If there's one thing everyone wants, it's good health. That's why there are so many diet books, lifestyle guides and health programs available. That being, said, it is still difficult to attain ideal levels of health in this busy world of ours. But it is possible to attain optimal health. Before you can do that, however, you must have a solid understanding of what optimal health is and how you can achieve it practically in your day-to-day life.

Definition
- To be brief, optimal health is an individual person's physical, emotional and mental health abilities. That is, it is the health goals that a person can realistically achieve to feel their personal best. No two people's health goals are the same, that's why optimal health is such an individualized matter. One person might focus on physical health while to another healing emotional wounds is a more pressing matter. It really just depends on what is important to you. Likewise, one person's optimal health may be another's bare minimum. There is no right or wrong when it comes to optimal health--really, it's just a matter of finding what best suits you and your abilities.
Health Types
- There are several types of health that might be of concern to you in the attempt to achieve optimal health. The first is physical health. Establishing a sound diet, your exercise routine and getting routine checkups are the biggest aspects. Another type is emotional health, which involves how you feel and react to stressful situations. How you feel about yourself and your role in the world are also included in this category. Other areas include your social health and your intellectual health, that is, how you interact with others and how you find new ways to stimulate your mind. For some, spiritual health will also be a factor, but again, how much of a role this will play in your life depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Physical Optimal Health
- In order to attain your own personal physical optimal health, there are certain things you'll need to do. A few common concerns involve maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol, smoking and substance abuse, exercising to the best of your ability and seeing your doctor regularly. However, for some the idea of optimal physical health demands extreme exercise regimes and continuously pushing the boundaries of the human body. It just depends on your tolerance and physical abilities. In some cases, adopting an alternate health regimen, like a vegan diet, is involved in a person's optimal health. Likewise, partaking in regular system cleanses can be a part of this as well like colon cleansing with cayenne-based lemonade or having enemas.
Emotional Optimal Health
- Achieving your goals for emotional optimal health will vary, but there are some common goals most people share. These include taking time each day to relax and "come down" from the day, actively expressing your feelings, communicating your emotions and learning to deal with stressful situations. For some it might mean being more open about your feelings or seeking the advice of a psychiatrist.
Mental Optimal Health
- Obtaining mental optimal health, again, will vary depending on your personal goals, but people tend to share a few of these goals in common. For instance, you may wish to reduce the time you spend watching TV or increase the time you spend reading. You might wish keep up with the news or participate in other mentally stimulating activities. Goals will differ, but finding the right type and amount of mental stimulation you need is the key to your optimal health.
Spiritual Optimal Health
- Spirituality is a very individual aspect of our lives. It would make sense, then that your optimal spiritual health would be a highly individualized determination. Going to church everyday might be one person's idea of optimal health, while another's might be meditating in the middle of a forest. However you connect (or don't connect) to the powers of the universe is up to you and your optimal health will depend on what satisfies your soul.

The Definition of Optimal Health

Optimal health is a matter of balance

Optimal health can be defined as "being your best with what you've been given." Most of us think of optimal health as having to do with our physical bodies: proper nutrition, getting the right amount of sleep and exercise, etc. But optimal health actually incorporates a much broader spectrum. According to Michael O'Donnell, MBA, MPH, there are, in fact, five key areas to keep in balance in order to achieve optimal health: physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual.

Physical health
- Optimal physical health covers the themes of nutrition, fitness, medical self-care and controlling chemical abuses. Most people understand that to be physically fit and healthy, we must eat a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, whole grains and the proper amount of protein. We need to schedule a daily workout and get an adequate amount of sleep. We need to accept responsibility for our own health, and prevent serious disease and other health issues through healthy choices we make every day. We need to avoid damaging substances like tobacco, alcohol and addictive drugs.
Emotional health
- Optimal health also includes healthy emotions. Every person has a certain amount of stress in her life. Most of us have bills for which we are responsible, appointments we must keep and families to care for. Many of us also have much additional stress to deal with, such as extremely demanding jobs or job loss, toxic relationships, a loved one's death or poor health, or divorce. For optimal health, we have to develop good coping skills to deal with life's stresses. We can either develop these skills on our own or we can get professional help. Either way, we have to deal with stress and emotional crises in healthy ways, or they can lead to imbalances in other areas of our lives.
Social health
- A supportive social network is vital for optimal health. Having friends and a family that love and affirm us is essential to great health. You can make friends in your neighborhood, at your children's schools and activities, from involvement in hobbies and interests, at your job and at your place of worship.
  We need to learn how to love ourselves and become our own best friends. We must discern which friends and other relationships support our personal growth, and which relationships are hindering us from becoming the best we can be. We elect to keep those friends who will stay with us through thick and thin and who will lift us up when we are down. We must leave behind those people who do not have our best interests at heart.
Intellectual health
- Intellectual health has to do with our level of education, our careers and our personal achievements. These are all important pieces of optimal health. Many people are limited in what they can achieve because of family or other responsibilities placed on them by others or taken on themselves. At work, stress can result from the possibility of job loss, working toward a promotion or strained relationships with co-workers.
  It is important to set career goals, but not just for financial gain. Other aspects must be considered, such as child or adult care responsibilities, a desire for more flex time or personal values.
Spiritual health
- Spiritual health starts with believing in Someone or Something bigger than ourselves, and is often expressed by acts of love and kindness toward our fellow human beings and the environment. We need to develop a positive attitude and have a sense of hope for a bright future. Giving to others and serving in our communities and our families give us a sense of purpose and belonging. Learning that happiness comes from within rather than from external and temporal things brings a sense of inner peace and contentment.