Health
Health is the state characterized by the body and its systems being in equilibrium, free from illness, disease or dysfunction. Health is seen as having many facets; these include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Throughout human history, various theories and practices have been developed to understand and promote good health; these have produced various systems of health care, including diets and medicines.
Although the Bahá’í Writings do not endorse a particular system of health care, they do contain general principles which apply both to individual and collective health. Bahá’u’lláh exhorts His followers to practice moderation, to be content with simple foods, to abstain from alcohol and habit-forming drugs, and to seek the help of "competent physicians" in cases of illness. Cleanliness is also prescribed for Bahá’ís, which includes using clean water for ablutions, for regular bathing and for washing clothes. Certain acts which facilitate the spread of disease, such as the use of the type of public baths common in Qajar Persia (using standing water which was not refreshed), or plunging one's hand into a common bowl of food, are forbidden to Bahá’ís.
