Health
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Health
Being healthy means to be in a state of physical, mental and social well-being. You can achieve a good state of health by following a simple 6-point plan for leading a healthy life: be active; eat well; don't smoke; limit alcohol; get enough sleep; go for regular medical check ups.
Too often people focus on just weight when talking about health, but you should pay equal attention to your skin, teeth, eyes, hearing, hair and feet. Whilst genes do affect how long and healthy your life is, the lifestyle you choose to live has a much bigger effect. Don’t leave it until you’re sick or ill to make the changes that you know you should make now.
Remember that looking healthy from the outside doesn’t mean that you’re healthy inside too. Go for regular medical check-ups with a doctor or nurse and get a full medical report done every year. Early detection of any medical condition significantly increases the chance of overcoming it.
For a balanced, healthy diet you need to eat some food from each of these food groups each day: fruits and vegetables; bread, cereals and potatoes; milk and dairy products; meat and fish.
The ‘bread, cereals and potatoes’ food group includes: bread; rice; potatoes; pasta; noodles; cereals; wheat; barley. The ‘milk and dairy’ food group includes: milk; cheese; yogurt. The ‘meat and fish’ food group includes: all types of meat; fish; eggs; beans; nuts and seeds. It's recommended that you eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables everyday. Your 5 portions a day can be made up of fresh, frozen or canned fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, 100% natural juice drinks (as in not from concentrates) and smoothies.
Fruits that you can choose from include: apples; apricots; avocados; bananas; blackberries; blackcurrants; blueberries; cherries; chestnuts; clementines; currants; dates; figs; gooseberries; grapes; grapefruit; kiwifruit; lemons; limes; mandarins; mangoes; melons; nectarines; oranges; passion fruit; peaches; pears; pineapples; plums; pomegranates; raspberries; redcurrants; strawberries; tangerines; tomatoes.
Vegetables that you can choose from include: asparagus; aubergine; beetroot; broad beans; broccoli; brussels sprouts; cabbage; carrots; cauliflower; celery; cherry tomatoes; courgette; cress; cucumber; eggplant; gherkin; green beans; green pepper; haricot beans; leek; lettuce; marrow; onion; peas; parsnip; potato; pumpkin; radish; red pepper; rhubarb; runner beans; spinach; spring onions; swede; sweet corn; turnip; watercress; yellow pepper.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water every day (equivalent to 1.2 litres). If you have problems taking in enough water: carry a small bottle of water with you at all times; replace tea or coffee with hot water and a slice of lemon; place a jug of water on the table at meal times. Drink milk and juices in moderation and not as a replacement for water.
Giving your body a steady flow of food means that in return it can give you a steady flow of energy. The energy that you get from food is measured using calories. For the average adult, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2000 for women and 2500 for men.
The body mass index (BMI) is a common measure for assessing a persons weight. To calculate your BMI; work out your height in metres and multiply the figure by itself; then divide your weight in kg by the 2nd height figure (i.e. the sum of your height multiplied by itself). BMI assessment figures: less than 18.5 = underweight; 18.5-25 = ideal; 25-30 = overweight; 30-40 = obese; greater than 40 = very obese. Being obese increases the chance of heart disease, diabetes and premature death.
Being physically active gives: weight control; extra energy; an improved immune system; lower blood pressure; a reduced risk of disease. The average healthy person should aim to do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The 30 minute, 5 days a week target applies to newbies and experienced health enthusiasts alike; the difference coming in the intensity of those sessions. When starting out you can do 10 minutes of exercise in the morning, afternoon and evening if you find it easier than doing a single session; you'll still get the same benefits.
Decide at the start of the week on what days and at which times you’ll be exercising. Create an exercise timetable; if you’ve set time aside for an activity, you'll be more likely to do it. Most people find that joining a gym is the best way to achieve their weekly exercise quota but this isn't necessary if you have limited money or time, or simply don't like being a gym. Non gym-related types of physical activity that you could do include: jogging; cycling; swimming; sports; dancing; gardening; house chores; playing with children.
Sports that you can choose from include; archery; athletics; basketball; badminton; bowls; boxing; canoeing; caving; cycling; climbing; cricket; croquet; fencing; football; golf; hiking; hockey; horse riding; ice hockey; martial arts; netball; paintball; roller skating; rowing; rugby; sailing; scuba diving; skiing; snowboarding; squash; surfing; swimming; table tennis; tennis; volleyball.
Motivate yourself; regularly reminding yourself of why you want to be healthy. Know exactly what you expect of yourself and have definite targets to achieve within a specific (realistic) timescale. Writing down your goals / targets , and the steps to achieve them, helps to keep you focused. Don't give up when you feel deprived or overworked, it takes patience and persistence to adapt to major behavioural changes.
Links
www.webmd.com : In-depth health information. Message boards.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk : Health encyclopedia. Self-help guide. Common health questions.
www.health.discovery.com : Healthy living. Mental health. Diseases and illness.
www.eatwell.gov.uk : Eating healthily. Food content and labels. Obesity, diabetes and food allergies.
www.smokefree.gov : How to stop smoking. Step by step guide.