Health has been defined by the WHO as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being: not simply an absence of illness or disease. This definition understands health as involving the whole person. It's holistic, even if it fails to mention the need for spiritual health!

But what did Jesus actually teach about health? Jesus is similarly holistic. He was, par excellence, concerned with the whole person. His teaching goes to the heart of problems - attitudes and aspirations - and not just their symptoms.

This is well illustrated in the Sermon on the Mount, a pithy summary of the main themes of what Jesus taught, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.

• 5:24: Anger is bad for you... 'Be reconciled to your brother'.
• 5:28: Don't harbour bad thoughts... 'Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart'.
• 5:37: Have integrity ... 'Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'.'
• 5:39 Don't retaliate and make things worse... 'If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also'.
• 5:44: Nursing grudges is bad for you... 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'.
• 6: 14: Keep short accounts with people...'Forgive men when they sin against you'.
• 6:19: Cultivate simplicity of lifestyle... 'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth'.
• 6:25,33: Avoid anxiety... 'Do not worry about your life... but seek first his [God's] kingdom'.
• 7:12: Social concern ... 'In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you'.

Here are recipes of how to live a healthy life in an unhealthy world. The Christian way is a way of health - in the WHO sense.