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Protect your skin.
You are your best investment. A healthy mind and a healthy body are your best guarantee that you will live an impactful and fulfilling life. A healthy life enables you to perform optimally both physically and mentally with a balanced lifestyle that protects you from diseases. It essential to strive for good health and make healthier decisions that have a positive impact on your life and factors such as mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Here are some wellness tips to keep you and your body in tip-top condition.
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Eat healthy food.
Your health and quality of life are greatly influenced by what you eat. Healthy eating has major long term benefits. You are at lower risk for cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even anxiety and depression. You will have more energy, feel better, and may even be in a better mood. Research defines a healthy diet as one that focuses on eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish. On the other hand, a higher intake of red or processed meats increased the risk of early death by twofold. A healthy diet can help you lose weight. Stay away from the sweets and fizzy drinks. Here are 25 tips to improve your diet.
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Get regular exercise.
Along with diet, exercise helps control your weight and prevents obesity. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat and drink must be equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat and drink. Exercise strengthens your heart and improves your circulation. The increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels in your body. This helps lower your risk of heart diseases such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attack. Regular exercise can also lower your blood pressure. During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. This can help you deal with stress and reduces your risk of depression.
Exercise has many beneficial effects. It can help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colon cancer. It can help treat depression and high blood pressure. Physically fit people are less prone to injury. Try to be active for 30 to 60 minutes about 5 times a week. Remember, any amount of exercise is better than none. Go for a walk! Here are ten ways to get more exercise without even trying.
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Protect your skin.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in South Africa with about 20 000 reported cases every year and 700 deaths. Sun exposure is linked to skin cancer. Try to limit your time spent in the sun. People who get a lot of exposure to UV [ultra violet] rays are at greater risk for skin cancer. The main types of UV rays that can affect your skin include UVA rays and UVB rays. UVB rays have more energy and are a more potent cause of at least some skin cancers, but both UVA and UVB rays can damage skin and cause skin cancer. Be sure to wear protective clothing and hats when you are outside. When possible avoid being in the sun in the middle of the day. Use sunscreen on exposed skin, like your face and hands to protect your skin. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least an SPF 15 to block both UVA and UVB rays. Here are 10 ways to protect your skin from the sun.
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Don’t smoke or use tobacco.
Smoking and tobacco use are harmful habits. They can cause heart disease and mouth, throat, or lung cancer. Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can all cause cancer. There is no safe form of tobacco smoke. Smoking damages the airways and small air sacs in your lungs. This damage starts soon after someone starts smoking, and lung function continues to worsen as long as the person smokes. It may take years for the problem to become noticeable enough for lung disease to be diagnosed.
Smoke damage in the lungs can lead to serious long-term lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking can also increase the risk of lung infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and it can worsen some existing lung diseases, such as asthma. The sooner you quit, the better. The same goes for vaping. Here are 11 tips to help you give up smoking.
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Limit how much alcohol you drink.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems, various cancers and weakening of your immune system. It can also cause mental health problems, including depression and anxiety and social problems,
Men should have no more than two drinks a day. Women should have no more than one drink a day. Too much alcohol can damage your liver. It can cause cancers such as throat, liver, or pancreas cancer. Alcohol abuse also contributes to family violence, and deaths from vehicle accidents, murders, and suicides. Here are 14 tips on how to get in control of alcohol.
And of course, now in the time of Covid, wear a mask, sanitise, keep your distance and stay away from crowds! You will find all sorts of useful resources here.
In addition:
- Have a health check-up with your doctor at least once a year. Not only does this detect problems early but it builds baseline trend information.
- See your dentist at least twice a year. Tooth decay and gingivitis can negatively affect your health and give you bad breath.
- Subscribe to a medical aid scheme. You never know when you might have a serious injury or disease, requiring expensive specialised treatment.
- Women should have regular mammograms every two years.
This is not medical advice. You should always consult your doctor.
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