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| Conditions Essential for Good Health |
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| The following are some of the conditions that have to be fulfilled if an individual must be healthy. |
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 Nutrition |
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 Healthy Habits |
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 Exercise and Relaxation |
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| Nutrition is the procurement of substances (nutrients) necessary for growth, development, maintenance and activities of a living organism. To maintain a healthy body it is important to consume a balanced diet in the right quantity. Depending upon the energy requirement of the individual the diet intake should be adjusted. Table1 is a chart giving the recommended dietary allowances for Indians as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Men who do heavy work, pregnant women and nursing mothers need more energy and so accordingly must consume more quantity of energy giving food. On the other hand, people who lead sedentary lives, infants and old people need less energy and so must consume less food. |
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| Table.1: Energy requirement varies with age, weight and occupation |
| Recommended dietary allowances for Indians as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) |
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| Another condition essential for good health is healthy habits. Health and hygiene go hand in hand. The following are a few guidelines that must be kept in mind. |
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 Food that is consumed must be fresh and protected from dust, flies, insects and microbes. Contamination can lead to infection and the food getting spoilt. |
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 Utensils used for cooking and serving should be clean. |
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 Smoking, chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and consuming addictive drugs, are injurious to health and should be avoided. |
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 Before eating, hands must be washed well with soap and water to get rid of germs. Nails must be kept short and well filed. |
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 Vegetables and fruit must be washed thoroughly with potassium permanganate. |
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 Do not eat between meals. |
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 Drink water after a meal and not during the meal. |
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| The various organs of the body are constantly working to carry-out the various physiological and metabolic requirements of the body. To keep it in a fit condition the body requires |
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| a) rest and |
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| b) exercise. |
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| Rest |
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| The body must be given sufficient rest in order to rejuvenate itself. Regular hours of sleep and relaxation are required by the body. On an average, a normal adult requires about 6-8 hours of sleep. Infants sleep for longer hours, which is necessary for their growth. Relaxation revitalizes the body and improves the capacity to work. It provides relief and respite from work and diverts the mind. The different ways of relaxation are yoga, meditation, listening to music, reading magazines and watching T.V. |
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| Exercise |
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| Regular exercise is necessary in order to keep the muscles well toned and active. Exercise not only makes a person look and feel better but also protects him from dangerous diseases like heart attack and paralysis. Exercise could be in the form of walking, jogging, swimming, P.T. (physical training) or any form of sport. |
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