Normal – Health

HEALTH is not a synonym of “NORMAL”. There are several definitions of health – a fact that underscores confusion. The World Health Organization defines health “negatively” – as the absence of disease – a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being (but disease can be silent). Another  definition proposes that health is a state of balance (homeostasis), physical, mental and social (implies adaptation). In my view, health is an optimal homeostasis under the global circumstances of an individual. However, an individual with a growing asymptomatic cancer is not “normal” and regardless of the above should not be viewed as “healthy”.  This brings the need to include “prognosis” or “Natural History” described next. Premature death is neither “normal” nor “healthy”.