Welcome to another health update from the Port Moresby General Hospital, making small changes to your daily life will significantly improve your well-being and put on the road to better health.
1. Get Regular Medical Care -
Make regular appointments with your doctor to discuss any health concerns that are bothering you. Keep a symptom diary and bring this with you to your appointments. Make a note of when these symptoms started how long they lasted, did it cause you any pain? How severe was the pain? This information may be useful to your doctor.
Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers such as cancer of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix, and breast can increase your chances of discovering cancer early when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor at your local Urban Health Clinic about the best cancer screening schedule for you. Take cancer prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.
Tip: Before your appointment, make a list of any questions or concerns you wish to discuss with your doctor. As doctor’s visits can be stressful, writing your questions down will ensure you don’t forget anything. Make sure you bring a list of all of your current medications with you to every appointment.
2. Eat more Fruits and Vegetables -
Fruit and vegetables should be an important part of your daily diet. They are naturally good for you and contain vitamins and minerals that can assist in keeping you healthy. As part of a well-balanced diet and a healthy, active lifestyle, a high intake of fruit and vegetables can help you to:
- Reduce obesity and maintain a healthy weight
- Lower your cholesterol
- Lower your blood pressure.
Tip - Limit fat: Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-fat foods, particularly those from animal sources. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and might increase the risk of becoming overweight which can increase your cancer risk.
3. Exercise Regularly -
Being physically active is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Scientific evidence clearly links regular physical activity to a wide range of physical and mental health benefits. There are so many ways to be active, and they can all help to improve your mental and physical health. Taking part in physical activities can be a great way to meet people, offer us the chance to take time out for ourselves, improve your feelings of self-worth and give you confidence. Take charge of your health and get moving!!!
People who enjoy regular physical activity tend to:
- Live longer
- Be less likely to have a heart attack or stroke- Have reduced risk of developing diabetes and some cancers
- Feel more energetic
- Manage their weight better (which in turn reduces your risk of other diseases)
- Have a healthier cholesterol level
- Have lower blood pressure
- Have stronger bones and muscles
- Improved sleep
4. Up your Daily Water Intake –
The human body can last weeks without food, but only days without water. Water forms the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine, perspiration and is contained in lean muscle, fat, and bones. As the body can’t store water, we need fresh supplies every day to make up for losses from the lungs, skin, urine and faeces. The amount we need depends on our body size, metabolism, the weather, the food we eat as well as our activity levels.
Ten reasons to drink more water:
- Water is essential to the human body’s survival.
- Water also helps to maintain a healthy body weight by increasing your metabolism and regulating the appetite.
- Water leads to increased energy levels.
- Drinking water can lower your risk of certain types of cancers.
- Reduces joint and or back pain by keeping cartilage soft and hydrated.
- Aids in the digestion process and prevents constipation.
- Water can prevent and alleviate headaches.
- Flushes out wastes and bacteria that can cause disease.
- Water is the primary mode of transportation for all nutrients in the body and is essential for proper circulation.
- Naturally moisturizes skin and ensures proper cellular formation underneath layers of skin to give it a healthy glowing appearance.
5. Reduce Alcohol Intake –
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of cancer and other health complications increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly. The occasional drink isn't much of a problem for most people. But drinking too much, too often can lead to long-term complications.
The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mentions these potential problems associated with long-term alcohol abuse:
- Increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, as well as liver disease and digestive problems.
- Increased cancer risk, particularly those of the colon, throat, breast, mouth, oesophagus and liver.
- Increased risk of problems affecting memory and learning.
- Increases risk of depression and anxiety.
- Increased risk of problems with social relationships, family, and occupation.
TIP - If you feel unable to drink responsibly or drink alcohol in moderation, it is important for you to seek outside advice, talk to your doctor.
6. Give Up Smoking -
It's never too late to quit smoking, and there are many benefits to be gained no matter what age you are when you give up. Using tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Even if you don't use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke may increase your risk of lung cancer. Tobacco smoke is made up of thousands of chemicals, and many of them are very harmful.
