Health Tips for Students and All

Buddha once said "To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear".
Your health is your wealth and as a student, it is your treasure.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being; and not merely the absence of disease.
As a student, these are some  must-know health tips for you to help you stay healthy and strong.
First of all, keep yourself healthy. By being healthy I mean eat good balanced diet, drink enough clean water, exercise regularly, have adequate sleep/rest, maintain personal hygiene and keep a positive mindset and attitude.
Eating Good Balanced Diet
Food is the fuel for the body. It keeps the body running. That is why it is essential to eat healthy foods. Incorporate clean fruits and vegetables into your meals. Always eat a balanced diet, avoid junk food and ensure your food is hygienic, being free from contaminants. This way you stand a low risk of contracting gastrointestinal infections. Eating at regular intervals also prevent peptic ulcer disease as well as exacerbation of such conditions in students who have it.
Drinking Enough Clean Water
Studies have shown that the human body is composed of about 60-70% water. This means that water forms an important part of the body's physiology. Hence, drinking between 6-8 glasses (about 2000-3000mL or about 4-6 sachets) of water in a day to keep your body hydrated and going. Your water should be clean and also free from contaminants to prevent getting any water-borne infection.

Exercising Regularly
Research has shown that 15 min a day or 90 min a week of moderate-intensity exercise is of benefit in terms of life expectancy, even for subjects with cardiovascular risks. Exercising not only keeps us fit and strong, but also de-stresses us and keeps us in shape. A lot of people are developing cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus just because they have ignored exercising their lives. Sometimes the best medication you can take is to exercise your body. To prevent, they say, is better than to cure.

Have adequate sleep/rest
Rest is medicine, according to the Regenerative Health Manual of the Ghana Health Service. It is of necessity that the Bible clearly points that God rested on the Seventh Day after He had created the universe.
Rest is a crucial part of our lives. As our body works most of the day, we need to give it sometime to 'cool off' from the workload and the stresses it has undergone. This can be done by properly relaxing your body by sleeping, taking a nap or resting. It is advised that the adult gets between 6 to 8 hours of sleep in a day. Sometimes take little breaks during the day, like a five-minute rest to re-energize you and get you going. Again, rest is medicine!

Maintain personal hygiene and keep a positive mindset and attitude.
Hygiene is a word not new to most us of us. Since primary school days, teachers will line us up and conduct inspection, looking at our fingernails, hair, teeth and even our handkerchiefs. This they did to make sure we stayed hygienic and disease-free as much as possible. It is no different in our time. Just that this time, our primary school teachers are not the ones to do it but ourselves.

We must maintain personal hygiene to keep ourselves safe and others safe as well. A lot of communicable diseases are on the outbreak and if we don't keep ourselves as clean as possible, we will stand the chance of contracting them and passing them on to our families and friends. Proper handwashing using soap and running water must be practised all the time. From our skin to our undergarments to our personal belongings to our rooms and surroundings, we must consciously put hygiene to play to stay safe.

Last but not least, renowned American Preacher, Joyce Meyer said, "You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind." It can never happen. You're a product of your thoughts. So to live a happy and healthy life, make sure to think positively, be around positive people and have positive people around you. Depression and other psychological conditions can be overcome if we associate ourselves with positivity.
You can change a lot around you when you are healthy. As it is always said, a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. You can be and do your best when you are healthy. Stay safe and healthy. Good life, live it well
The writer is a Health-for-all advocate and a Registered General Nurse.
Isaac Dickson (BSc, RGN)
0501383639, 0543644755
Dickml2g7@gmail.com