What is “healthy” according to you?

interesting question. Do you mean healthy food or healthy person? or both?

Let me see, for me, healthy food would be things which are wholesome, fresh, not overly processed. I don't really subscribe to the "clean" vs "dirty" food ideal though. But for example, I'd say a home or bakery baked bread using wholewheat flour and grains and stuff would be "healthier" than a generic stop bought white sandwich bread loaf thing that has added numbers and stuff.

as for a healthy person, i think that to me that means someone who has a decent level of fitness, not necessarily an athlete or even a gym bunny type, but you know, normal being able to hike a few kilometres or run for the bus for a couple of hundred metres without passing out or having a heart attack, able to enjoy life actively to an extent.

doesn't have to be a thin person or muscular person or anything like that. For example, I did a fun race thing at work recently with a girl 20 years my junior - I was astounded that she couldn't keep up with the rest of us as we raced around the course. She is 22, slim, young, healthy-looking... but was puffed and red and dying after like a 50m sprint. I couldn't believe it.

I'm 63, so "healthy" is essential for me. Aging takes away your capabilities--if you let it. Keeping active allows me to do more and keep my aches and pains in line. I walk, swim, go to the gym, do acquagym, and yoga + stretching at home. My husband calls it "our insurance policy for old age". As for healthy eating, I grew up on a farm and we had a garden. My mother canned and froze fresh foods. We grew up with the idea of a balanced meal. 31 yrs ago I married an Italian and moved to Italy. Here food is a culture and quality is foremost.

jjpptt2 wrote: »

For me...

• maintaining reasonable flexibility/mobility - basically not feeling old and stiff and broken
• maintaining reasonable strength and endurance - basically able to do the things I want/need to do as part of my everyday life
• maintaining a reasonably balanced diet, both in terms of what I eat but also how much I eat - basically just be sensible
• maintain a weight that doesn't cause/exacerbate problems (back problems, sleeping issues, etc).

Pretty much the same...

Healthy for me means being a healthy weight, eating nutrient rich foods (note: treats have their place within limits), being able to walk long distances, climb stairs, run a 5K with 9 weeks of training, doing what I can to manage my existing medical issues, and not sweating the small stuff.

1. Being self-content. Low amounts of stress, high degree of human interaction.
2. Getting a minimum of 7 hrs of sleep per night.
3. No meds and good lab works.
4. Everything that goes in, to go in reasonably and in moderation.
5. A physical activity level of „Moderate” or higher.
6. Periodic daily routine breaks or hobbies / free time activities that help you improve (physically, mentally, emotionally).

Being in a state promoting life.

A pursuit of physical, mental, and spiritual excellence.


As for the why I prioritize the "big picture" view of most things as opposed to diving into minutiae.

This is a good question...and the honest answer is that I've never thought about it. I can point at a specific thing and say I think it's healthy, but defining healthy overall is hard.

To me healthy means being happy, able to move and do things and having good yearly health check results.