Making health changes

Keep in mind some of the challenges you may probably encounter such as a lack of support from your household, food dislikes, emotional issues, higher food prices, unemployment, shortened work hours and cooking skills among others.

The willingness of individuals to work together whether through choosing nutritious foods, preparing healthy dishes and snacks with local produce, can be helpful in achieving success.

Perhaps, being motivated again can help you to achieve your goal. This process is quite simple –make small changes daily – aim to drink more water, cut back on sugary beverages and energy drinks; add veggies to your daily menu; participate in physical activities such as walking, running, aerobics, cricket, football and so on weekly.

Eat fresh fruit, less concentrated sweets and incorporate more fibre-rich foods in the diet, such as peas and beans, ground provision, starchy fruits, whole grains and whole grain products.

Opting to make one change at a time can help you to get one step closer to replacing unhealthy practices with healthy ones.

Dietary habits To adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle include not only dietary habits but physical activity habits, as well as economic, social and environmental factors.

The total diet or an individual’s dietary pattern is the primary focus of healthy eating.

Eating practices can be powerful, some practices may be very good but some will need to change –such as skipping breakfast and other meals, crashed dieting and so on. Dietary habits may be influenced by several factors including weight management, time, availability of food, media messaging, cultural attitudes and beliefs.

Eating habits The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that to improve eating habits, people should reflect on their eating habits both good and not so good, and what might possibility trigger poor food choices. You can create a list and highlight what causes you to overeat. Make the effort to swap unhealthy eating habits for healthy ones and reinforce the new healthy eating habits.

Therefore, in working with individuals, the following can be looked at: even though guidance is provided, include their ideas – always allow them to have input and work with the recipes. Make it fun and focus on variety, moderation and proportionality in the context of a healthy lifestyle.

The aim is to plan well-balanced meals and show them how to include foods from the different food groups. Ensure that people understand meal planning –how to choose nutritious foods and prepare them. Schedule a visit with a registered dietitian or nutritionist and work with them on meal planning and grocery shopping. Practical nutrition messages can be much more beneficial in helping people to make lifestyle changes.

You can win Studies show that adopting a healthy lifestyle may lower one’s potential risk for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or even help those already diagnosed. This, of course, may help them to improve their quality of life and to better manage their weight, improve blood pressure, blood glucose (blood sugar) and cholesterol levels. In addition, stress management at home and at work is also essential.

You should take time to relax, considering work-life balance-time. Add downtime to your schedule, include physical activity but first check with your medical doctor, dialogue with managers and adjust work schedule if possible. Be sure to take a few minutes to relax at lunchtime. Enjoy family time and special events with colleagues.

Be sure to catch up on sleep as it is vital throughout the life cycle in maintaining good health.

Getting adequate sleep at the right times can aid in protecting mental and physical health, quality of life and safety. Sleep deficiency can increase your risk for some chronic health problems; it can affect how you think, react, learn, work, and get along with others. So, then be determined, make the commitment to improve your health, and enjoy life.

Claudette Mitchell, PhD, RD – Assistant Professor, University of the Southern Caribbean, School of Science, Technology and Allied Health