We live in a world where good health is usually equated with a certain kind of appearance. Health magazines publish cover lines about flat stomachs and getting lean. But that doesn’t mean these qualities are necessary for good health.

In fact, the official definition of health — at least, the one used by the World Health Organization (WHO) — says nothing about the way you look. WHO says health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

How can you tell if you fit that definition? There are some general signs that indicate good health for most people. Here are some to look out for:

1. You eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.

This simple behavior is a hallmark of healthy eating.

“It sounds really silly, but it’s amazing how many of us don’t do that,” said Cindy Geyer, medical director at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. “We forget to eat so we’re starving and then we eat a ton, or we’re eating mindlessly in front of the TV, or we’re eating in an emotional context because it’s how we’re self-soothing.”

2. You can make it up two flights of stairs and feel pretty good.

“If you can go fairly quickly up two flights of stairs without stopping and feel good at the top, that’s a moderate level of exertion,” Geyer said. “While not perfect, the ability to climb two flights of stairs easily suggests that your body can perform high intensity activity, one marker of fitness.”

3. You embrace your full range of emotions.

“I think emotional wellbeing is embracing the whole gamut of emotions and understanding that they’re all normal,” Geyer said.

“It’s normal at some times to feel angry, it’s normal to feel upset, it’s normal to feel anxious and depressed. And a good sign of emotional wellbeing is embracing all of those emotions and recognizing that no one of them is going to be permanent.”

4. You can wake up without an alarm clock.

“If you regularly wake up in the morning without an alarm and you feel rested and refreshed, that’s a pretty good gauge that you’re getting quality sleep,” Geyer said.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【特征】tèzhēng hallmark any mark or special indication of genuineness, good quality, etc.

【锻炼】duànliàn exertion vigorous action or effort

在我们所生活的世界里，人们通常把健康和外表健美联系在一起。健康杂志的封面语都是有关平坦小腹和纤瘦秘诀的内容。但这并不意味着这些特质是身体健康的必要条件。

事实上，健康的官方定义——至少是世界卫生组织的定义——对外表只字未提。世卫组织表示，健康“不仅为疾病或羸弱之消除，而系体格、精神与社会之完全健康状态。”

你如何分辨自己是否符合这一定义呢？对多数人而言，有一些普遍迹象可以表明你有一个好身体，一起来看看。

1. 饿的时候就吃，饱的时候就停下。

这种简单行为是健康饮食的标志。

美国马萨诸塞州雷诺克斯的Canyon Ranch公司的医疗总监辛迪·盖耶博士说：“这一条听起来很傻，但令人惊讶的是，好多人都做不到这一点。我们要么忘记吃饭，让自己饿肚子，然后再狂吃一顿，要么就在电视机前心不在焉地吃东西，要么就为了安抚情绪而大吃特吃。”

2.可以一连上两段楼梯，而且感觉良好。

盖耶说：“如果你可以比较快地连上两段楼梯，走完了还能感觉良好，能完成这种适度运动，说明你身体还可以。尽管这个标准不完美，但能够轻松地爬上两段楼梯说明你的身体可以完成高强度运动，这是健康的一个标志。”

3. 能够面对各种情感。

盖耶说：“我认为情感健康就是能够接受所有的情感，理解这些情感都是正常的。有时候觉得生气是正常的，觉得难过是正常的，觉得焦虑和抑郁也是正常的。情感健康的一个标志是接受所有这些，并且知道没有哪种情感会一直持续不变。”

4. 没有闹钟叫你也能醒。

盖耶说：“如果你没有定闹钟也能在早上定点醒来，而且感到精力充沛、神清气爽，这表明你有高质量的睡眠。”

(Chinadaily.com.cn)