8 Powerful Reasons to Quit Smoking

1.       Tobacco smoke contains addictive nicotine and many other harmful chemicals. Smoking causes a number of health problems including stroke, heart attack, impotence, and various forms of cancer.

2.       It`s not only the smoker that is badly affected, the people around are also at risk of developing  various health problems.

3.       Quitting smoking will make you have better smelling breathe, clothes,  and hair.

4.       Smoking makes you look older than you really are. It dries your skin, and increases the formation of wrinkles.

5.       Giving up smoking will give you full control of your life. You will no longer be controlled by a nicotine molecule.

6.       Smoking can badly affect a person`s fertility. It can negatively affect a man`s sperm count and a woman`s ovaries.

7.       Quitting smoking will make you feel better by improving your lung function. The tar accumulated in your lungs will go away.

8.       You can save your money by giving up smoking, and you can use the money to buy things that can add value to your life. You deserve better than what smoking gives you.

Eat Fruits To Improve Your Health

Fruits are vital to maintaining and improving health. They are packed with essential vitamins that are either not found in other food types or they are found not as abundant as in fruits.

Fruits are good sources of vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, calcium, etc. These vitamins and minerals work together to give the body the nourishment it needs.

Low calories in fruits can help you maintain a healthy weight. If you are looking for ways to control your weight, then you should consider eating more fruits and other low-calorie foods like vegetables.

Eating enough fruits can help you reduce risk of some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.

Ways To Overcome Stress

It`s nearly impossible to find someone who has always been stress-free. We all suffer from stress at a certain point in life, some even suffer on daily basis. To cut the long story short, I can say stress is inevitable. The important thing is how we handle it. Below are some of the ways we can cope with stress.

·         Identify the causes of the stress. This is one step closer to getting organized.

·         Spend your time doing what you love. You can easily manage stress when your life is filled with activities you are passionate about.

·         Manage your time well. Lack of time is one of the common stressors.

·         Do exercises. Exercise helps relieve the tension of a stressful life.

·         Be optimistic. Always tell yourself  “I can”, “ it will work”, “ I will make it”, e.t.c.

·         Have a sleep. If it seems you can`t control a situation, just grab your pillow, lie down on your bed, close your eyes, and have some sleep. That`s it!

·         Don`t spend too much time thinking about your worries because that will only worsen the situation. Instead, divert your attention to something else.

 

Health Benefits of Walking

Walking is a form of light exercise that can do many wonders. It`s a great way to maintaining and improving your health. Walking is simple compared to other forms of vigorous exercises, and the risk of injury is minimal. It`s advisable to walk for at least 30 minutes everyday.

Some health benefits of walking include:

·         Strengthening of heart, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack.

·         Reducing the risk of colon and breast cancer

·         Preventing  type 2 diabetes

·         Increasing cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness

·         Preventing erectile dysfunction

·         Developing stronger bones

·         Preventing depression

·         Maintaining a healthy weight and reducing body fat

·         Improving balance and coordination

·         Preventing physical disability, especially among older persons.

10 Reasons Why You Should Drink Enough Water

 

Water constitute the major part of all the cells in our body and, therefore, maintains the proper functioning of the cells. Water accounts for about 60% of our body, though this percentage may vary due to some factors like our body weights and the age. We sweat, we urinate, we walk, we run, we lift weights; all these and many more make us lose water throughout the day. This lost water needs to be replaced to stay heathy. But, unfortunately, many of us do not form the habit of drinking enough water. You want to maintain and improve your health? Drink enough water!

It`s widely said that we should take about 8 glasses of water a day, but one thing to consider here is that our water intake requirement differ. The best thing is to never ignore the signal your body sends when it needs water and, secondly, make a routine. For example, take water when you wake up in the morning, take it with each meal and between meals. Also, don`t forget to take water before, during  and after exercise. No words can fully explain the importance of water to our health.

Below are 10 reasons why you should take enough water.

1.       Healthy Skin

Water helps keep our skin healthy. It keeps our skin smooth and glowing, and gets rid of wrinkles.

2.       Energy Increase

Dehydration make us feel tired and, therefore, lowering our energy level which can be boosted by enough water intake.

3.       Proper Digestion

Water is highly needed for proper digestion.

4.       Weight Loss

Water is sugar-free and has no calories. In addition, it increases metabolism.

5.       Relieves headache

Dehydration is a common cause of headache. Drinking enough water can serve as natural headache cure.

6.       Better Productivity

Our brain is 90% made up of water. Drinking enough water helps us think better, become more concentrated and be more alert.

