Healthy Lifestyle Awareness

What does it mean to be in good health?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’

Simply stated, staying healthy means keeping the body in good working order to live well and to reach one’s full potential.

Good health starts with positive lifestyle choices. These choices are conscious decisions made to increase those behaviours that are beneficial in keeping the body healthy and to stop or reduce those behaviours that lead to health problems.

Positive health choices have two benefits – what we gain and what we prevent. For example, getting more exercise to gain fitness and prevent weight-gain, which can have negative health implications in the future.

So, what are the keys to good health and staying healthy?

Eat a Healthy Diet

The body needs a number of nutrients every day. Those that are essential in larger quantities are called macronutrients, while those needed in smaller amounts are micronutrients, like vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The right amount of nutrients are needed to prevent deficiencies which can cause illness. A good diet provides the body with energy to function (from carbohydrates and fats) and protein for growth, healing, repair and a variety of body functions. Water, the body’s most essential nutrient, is also needed for many functions and processes, including taking nutrients to all cells.

A healthy diet is well-balanced, with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Low fat dairy products, lean red meat and white meats like fish and poultry are recommended. Healthcare providers recommend cutting back on processed foods and those high in salt, sugar, saturated and trans fats and cholesterol.

Get Adequate Sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep means better health, improved thinking and memory and less stress. It’s also important for healthy immune system functioning. Missing a few hours of sleep creates a ‘sleep debt’ that accumulates over time. Just one hour missed decreases alertness and affects ability to think the following day. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with several health issues, including risk for heart attack, stroke, hypertension and diabetes. There is also a risk for depression, obesity, and low libido.

A night of good sleep isn’t just about quantity – adults are encouraged to aim for seven to eight hours every day – but also about the quality of one’s sleep. Broken sleep, caused by discomfort, disruptions, health problems and stress creates a vicious cycle of more stress and less sleep. Anyone struggling to get a good night’s sleep should see their healthcare provider.

Take Regular Exercise

Healthcare providers recommend physical activity of at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Exercise does not have to be continuous to be beneficial and exercise increments can be broken up into 10-minute sessions throughout the day.

Review Unhealthy Choices

Taking steps to reduce or eliminate behaviour that could have a negative impact on health, is a first step to improving one’s health outlook. Any form of substance abuse – smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication too often or outside of its intended usage, or using street drugs – can be harmful to health.

•  Smoking reduces the smoker’s average lifespan. One in four heavy smokers won’t reach 65 years of age. Smokers are at increased risk for heart disease, lung diseases (including cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke and diabetes mellitus.
• Abusing alcohol increases ones risk for heart disease and stroke. Heavy drinking can also damage organs, including the liver. Drinking in moderation is limiting alcohol intake to two standard drinks per day for men and one for women. Standard drinks are 340ml of beer, 125ml of wine or 25ml of spirits. Excessive drinking includes binge drinking (more than five drinks for men and four for women on one occasion), heavy drinking (five or more instances of binge drinking over 30 days), underage drinking and drinking during pregnancy.
• Overusing or abusing OTC or prescription medication or street drugs can impact negatively on health and behaviour. Professional help is required to overcome addiction.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have serious negative impacts on health and some of these may be lifelong. Practicing safe sex and getting tested for STIs is the first step towards good sexual health.

Manage Stress

Over time, chronic or prolonged periods of stress can cause long-term health problems. Tools to cope with stress include practicing self-care, setting boundaries for work and rest time and getting exercise. Individuals are encouraged to take regular time off, even small periods of rest build the body’s resilience to the effects of stress. Professional consultation should be sought, especially where alcohol, medication or street drugs are used as a means to cope.

Tshela Healthcare is a healthcare provider that improves health outcomes by providing preventative healthcare. As an organisation we believe in maximising human potential and ensure that we provide high value and redefine excellence in every industry we touch.

To get involved with preventative healthcare programmes or for bespoke solutions for your company, contact us on 053 712 0016 or click on Contacts.

Resources:  https://www.who.int/; https://www.ucsfhealth.org/; https://www.webmd.com/; https://www.cdc.gov/; https://www.dshs.wa.gov/; https://www.smartrecovery.org/; https://www.verywellmind.com/; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/