10 health tips for 2023

One of the fresh resolutions that comes with a new decade is living a healthier lifestyle.Here are 10 useful health suggestions to get you started on the road to a healthy lifestyle in 2023.

1. Eat a healthy diet

Eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Adults should take at least five pieces (400g) of fruit and vegetables each day. You may boost the amount of veggies you consume by include them in all of your meals, snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and eating them when they're in season. amount of fruits and vegetables you consume. You may lower your chance of developing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, by consuming a nutritious diet.

2. Consume less salt and sugar

Filipinos consume twice as much salt as is advised, which increases their risk of hypertension and, eventually, heart disease and stroke. Most people obtain the bulk of their sodium from salt.Reduce your salt intake to 5g per day, or around 1 teaspoon. To make this simpler, choose low-sodium foods and minimize your use of salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and other high-sodium condiments while making meals. Moreover, you should avoid salty snacks and eliminate salt from the dinner table.

On the other hand, consuming excessive amounts of sugar increases the risk of tooth decay and unhealthful weight gain. Free sugar consumption should be limited to less than 10% of total calorie intake in both adults and kids. This is equivalent to around 12 teaspoons, or 50g, for an adult. For extra health advantages, the WHO advises ingesting less than 5% of total calorie consumption. You may reduce your sugar consumption by eating less sugary snacks, desserts, and beverages with added sugar.

3. Reduce intake of harmful fats

Less than 30% of your daily calories should come from fat. By doing so, NCDs and unhealthy weight gain will be decreased. Unsaturated fats are favored over trans- and saturated fats despite the fact that there are many different types of fats.WHO advises limiting saturated and trans fat intake to less than 10% of total calorie intake, respectively, and switching to unsaturated fats to replace both of these types of fat.

The healthier unsaturated fats are present in foods like fish, avocado, and nuts as well as sunflower, soybean, canola, and olive oils. Foods like fatty meat, butter, milk, cheese, ghee, and lard are examples of foods that contain saturated fats. Pre-packaged snacks and meals including frozen pizza, cookies, biscuits, cooking oils, and spreads all contain trans-fats. Baked and fried foods also do..

4. Avoid harmful use of alcohol

Alcohol use has no safe limit. Alcohol use can cause a variety of health issues, including mental and behavioral disorders, alcoholism, serious non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as liver cirrhosis, certain malignancies, and cardiac conditions, as well as harm from vehicle accidents and armed engagements.

5. Don’t smoke

Cigarette use contributes to NCDs such heart disease, lung disease, and stroke. Tobacco kills people even when they are not smokers and are only exposed to secondhand smoke from a smoker.

There are now 15.9 million adult smokers in the Philippines, however 7 out of 10 smokers are either interested in quitting or have plans to do so.

You still have time to stop smoking if you act straight away. Your health will improve as a result, both immediately and over time.That's fantastic if you don't smoke! Don't start smoking to protect your right to breathe in tobacco-free air.

6. Be active

The phrase "physical activity" refers to any skeletal muscle-driven motion requiring the expenditure of energy. This includes physical activity as well as actions taken when working, playing, performing chores around the house, traveling, and having fun. Depending on your age group, you could need more or less exercise, but those between the ages of 18 and 64 should exercise for at least 150 minutes every week.of moderate-intensity exercise. Exercise at a moderate level should be increased to 300 minutes per week for further health benefits.

7. Check your blood pressure regularly

The term "silent killer" refers to high blood pressure, which is also referred to as hypertension. This is due to the fact that many hypertensive individuals may not be aware of the issue as it may not present with any symptoms. Hypertension can cause renal, heart, brain, and other illnesses if it is not under control. Have a health professional check your blood pressure on a regular basis so you are aware of your levels. Get the assistance of a health professional if your blood pressure is high. In order to avoid and manage hypertension, this is essential.

8. Get tested

Being tested is a crucial first step in learning about your health status, particularly for STIs, hepatitis B, HIV, and tuberculosis (TB). If not addressed, these disorders might have grave implications. Understanding your status allows you to either continue protecting yourself against these diseases or, if you find out you are positive, to seek the care and treatment you require.Visit a clinic, either public or private, in the area where you feel most comfortable to have a test done on you.

9. Get vaccinated

One of the best methods to avoid infections is by vaccination. Measles, mumps, pneumonia, polio, rabies, rubella, tetanus, typhoid, and yellow fever are just a few of the illnesses that vaccines help to prevent by bolstering your body's natural defenses.

As part of the Department of Health's regular vaccination program, free immunizations are given to children in the Philippines who are 1 years old or less. If you're an adult or adolescent, you can discuss with your doctor whether you wish to have yourself immunized or have your vaccination status checked.

10. Follow traffic laws

Millions more people suffer injuries in road accidents than fatalities, which total over a million worldwide. Government policies that include strict law and enforcement, better infrastructure and vehicle standards, and enhanced post-crash care can all help to reduce the number of injuries caused by traffic accidents. By adhering to traffic laws, such as wearing a seatbelt for yourself and your children and a child restraint for your children, wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle or bicycle, abstaining from drunk driving, and refraining from using a cell phone while driving, you can help prevent accidents on the road.