Perfect Health?

I woke up this morning and felt like shit. Having dismissed my Mum's accusations the I was pulling a fast one, I secured a day off school. I'm no hypochondriac. I just had my temperature taken and I was 102 degrees. It made me think, I felt bad, but not THAT bad.

Something thats always facinated me is the fact that we can't tell when we're fine, only when we're sick.

So, besides temperature, obviously, and without going into lists of various nasty diseases, what defines "Perfect Health"? Are humans ever perfectly healthy? And part part does Science and technology play in it?

As far as being able to tell when you 're in "perfect health", you only really notice when you're feeling "different." Think about people who are constantly ill. They eventually grow used to it, for the most part. Sure, you'll always notice things that are especially unpleasant, but mainly what's beyond the norm for you.

No one can ever have "perfect" health, if they did they would be immortal since death is a disease no one can escape.

I would consider myself in really good health at the moment. I havent had a cold in almost a year and a half, sure ive had the occasional runny nose or cough but after taking 10+ 1000mg Vitamin C its usually gone by the next day(rough estimate).

Quick memo here: Death is NOT a disease. Death is nothing more than the cessation of life. Certain causes of death certainly classify as a disease, but death in and of itself is a nuetral state. Just thought to clarify that, as we would not want to perpetuate false information here.

As for determining what is "perfect health", well there is no measure. Humans have no way of knowing what state of being they would have to be in to be "perfect". Each human is composed of a genome of 3 billion sequenced letters. Each and every person has approximately 300,000-3 million errors in their individual gene sequencing (i.e., letters in the wrong places or bonded with a wrong letter).

What does this mean to you? Well, it means that no one is perfect, as everyone is inherently flawed at the molecular level. There is NO perfect human being, therefore, we have no way of measuring perfection.

Health is just what it has always been: a flucuation in the homeostasis of the individual. There are times when we, as humans, feel exceptionally well-better than normal-and there are times we feel far worse. This is when internal moderation (metabolism) is working above par and sub par.

Good luck in your quest for determing "perfect health" mazman.

Quick memo here: Death is NOT a disease. Death is nothing more than the cessation of life. Certain causes of death certainly classify as a disease, but death in and of itself is a nuetral state. Just thought to clarify that, as we would not want to perpetuate false information here.

As for determining what is "perfect health", well there is no measure. Humans have no way of knowing what state of being they would have to be in to be "perfect". Each human is composed of a genome of 3 billion sequenced letters. Each and every person has approximately 300,000-3 million errors in their individual gene sequencing (i.e., letters in the wrong places or bonded with a wrong letter).

What does this mean to you? Well, it means that no one is perfect, as everyone is inherently flawed at the molecular level. There is NO perfect human being, therefore, we have no way of measuring perfection.

Health is just what it has always been: a flucuation in the homeostasis of the individual. There are times when we, as humans, feel exceptionally well-better than normal-and there are times we feel far worse. This is when internal moderation (metabolism) is working above par and sub par.

Good luck in your quest for determing "perfect health" mazman.


Great points Morkeleb. In fact you just taught me more than I've learned throughout my entire Biology GCSE course!

But obviously "Perfect Health" is an illusion as one can never be perfectly healthy.

Death is NOT a disease. Death is nothing more than the cessation of life. Certain causes of death certainly classify as a disease, but death in and of itself is a nuetral state. Just thought to clarify that, as we would not want to perpetuate false information here.

Please excuse me morkeleb, I didnt mean disease as in the literary sense. Simply a metaphor.

Since mazman put quotes around perfect health in the original post, I'm gonna say that perfect healt, or feeling "perfectly healthy", is part of human emotion. If you say you feel perfectly healthy, your mind or whatever is reacting to your body feeling well. Even sometimes a doctor might say you're perfectly healthy, when all he's really saying is he can't find anything, or at least anything major, wrong with you for the time being. Of course, we do all know that death is coming eventually, so how can things be perfect? Perfect health, in the mental sense, to me, is ignorance regarding any possible ailment your body may be undergoing with or without your knowledge. Or something like that.

I'm gonna say that perfect healt, or feeling "perfectly healthy", is part of human emotion. If you say you feel perfectly healthy, your mind or whatever is reacting to your body feeling well.

Interesting take, and I have to say very well done. I have oftentimes felt that most physiological things are based on the psychological. Being "perfectly healthy" is of course a non-reality, but it is in part dictated by one's mental state. It is said that by thinking they will become well that some cancer patients may actaully go into remission, with no medical reason for having done so. Interesting statement, one I full heartedly agree with.

Helios, didn't mean to offend you, simply meant to clarify. Regrettably, there are some people that would take that literally. I, unfortunately, have a tendency to be a perfectionist. Sorry that it had to be directed at you this time. Again, apologies.

Since mazman put quotes around perfect health in the original post, I'm gonna say that perfect healt, or feeling "perfectly healthy", is part of human emotion. If you say you feel perfectly healthy, your mind or whatever is reacting to your body feeling well. Even sometimes a doctor might say you're perfectly healthy, when all he's really saying is he can't find anything, or at least anything major, wrong with you for the time being. Of course, we do all know that death is coming eventually, so how can things be perfect? Perfect health, in the mental sense, to me, is ignorance regarding any possible ailment your body may be undergoing with or without your knowledge. Or something like that.

Exactly like that!

Not really, Morkel. Studies have proven that beyond the added care positive-thinking patients have, there really is no distinction between the chances of a positive-thinking or negative-thinking cancer patient; we only remember the ones who were positive and recovered.
And as for 'perfect' health, it's just a saying, just like everything else that is labelled perfect, I dare say. Since there is nothing to model anything on that is perfect, there simply is no perfect. We are merely referring to the practical inclination of the word that is 'as good as can be expected'. Or in another view, if you put yourself as the guage, 'perfect' can mean 'never having felt better'. Which isn't just what you feel, but that your body agrees with what you feel. No use feeling great only to cough your sick lungs out at your next deep breath.

Not really, Morkel. Studies have proven that beyond the added care positive-thinking patients have, there really is no distinction between the chances of a positive-thinking or negative-thinking cancer patient; we only remember the ones who were positive and recovered.


Well yes but then there is a massive degree of difference between the two, This brings up the amazing ideas of placebos. Perhaps someone can feel perfect for whatever reason even though, physically, there is something wrong with them.


And as for 'perfect' health, it's just a saying, just like everything else that is labelled perfect, I dare say. Since there is nothing to model anything on that is perfect, there simply is no perfect. We are merely referring to the practical inclination of the word that is 'as good as can be expected'. Or in another view, if you put yourself as the guage, 'perfect' can mean 'never having felt better'. Which isn't just what you feel, but that your body agrees with what you feel. No use feeling great only to cough your sick lungs out at your next deep breath.

The only way we can interpret how we feel is through our own feelings, going back to my first point, there is obviously a difference between one's own physical and mental status of Good Health. Maybe not Perfect Health....

Yes, I know about Placebos, but they are not a very widespread form of medicine, and are only used for mild illnesses. Most of this involves the person taking more steps to take care of himself, which is linked yes to a positive mind, but does not give credit to the power of the positive mind itself.