenable to treatment by medicine especially as opposed to surgery
Antonym: surgical (meaning #2)

Meaning #3: of or belonging to Aesculapius or the healing art
Synonym: aesculapian

Directory > Language > WordNet > medical

Translations

Translations for: Medical

Nederlands (Dutch)
medisch, dokters-, medische behandeling vereisend (geen operatie), medisch onderzoek, medisch student

Français (French)
médical, visite médicale, examen médical

Deutsch (German)
adj. - ärztlich, medizinisch
n. - ärztliche Untersuchung

Ε?λ?λ?η?ν?ι?κ?ή? (Greek)
adj. ι?αaτtρ?ι?κ?ό?ς? n. ι?αaτtρ?ι?κ?ή? εeξ?έ?τtαaσsη? ι?κ?αaν?ό?τtη?τtαaς? (σsτtρ?αaτtεeύ?σsι?μο?υ? κ?.λ?πp.), φfο?ι?τtη?τtή?ς? ι?αaτtρ?ι?κ?ή?ς?

Italiano (Italian)
visita medica, studente di medicina, medico

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - medicinal
n. - exame médico (m) (coloq.)

Р?у?с?с?к?и?й? (Russian)
в?р?а?ч?е?б?н?ы?й?, л?е?ч?е?б?н?ы?й?, л?е?к?а?р?с?т?в?е?н?н?ы?й?, м?е?д?о?с?м?о?т?р?, с?т?у?д?е?н?т?-м?е?д?и?к?

Español (Spanish)
adj. - médico, de medicina, medicinal
n. - chequeo, reconocimiento médico

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - medicinsk, läkar-
n. - läkarundersökning

中?国?琣? (Simplified Chinese)
adj. - 医?学?的?, 粑?的?, 内?科?的?
n. - 医?生?, 体?格?检?查?

中?國?疏? (Traditional Chinese)
adj. - 湕?學?的?, 稛?的?, 內?科?的?
n. - 湕?生?, 攬?格?檢?查?

日?本?畢? (Japanese)
adj. - 医?学?の?, 内?科?の?
n. - 健?康?痆?断?

ا?ل?ع?ر?ب?ي?ه? (Arabic)
‏?(ص?ف?ه?) ط?ب?ي? (ا?ل?ا?س?م?) ف?ح?ص? ط?ب?ي?‏?

ע?ב?ר?י?ת?‬? (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮?ר?פ?ו?א?י?, ש?ל? ר?פ?ו?א?ה?‬?
n. - ‮?ב?ד?י?ק?ה? ר?פ?ו?א?י?ת?, ס?ט?ו?ד?נ?ט? ל?ר?פ?ו?א?ה?‬?

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