The Poisons in tobacco smoke:
Carbon Monoxide - Fatal in large doses, this poisonous gas, is also found in car exhaust fumes. It takes the place of oxygen in your blood, starving your lungs, heart, and other organs of the oxygen they need to function properly.
Tar - This sticky brown substance coats your lungs like soot in a chimney. Tar and smoke irritate your lungs, increasing the amount of mucus in your chest and restricting your breathing.
Long-term smokers are at a higher risk of developing a range of potentially deadly diseases including:
Cancer - of the lungs, mouth, nose, throat, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney, liver, bladder, bowel, ovary, cervix, bone marrow, and stomach.
Lung Diseases - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Heart Disease - such as heart attack and stroke.
Poor Blood Circulation - in feet and hands, which can lead to pain and, in severe cases, gangrene and amputation.
TIP - If you need help quitting smoking ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting. Don’t give up!
7. Reduce Stress -
Stress is a normal reaction to the demands of life and everyone experiences stress at some point in life, however long term stress can cause many complications on your health. If you are stressed often, it can put you at risk for heart disease, depression, and other problems. Stress that continues without relief can lead to headaches, an upset stomach, high blood pressure, chest pain, problems with sleeping or sex, depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry.
Manage stress with these tips:
- Ask yourself what you can do about the sources of your stress. Think through the pros and cons. Take action where you can.
- Keep a positive, realistic attitude. Accept that although you can't control certain things, you're in charge of how you respond.
- Stand up for yourself in a polite way. Share your feelings, opinions, or beliefs, instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
- Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or food to help against stress.
Tip: If you feel your stress in not manageable or has continued for some time, talk to your doctor.
8. Get Enough Sleep -
Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life. Sleep is vital for healthy physical, mental and emotional processing. When we go without sleep or have insufficient sleep, our bodies struggle to perform to their full potential and, as a consequence, we can expect impairments to our next-day physical and mental performance. Humans, like all animals, need sleep, along with food, water, and oxygen, to survive. For humans, sleep is a vital indicator of overall health and well-being.
How much sleep do I need? Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule each night.
TIP- If you often have trouble sleeping or if you don’t feel well rested after sleeping talk with your doctor.
9. Don’t Skip Breakfast –
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for weight loss seekers. If you skip it, you’ll get hungry before lunchtime and will potentially start snacking on foods that are high in fat and sugar and low in vitamins. Eating breakfast can positively impact your energy level, blood sugar level, weight and even your ability to focus and be productive. After fasting all night, breakfast fuels your body, so you start the day with energy.
Studies have shown that:
- Adults who skip breakfast are not as productive at work, are less effective problem solvers and have less mental clarity compared to people who regularly eat a healthy breakfast.
- Children who eat nutritional breakfast tend to have higher grades in school and have better concentration, alertness, more energy, and can retain knowledge faster and think more clearly than non-breakfast eaters.
TIP - While a good breakfast is vital, eating a heavy breakfast, one which is high in carbohydrates and fat, may actually do you more harm than good.
10. Stay Connected –
Just like a balanced diet and exercise, an active social life is an important part of healthy living. Studies suggest that people who have good social networks may live longer. It takes effort to stay connected when your life is busy and may feel like it's hard to stay in touch however, having a few close, supportive friends can be a key to staying healthy.
These relationships may help you:
- Feel supported
- Stay mentally sharp
- Reach your goals
- Develop a more active lifestyle
- Reduce stress
- Have better health outcomes
- Enhance your sense of well-being and happiness
- Lengthen your lifespan
Socialising reduces stress and alleviates depression -
According to researchers from the University College Dublin, socialising can reduce symptoms of depression: “Increased social interaction helps sufferers to rebuild their self-esteem which in turn enables them to maintain and develop positive relationships and friendships.”