Health Etiquette on Healthy Lifestyle

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. - Mahatma Gandhi

A friend of mine called me to ask for an advice on what to present regarding Health Etiquette. We began brainstorming and I brought up some points which led me to erupt with the idea to write an article instantly. This idea about writing an article on the topic in question occurred to me. Hence, I decided to gather my years of experience and references from medical literatures.

Firstly, let me define this word separately for better understanding. Health as defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. While the online Oxford dictionary define Etiquette as a form required by good breeding, or prescribed by authority, to be observed in social or official life; observance of the proprieties of rank and occasion; conventional decorum; ceremonial code of polite society.

Putting these explanations together, one can say Health Etiquette is a prescribed way of living a better life without having mental and physical abnormalities. Any deviation from this prescribed form might lead to functional abnormalities be it mental, physical or spiritual. This health observing decorum doesn't exist on its own without some principal guidelines being responsible for it.

Health Etiquette is a prescribed way of living a better life without having mental and physical abnormalities.

Personal hygiene

A Yoruba adage says that "imototo lole segun arun gbogbo" meaning- Cleanliness is a preventive measure against all diseases. This Yoruba adage is a summary of what is called hygiene in medical literature. However, This hygiene can be classified into two types. The personal hygiene and environmental hygiene also known as environmental sanitation. The personal hygiene entails all the cleaning habit that is necessary to be carried out on daily basis by individual in order to avoid being sick or contacting communicable diseases. These are bathing with soap, washing hands before eating. Washing fruits and vegetables before consumption, eating well prepared meal and practicing of a healthy life style. Including all sort of hygienic behavior that safeguards our well-being.

The personal hygiene entails all the cleaning habit that is necessary to be carried out on daily basis by individual in order to avoid being sick or contacting communicable diseases.

Environmental hygiene

The Environmental hygiene is the cleanliness of the environs, we abide and thrive. This involves the proper disposal of waste products in order to avoid breeding of pests. Clearing of bushes and weeds around the houses, removal of stagnant water to prevent breeding space for mosquitoes. Of course, everyone knows the health importance of mosquitoes. The structural engineers value the impact of environmental sanitation and decided to design modern sewage disposal system so as to ensure a healthy living environment.

The environmental sanitation is so important that the Federal government deemed it to appoint a day to carry out this exercise. This is intended to keep the environment clean and safe from sort dangerous pests and free from communicable diseases.

In order to be free from contamination of our own faeces, some states have recognized the human physiological needs while away from home, hence they have ensured the availability of mobile latrines. This has in away discouraged the habit of open air defecation which is a serious environmental health hazards and unsafe practice to our existence.

Environmental hygiene includes clearing of bushes and weeds around the houses, removal of stagnant water to prevent breeding space for mosquitoes.

Healthy Eating habits

Eating habit is an aspect of Health Etiquette that is of great concern. Eating healthy isn’t always easy, but committing to a healthy diet can be one of the smartest decisions you ever make. Why? Not only can eating well make you look and feel better, it can also save you money on future health costs.

But even if you intend to “eat healthy” knowing exactly what that means can be challenging. “Following a healthy diet includes choosing plenty of lean meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, whole grain and dairy products,” says Debra Nessel, a registered dietitian with Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California.

Benefits of Physical exercise

It is of importance to discuss the role of physical exercise as one of the Health Etiquette based the significant benefit of this. These benefits of physical exercise extend far beyond weight management. Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce your risk for several diseases and health conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems.

Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce your risk for several diseases and health conditions and improve your overall quality of life.

Effects of exercise on diseases

1. Heart Disease and Stroke. Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity. Optimizing each of these factors can provide additional benefits of decreasing the risk for Peripheral Vascular Disease.
   


2. High Blood Pressure. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity reduces body fat, which is associated with high blood pressure.


3. Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes. By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.


4. Obesity. Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases. Read 5 tips on How to Lose Weight Fast.


5. Back Pain. By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain. Read Lower back Pain: what you need to know


6. Osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.


7. Self Esteem And Stress Management. Studies on the psychological effects of exercise have found that regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress. Read 100 ways to stop Worrying. 


8. Disability. Running and aerobic exercise have been shown to postpone the development of disability in older adults and maintains quality of life longer for seniors.

Conclusion

To sum it briefly, the importantance of understanding Health Etiquette can not be underestimated based on the numerous benefits of it. To mention but a few are the personal and environmental hygiene which profer a solid barrier against contacting communicable diseases.  And also reduce to a large extent the breeding of pests. Healthy eating habits and physical exercise go a long way to fight against overweight and related health issues from obesity. It is an established fact, the role of physical exercise in improving mood and reducing depression.

References:
Onhealth
WHO 
Nerdwallet

Health Etiquette on Healthy Lifestyle was written by our foremost Dr LB Basaru. You can follow him on Social media. 

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