Healthy Living. Healthy You.
We are what we eat and healthy living starts with good nutrition. When you’re not at your healthiest, you can probably tell. You may simply feel “off”. You may find that you feel tired, your digestive system isn’t functioning as well as it normally does, and you seem to catch colds. Mentally, you may find you can’t concentrate and feel anxious or depressed. The good news is a healthy lifestyle can help you feel better, it starts by creating small eating habits such as checking the contents on a food packaging label, these habits can steer you in the direction of improved wellbeing.
Once you make one change, that success can motivate you to continue to make more positive shifts.
According to research from Eat Well Live Well report by Tiger Brands, in a developing country such as South Africa, how and what we eat is often shaped by various socioeconomic factors. Like much of the rest of the world, we are undergoing a nutrition transition. The average South African has a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than the global recommendation. This makes us more likely to develop a range of medical conditions related to obesity, which carry the risk of toppling our already over-burdened public healthcare sector – at a time when we can least afford the resources and manpower.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, it’s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle and some of the benefits you gain from living more healthily include:
- Feeling better mentally – regular exercise can lift your mood and help you feel better
- Saving money – eating junk food, smoking, and drinking sugary drinks or alcohol are all expensive habits
- Fewer health problems – living a healthier lifestyle means a lower risk of developing many illnesses
- Taking control of your life – getting healthy helps you feel in control of your life.
The key to developing positive habits that you are more likely to keep is to start slowly, work around challenges, and stay healthy, schedule regular check ups with your doctor to monitor your progress as well as to find support.
Dates to Remember
National Savings Month
10 July – Preventing Panic Day
17 July – Nelson Mandela Day
28 July – World Hepatitis Day
15 July to 15 August – Bone Marrow Stem Cell
Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month