7.       Regulates Body Temperature

Water regulates changes in body temperature. When our body becomes hotter, we begin to sweat, and the evaporation of water from the skin cools the body.

8.       Removal of Metabolic Waste Products

Water removes waste products from the cells and remove them from the body through urine. Lack of enough water in the body can cause the accumulation of these waste products in the body, and that is harmful to our health.

9.       Joints Lubrication

Proper hydration keeps our joints lubricated. This will in turn make movements easier.

10.   Reduce Cancer Risk

Studies show that drinking enough water may reduce the risk of colon cancer and bladder cancer.

 

DRINK WATER, DRINK WATER, DRINK WATER…THE MORE, THE BETTER!

Role of Our Behaviours on Health

Some of our behaviours could lead us to adverse health experiences, while some can improve our health. When we are sick, we develop some behaviours that can in part determine the speed of our discovery.

Preventive behaviours help in keeping us healthy. Engagement in physical activities, use of mosquito nets, washing our hands with soap, eating more fruits and vegetables, avoiding alcohol and adequate sleep are some examples of preventive behaviours.

When we feel ill, our behaviours can determine the progression of our illness. Early recognition of symptoms and quick referral for treatment will reduce the burden. On the other hand, some people may perceive themselves to be ill, but instead of promptly visiting a nearby health center, they might choose to stay at home, and this is not advisable at all.

Complying or not complying with the instructions given to us by health workers is another behaviour that can influence our situation.

After illness, rehabilitation behaviours come into consideration. These are what we do to get ourselves better and prevent  future reoccurances.

Role of Physical Environment on Health

There`s no doubt that physical environment can influence our health in one way or the other. Vegetation, animals, the air we breathe, our drinking and recreational water, our food, buildings, the land we live on and our vehicles are some of the components of our physical environment. Exposure to pollutants in the physical environment produces a variety of health problems. You ready to maintain your precious health? I`m sure your answer is a big YES. Well, here is what to do: try as much as possible to minimize your exposure to pollutants in the physical environment. Avoiding them at all may not be simple. Healthy life, of course, requires greenish environment, avoidance of sun exposure, safe drinking water, air ventilated buildings, e.t.c. That`s it!

AIR

Air pollution results from the release of hazardous substances into the air. Common air pollutants are ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. Exhaust emissions from vehicles are the main source of these air pollutants. Why can`t we minimize the use of cars and trucks especially around crowded areas? Look, I like those flashy cars too, maybe much more than you do. But, my health and the health of people around me is far more important than my desires. Here in Nigeria, lack of constant power supply triggers the use of generator sets for electricity supply. Emissions from these generator sets are deteriorating our health as they release air-borne pollutants. Should we look for other alternatives? I would say YES!

WATER

Safe drinking water has been one of the public health goals. Bacteria and other organisms found in water can cause serious health problems. Our drinking water as well as recreational water should be well monitored.

STRUCTURES

Roads, houses, schools, workplaces, parks and business areas form the structural component of our physical environment. How we plan and develop them will influence our health positively or otherwise. Well-designed places improve health, while unregulated structures could lead to adverse health experiences.

FOOD

Your food tells a lot about your health. We should try as much as possible to be combining all classes of food in our meals. A balanced diet helps develop our body immunity which in turn fights against pathogens that cause variety of diseases.

Role of Social and Economic Environment on Health

I made mention of the main determinants of health in my previous post, and now I see the importance of breaking them down for better understanding. Role of social and economic environment is what I will briefly take a look at today.

Our health is partly determined by access to social and economic opportunities; income, social status, our interactions and relationships, education, working conditions, support networks and housing among others. So, social  conditions we live in can partly explain why some are healthier than others.

It is of paramount importance for us to periodically view our social and economic conditions. Improving on the good ones and getting rid of the conditions that seem to adversely affect our health is the way forward.

Collectively, we should work to establish policies that will positively influence our social and economic conditions. This, as you can see, is not a one-man work.

HEALTH

As defined by the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Going by the above definition, we can say that finding a healthy person is at all not easy, and a lot of people thinking of themselves living a healthy life are actually not. This necessitate the need for all of us to stop all we are doing for a moment and take a look at our general health. Some things need to be stopped, some need to be introduced and some need to be improved. It is truly our health status that determines whether we perform well in all of our life activities.

For one to access the status of his/her health, determinants of health need to be taken into consideration. According to the World Health Organization, the main determinants of health are the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the person`s individual characteristics and behaviours. As you can see from these determinants, health is not only maintained and improved through the application of health science and the use of health services, but also through the lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

Improving and maintaining health is a goal of every sensible person. This goal can be achieved through health care knowledge and practices as well as personal care strategies.