Making these small changes to your daily life will significantly improve
your well-being and put you on the road to better health.
Give up
smoking It is never too late to quit smoking, and there are many
benefits to be gained no matter what your age is 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 might 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 include:
Carbon monoxide:
Fatal in large doses, this poisonous gas, is 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 – Smoking can cause cancer
of the lungs, mouth, nose, throat, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney, liver, bladder,
bowel, ovary, cervix, bone marrow, and stomach;
Lung diseases – such as
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which includes chronic bronchitis and
emphysema;
Heart disease – such as heart attack and stroke; and
Poor blood
circulation - in feet and hands, which can lead to pain and, in severe cases,
gangrene and amputation.
Quit smoking now and reduce your risk of serious
and life-threatening disease.
Tip: If you need help quitting smoking ask
your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for
quitting.
Reducing stress Stress is a normal reaction to
the ever-increasing demands of life. Unfortunately, long-term stress can cause
many complications on your health. Everyone has stress at some point in life.
However, if you are stressed often, it puts 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; and,
- Don’t rely on alcohol, drugs, or food to help against stress.
Remember: If you feel your stress is not manageable or has continued for some
time, talk to your doctor.
Get enough sleepHealthy 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, 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 seven to eight hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule
each night.
Make changes to your routine if you can’t find enough time to
sleep.
Important point: It is important that you go to sleep at around the
same time every day.
Try to get good quality sleep so you feel rested when
you wake up.
Tip: If you often have trouble sleeping – or if you don’t feel
well rested after sleeping – talk to your doctor.
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.
Skipping breakfast affect a person’s effectiveness at
work or in school.
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; and,
- Children who eat nutritional breakfast tend to have higher grades in school.
They have better concentration, alertness, and 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.
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 and better.
It takes effort to stay connected when your life is
busy. Sometimes it may feel like it’s just too hard to stay in touch.
But,
having a few close, mutually 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.
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