Choose to Be Healthy!

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as the “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being” and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Although other descriptions of the word “health” exist, overall most people understand what it means to be in good health or “healthy.”  Look at the following questions:

1) How do you feel today?  Would you describe yourself as feeling “Excellent”, “Very Good”, “Good”, “Fair”, or “Poor?”

2) Are there days where your physical and/or mental health is not good?  If the answer is yes, then count how many days out of a month you feel this way.

3) Are there times when you are frustrated and/or worried with the social conditions around you?  If so, over a two (2) week period do you feel frustrated and/or worried “Nearly Every Day”, “more than half the days”, “several days”, or “None at all”.

If your answers to #1 is “Excellent” or “Very Good” …that is great!  For question #2, reporting 0 days of physical health or mental health issues is best, while reporting 14 or more days is “not considered healthy.”  In question #3, much like question #2, the fewer the days one is frustrated and/or worried about social conditions around you, and/or feeling physically and/or mentally not well, the better.  Being healthy means practicing a healthy lifestyle!  Below are some of the healthy practices individuals should consider adopting in their life and supporting in the lives of people around them:

Healthy Tips [adapted from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC, 2019) and common sources]

• Find your God given purpose and fulfill it (seek God through reading the bible, daily prayer and meditation). Knowing your purpose strengthens your identity.
• Eat three (3) or more servings of vegetables each day.
• Eat two (2) or more servings of fruits each day.
• Limit intake of salty foods and sugary foods/drinks.
• Children and teenagers should get one (1) hour of physical activity every day.
• Adults should get 2 hours and 30 (150) minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week. [30 minutes / 5 days a week]
• Limit alcohol to no more than two (2) drinks per day for men and women only one (1) per day for women. [Of course, a person may also choose to abstain from alcohol.]
• Get seven (7) – nine (9) hours of sleep each night.
• Avoid smoking.
• Love. (It is a verb)
• Laugh often.
• Offer forgiveness.
• Be positive, kind, optimistic in your life expectations, and give back (volunteer) in your community.
• Work to change the negative circumstance around you.  Not addressing problems only ensures that problems will persist.

These tips are listed to get us started.  What tips do you suggest are important to living a “healthy” life?  Feel free to leave your tips in the comments section.  Let us all effort to be healthy!

PHAME-US