Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy lifestyle is a way of living that significantly lowers the risk of diseases by maintaining a good physical, social, and psychological health. Some diseases are not preventable; however the probability of having such diseases may be reduced by following a healthy lifestyle.
How can we achieve a healthy lifestyle?
Avoid smoking
Smoking has many health consequences such as the risk of having coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, psoriasis, osteoporosis, and even hearing loss.
Moreover, pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at risk of having lower birth weight babies, stillbirths, and newborns having ear infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Avoid drinking alcohol
Too much alcohol intake can increase the risk of more than 60 major types of diseases and injury which result in approximately 2.5 million deaths annually.
For pregnant women, there is no safe amount of alcohol intake since alcohol brings harm to the fetus and may impede in the development of the baby.
Stay away from illegal drugs
Examples of illegal drugs include cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana.
Illegal drugs provide psychological and physical consequences to our health such as heart infections, respiratory problems, and even depression.
Additionally, the effects of illegal drugs during pregnancy are infertility, placental problems, preterm labor, and stillbirth.
Avoid exposure from toxic substances in the environment
Exposure to air pollution, heavy metals (mercury and lead), pesticides, and radiation should be taken into consideration when maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Toxic substances in the environment that are harmful to the developing fetus are called teratogens. These type of chemicals can cause birth defects and other complications during pregnancy.
Manage chronic medical conditions
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Proper medication use
Some medicines are not safe for pregnant women so it is important to always consult your health provider and to always read the labels during pregnancy.
Additionally, prescription drug abuse can also increase the risk of other diseases so it is important to follow medication protocols to prevent complications.
Stay active and be fit
One of the benefits of exercising is it reduces the risk of heart diseases.
Exercising strengthens your heart and improves your circulation.
Moreover, it also improves your bone and muscle strength and consequently enhances your mental health and mood.
For pregnant women, exercising can reduce back pains, bloating, and swelling, and also lowers the risk of gestational diabetes.
However, for pregnant women, it is important to consult with your doctor first before you begin your exercise program.
Stress management and take care of your mental health
Know how to effectively cope with stress by learning meditation techniques and breathing exercises, setting realistic goals, and by talking to peers if you have a problem.
By having a good mental health, we can reduce the risk of having physical illnesses associated with mental health problems.
If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, seek help and talk about it with someone you trust.
