I recently heard a story that shook me deeply.
A man, by all standards, seemed like the perfect picture of health. He didn’t smoke, didn’t drink excessively, exercised fairly regularly, and was a familiar face at his local health centre—for check-ups, not complaints. He wasn’t on any medications. Never had surgery. Never complained of anything serious. He had a calm lifestyle and was relatively fit.
Then one day… he slumped and died. Just like that. No warning signs. No long illness. One minute he was talking with his wife, the next minute he was gone.
This story has stayed with me—not because it’s entirely new or rare—but because it challenges the idea we often hold about what it means to be "healthy."
Is Being Healthy Just About Avoiding the Hospital?
Let’s be honest. Many of us equate being healthy with not being sick. As long as we’re not taking medications, haven’t been admitted in recent years, and can walk from one end of the room to another without collapsing, we consider ourselves fine. But is that really the full picture?
The World Health Organization (WHO) doesn’t think so.
According to WHO, health is:
“A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Read that again. Not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
That changes everything.
Health Is a Symphony, Not a Solo
When we talk about health, we need to stop thinking of it as a checklist of what’s not wrong. Instead, we should start seeing it as a state of positive wellbeing—a dynamic balance that involves our body, our mind, and our relationships.
Let’s break that down:
- Physical Well-being Yes, this is the most obvious aspect. Physical health means:
Having enough energy to go about your day
Being free from chronic pain or debilitating symptoms
Eating nutritious food and drinking enough water
Getting adequate sleep and rest
Moving your body regularly
But even here, it's not always black and white. Some people may look healthy on the outside but have clogged arteries from poor diet choices, silent hypertension, or a brewing blood sugar imbalance. Others may be taking a medication daily but have learned how to manage a condition and are thriving in every other area of their lives.
- Mental Well-being This is often the elephant in the room.
Many people are physically strong, yet silently battling depression, anxiety, burnout, and feelings of emptiness. Just because someone is smiling doesn’t mean their mind is at peace.
Mental health is about:
Managing stress effectively
Having healthy thought patterns
Feeling a sense of purpose and direction
Being resilient in the face of challenges
Getting help when things feel overwhelming
Ignoring mental health is like fixing the body of a car but leaving the engine to rot. Eventually, something gives out.
- Social Well-being We were never meant to do life alone.
Social well-being means:
Having people you can lean on in hard times
Feeling like you belong somewhere
Maintaining healthy relationships with friends, family, and community
Being able to communicate openly and honestly
Research has shown that strong social connections are one of the biggest predictors of long life. In fact, loneliness can increase your risk of death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. That’s huge.
Why Then Do People “Suddenly” Die?
You may wonder: how can someone who ticks all the “health boxes” just drop dead?
Well, sometimes the truth is that they were not ticking all the boxes—they just didn’t know it. Health is complex and layered. Some conditions, like silent heart disease or aneurysms, can go unnoticed for years without causing obvious symptoms. Stress, poor sleep, unprocessed trauma, overwork, social isolation, or unresolved conflict—all these are health issues, even if they don’t come with a prescription or a lab test.
It’s also possible to look fine and feel fine… until your body decides it’s had enough.
Healthy Living Is a Lifestyle, Not a Label
Being truly healthy isn’t about being invincible. It’s about being intentional. It’s a daily commitment to taking care of the different parts of your life—physical, emotional, and social.
Ask yourself:
Am I eating food that nourishes and strengthens me?
Do I sleep deeply and wake up refreshed?
Do I feel emotionally balanced most of the time?
Do I have meaningful relationships and people I can talk to?
When I’m struggling, do I reach out for help?
These are not soft questions—they’re the hard, real questions of wellness.
So, What Does It Mean to Be Healthy?
It means choosing to show up for your own life. It means scheduling time to rest, reflect, and reconnect. It means asking for help when your mind feels heavy. It means having someone to laugh with, cry with, and grow with. It means being proactive—getting check-ups, moving your body, staying hydrated, and eating foods that help you thrive.
Above all, it means understanding that health isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. One that requires regular maintenance, deep self-awareness, and a lot of grace.
So next time someone says, “I’m healthy because I don’t take any medications,” gently remind them:
Health is not just the absence of illness. It’s the presence of wellbeing.
Let’s aim for that.