What Health Really Means When You Have a Chronic Condition
Defining health can feel impossible when you’re living with a chronic condition. This post explores how to move beyond wellness culture and create an individualized definition of health that works for you. Remember: health is possible at any size, age, or ability!
“Can I still be healthy while living with a chronic condition?” As a chronic illness dietitian, I get this question a lot! Defining health might seem simple, but it’s actually complex, emotional, and deeply personal. In this post, we’ll break down the traditional idea of health and rebuild it in a way that works for you. We’ll also explore how Healthism and Wellness Culture shape our understanding of health. As you read, notice what emotions come up and consider: what if health meant autonomy, not perfection?
Rethinking ‘Health’
The Oxford definition of health is “the state of being free from illness or injury.(1)” That definition already excludes over half of U.S. adults, since more than 50% live with a chronic illness (2). Access to healthcare also depends on privileges such as income, insurance coverage, and whether you face systemic barriers tied to race, size, gender, or disability. When we think of health as “disease-free,” it quickly becomes clear how inequitable that standard is.
What is Healthism?
Cultural fixation on health gave rise to the idea of Healthism (3)- a term that actually goes all the way back to the 80’s! Healthism refers to a preoccupation with personal health and the belief that health is almost completely within personal control (4). This implies that if you are unwell it is your fault. Healthism also contributes to weight stigma because it teaches us to find fault (weight-blame) rather than acknowledge the complex facets that shape health.
In reality, health is determined by many factors outside personal control. These determinants of health include genetics, socioeconomic background, income, location, psychology, gender (hello, abysmal US maternal mortality rates), and race (that same maternal mortality rate is more than 3x as high for black women as white women) (5,6). Healthism erases these nuanced facts and attributes health conditions to personal failure.
Enter: Wellness Culture
Today, Healthism shows up as Wellness Culture: the belief that wellness equals goodness and that “natural” health approaches are morally superior to traditional medical treatments (7). This mindset ignores the complicated determinants of health explored above, and often promotes thin, white, able-bodies as the health ideal. Wellness Culture often shames those who rely on medication or live with chronic conditions. In my practice, many clients feel that their diagnoses mean they can never be healthy, or that their chronic conditions signify a moral failure.
I understand that nobody wants to live with a list of diagnoses, take lifelong medications, or be judged for being unwell. And I deeply believe that living with a chronic condition does not exclude you from being healthy or imply moral failure. Health is not guaranteed, it’s a precious resource that isn’t divided equally for complicated reasons (see above!). Despite the messaging from Wellness Culture that if you just eat ‘clean enough’ or take the ‘right’ supplements you can prevent all disease…that just isn’t true. That message inevitably leaves folks feeling ashamed when chronic conditions do occur.
Health as a Web
Health is not a single metric, like blood sugar or weight. It’s a web of interconnected strands: sleep, relationships, stress, food, mental health, movement, finances, spirituality, and more. If we tug too hard on any one strand, others fray. In order to preserve this web we must treat it gently and assess it as a whole. We often get fixated on one aspect of health and sacrifice other pieces of our health as a result. I always encourage zooming out and asking ‘what’s the big picture with my health?’
For example, someone might panic after a high blood sugar reading and cut out all carbs. While that might lower blood sugar short-term, it could also cause low energy, cravings, mood swings, binges, dangerously low blood sugar, or social isolation. Cutting out carbs only focuses on the food strand of the web while ignoring the rest of your health. A more holistic approach might include eating more consistently, pairing carbs with protein, adding stress management tools, examining exercise routines, or starting medication if prescribed. These sustainable changes strengthen the whole web without tugging too hard on one strand.
Reclaiming Autonomy
Living with a chronic condition doesn’t disqualify you from being healthy. Health is not the absence of illness, it’s finding balance and wellbeing in the body you have. That means letting go of external pressure to be disease-free, thin, or able-bodied, and instead asking: What does health look like for me?
At McArtney Nutrition, we believe: Health is not the absence of chronic conditions. Health is individualized, shaped by values and context. Health is possible at any age, size, or ability.
Reflection Questions
How have you defined health in the past, and does that definition still serve you?
How has weight stigma, ableism, or health guilt shaped your view of health?
What would an accessible version of health look like for you?
How do you want to define health?
Want to dive deeper into reclaiming your own version of health? I’m here to explore this together! If you are struggling with your relationship with food and body image, reaching out for support is one of the most empowering things you can do. McArtney Nutrition offers specialized support for those navigating eating disorder recovery or living with chronic illnesses. Reach out for a discovery call to chat about finding food peace and body acceptance!
Disclaimer: the information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Sources
Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Health, n. In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://www.oed.com/
Boersma, P., Black, L. I., & Ward, B. W. (2020, September 17). Prevalence of multiple chronic conditions among US adults, 2018 [Research brief]. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0130.htm
Crawford, R. (1980). Healthism and the medicalization of everyday life. International Journal of Health Services, 10(3), 365–388. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/45130677
Within Health. (2024, July 19). Healthism: When a focus on healthy living becomes problematic [Article]. Within Health. Retrieved from https://withinhealth.com/learn/articles/healthism-when-a-focus-on-healthy-living-becomes-problematic
Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Social determinants of health. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health
Hoyert, D. L. (2025). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2023 (NCHS Health E-Stats). National Center for Health Statistics. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174577
Equip Health. (2022, December 30). Is wellness culture making us unwell? How influencers, marketers & celebrities may promote disordered eating [Article]. Equip Health. Updated May 20, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://equip.health/articles/diet-culture-and-society/wellness-culture-making-us-unwell