Lifestyle Diseases

• DR DAVID HUTE /UIRAB and KAPADHI /UIRASIN our first article we discussed a person’s general attitude to life and advised that we should be lifelong learners to be successful, fulfilled and healthy.

Elaborating on that theme, we would like to introduce the next series of articles on our lifestyles and how they impact on our health.

Lifestyle, in our view, refers to the way we behave, think and generally carry ourselves and includes things like work, thoughts, food and what we drink, leisure activities, and interaction with others.

The lifestyle you choose today can lead to certain diseases later in your life. Lifestyle diseases are, therefore, primarily based on our daily habits.

Some of the diseases include depression, type two diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and heart disease, sleep disorders and high cholesterol.

We live in a stressful era, arguably the most stressful period in human history. It is one of the major causes of ill-health today!

Stress is the feeling of emotional or physical tension. It is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to.

Some stress is normal and even useful, especially if you have to work hard or react quickly. If nothing in your life causes you any stress or excitement, you may be bored and you may not live up to your full potential.

But if it’s too often or too long, stress can have bad effects. Some of the negative health effects of stress include: recurrent headaches; upset stomach including ulcers; back pain; impaired sexual function (including erectile dysfunction, the most feared eventuality for the human male!); and reduced immunity, making it hard for the body to fight off diseases. In many ways, stress affects our relationships, and school and work performance.

a) Survival Stress – Fear of physical hurt elicits the most basic of reactions: hormones that give us an energy burst for survival.

b) Internal (or emotional) stress – This happens when we worry about situations or things we have no control over.

c) Fatigue and overwork – Working too hard or not knowing how to manage our time, not taking time out to rest and relax, causes this kind of stress.

d) Career stress – This happens when we are “trapped” in jobs we don’t enjoy. We feel drained at the end of each day.

e) Financial insecurity – Many of us will relate to this as we lie awake at night thinking how to get out of the financial hole we got ourselves in.

People under stress become tired easily; struggle to sleep; feel overwhelmed; often can’t concentrate or think clearly; feel unhappy and dissatisfied; can even suffer a mental breakdown.

Recognising when you are stressed and managing your stress can greatly improve your life.

1) Learn better ways to manage your time. Schedule activities and focus on priority areas. Many times stress is caused by not finishing the important and urgent activities first.

2) Get plenty of rest, eat well, don’t smoke. Use alcohol in moderation, if at all you do. Certain foods can aggravate stress and should be taken in moderation or avoided: tea, coffee, energy drinks, fast foods, sugar, chocolate, etc.

3) Let your feelings out: assertive communication helps. Talk, laugh, and express your anger when you need to.

4) Write things down. Sometimes you may not feel like telling someone, but write it all out on paper. You can always destroy it afterwards. Just the action of writing it all down is all that is needed at times to make you feel better.

5) Ask for help from a professional counsellor or coach, a family member or a trusted friend.

6) Exercise: Regular exercise is one of the most effective and positive ways to relieve stress.

8) Learn ways to relax through breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage, yoga, meditation, listening to relaxing music, humour.

All these can help you to feel better. Take control of your life and free yourself from the slavery of stress!

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