-Ibrahim Suleiman Ph.D.
Every June 12 is the Global Wellness Day. It is a day that is set aside to remind one of the need to take one’s health seriously.
Depending on your trigger — be it work-related stress or health challenges experienced by a family member — there comes a time when one should pause, and ponder on making one’s health a priority.
Modifying long-standing habits is easier said than done. Is one hoping to slowly adopt one or two new habits to better one’s health journey? Is one on a lifestyle transformation journey? This month’s article provides one with five science-backed lifestyle modifications that will enhance one’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Consume healthy diet
Healthy eating reduces the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and cognitive decline. Additionally, a healthy diet prevents complications for those with pre-existing chronic disease.
Eating a mixture of different foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts has been recommended. According to CDC, less than 10 per cent of adults and adolescents consume fruits regularly. Adults are required to eat, at least, 400 grams of fruits and vegetables daily.
Sugar and salt are vital components of what we take daily. Studies have shown that four in every five Nigerians consume more than the daily recommended amount of salt, putting them at risk of high blood pressure (HBP), thereby increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It is recommended that one’s daily salt intake should be less than 5g, equivalent to about one teaspoon (containing 2g of sodium). One should avoid sodium-rich condiments when preparing meals, avoid salty snacks, and use low-sodium products.
As part of a healthy dietary habit, one must cut on excessive sugar consumption. Taking high amounts of sugar increases the risk of tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain. To achieve better health benefits, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults should consume less than 25g of sugar (about 6 teaspoons) per day. One can control one’s sugar intake by limiting the consumption of sweetened beverages, sugary snacks and candies.
A healthy diet promotes children growth and development. Breastfeeding remains the best way of providing the ideal food for newborns and infants. WHO recommends that breastfeeding starts from the first hour of birth, adding that it should be exclusive for the first six months.
But data from CDC showed that only one in four infants is exclusively breastfed during the first six (6) months of life as recommended.
Furthermore, it is recommended that babies get breastfed for up to two years. Undesired early weaning may impact negatively on infants by increasing their susceptibility to infection and risk of childhood obesity. Aside from its benefits on the babies, breastfeeding is also good for the mother as it reduces the risk of chronic diseases, such as type II diabetes, postpartum depression, breast and ovarian cancers.
Drink enough water
Staying hydrated is very important to our overall health. Untreated dehydration is associated with a wide range of health complications, such as heat exhaustion, heatstroke, kidney failure, seizures and coma. The recommended daily fluid intake for adults is about two litres.
Staying hydrated helps with regulating one’s body temperature, blood volume, blood pressure, salivation and food digestion. In addition, staying hydrated helps in achieving optimum neuronal, respiratory and kidney function. In addition, it keeps one’s skin healthy, moist and prevents premature wrinkling.
Read books daily
Neuroscientists have shown that reading for, at least, 30 minutes daily helps strengthen one’s brain function, prevent cognitive decline, and reduce mental stress.
According to the South African College of Applied Psychology, reading as little as 20 pages of a book daily improves mental flexibility, empathy for others, creativity, neuronal function, and may prevent dementia.
The National Institute on Aging recommends reading as best way of engaging the mind as one grows older. Although studies are yet to confirm the direct relationship between reading and prevention of Alzheimer’s, it was documented that seniors, who read regularly, maintain better cognitive function. A study reported that people that are engaged in mentally stimulating activities are less likely to develop plaques and lesions as detected in the brains of people with dementia.
Exercise regularly
In addition to helping us burn extra calories, physical activity also helps to reduce our risk of major illnesses and improve our mental health. Simple exercises, such as running, jogging and walking raise an individual’s self-esteem by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, engaging in 30 minutes of moderate exercise (three times a week) enhances both mental and physical health by improving one’s quality of sleep, lowering stress, reducing blood pressure, and enhancing cognitive performance.
In the process of exercising, one stretches one’s muscles. Stretching improves one’s flexibility, which, in turn, helps one to maintain a range of motion in the joints. When muscles become tight due to long days of sitting at one’s desk, stretching or other flexibility exercises, such as yoga will help keep one’s muscles and joints healthy.
It is recommended that one should stretch for 10 minutes per time, and about three to five times a week. For the best results, one is advised to spend around a minute on each stretching exercise, and one should try up to 10 different stretching exercises per session.
Meditate Daily
Meditation is the art of training one’s mind to stay focused on the present. It involves the simple act of closing one’s eyes, and sitting still for a while.
Science has proved that meditation could help improve both one’s physical and mental health. A study reported that mindfulness meditation helped reduce participants’ stress-induced inflammation response, while another study found out that the practice helps to decrease one’s anxiety levels. Meditation also lengthens one’s attention span, fights memory loss, improves sleep, and even reduces pain levels.
In addition to the aforementioned strategies, having a regular self-care practice, practising emotional regulation, getting enough sleep, waking up early, avoiding smoking, having regular medical check-ups, getting one’s child vaccinated, covering one’s mouth while coughing (or sneezing), washing one’s hands regularly, and having a strong support system are just a few more ways of strengthening one’s wellbeing.
As we celebrate this year’s Global Wellness Day, we must remember to take our health seriously. So, goes the saying: “It is health that is the real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.” – Mahatma Gandhi.