HEALTH IS WEALTH

 

…and my boss said, health first!

I am a corps member serving at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, Osun State and happened to be ill on my first week of resumption at my Place of Primary Assignment (PPA). Being my first week at work, I didn’t want to start with taking permission for absenteeism, I believe you understand the reason behind this.

Though on medication, I had to set out for work after taking the morning dose. 

As expected, my body started reacting to the drug, sleep kept knocking and I couldn’t help it but give in. It was while I was asleep that my boss after a while, asked to know whether I was okay. To cut it short, I was asked to go home, get my health attended to and report back when I was okay. 

That was an open cheque, right? But I did report as and at when due and didn’t overshoot just as others would have done, laughs softly…

Though one of the commonest axioms, the saying “health is wealth” is like common sense which is in no way, common.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity and on the either hand, Wikipedia defined Wealth as the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. 

As a buttress to the Wikipedia’s definition of wealth (physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions) health which is wealth is a prerequisite to the ability to work in order to earn and have what had been earned used for transactions.

Being healthy is a huge asset and it is to this end that everyone is to be on the lookout for his/her health as there's no two lives.

HEALTH TIPS

Here are some practical health tips to help you start off towards healthy living.

Exercise regularly

Moving your body daily not only helps you sweat out toxins, but it can also potentially help flush out bacteria from your lungs and keep your lungs healthy. Exercise also helps your circulatory system and promotes good circulation which allows your cells and immune system substances to flow properly through your system so they can do their jobs more effectively.

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water and staying hydrated is again one of the best ways to stay healthy. It's key in flushing out toxins and waste materials from the body so that your immune system is more effectively able to fight infections. 

Get enough sleep

Sleep helps with stress management, but it also helps us stay motivated to move, gives us more energy, helps our metabolism stay regulated and ultimately can also help with weight loss. 

Eat a healthy diet

Eat a combination of different foods, including fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. 

Consume less salt and sugar

Reduce your salt intake to 5g per day, equivalent to about one teaspoon. 

On the other hand, consuming excessive amounts of sugars increases the risk of tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain. 

Reduce intake of harmful fats

Fats consumed should be less than 30% of your total energy intake. This will help prevent unhealthy weight gain and NCDs (non-communicable disease). 

Some other practical health tips to help you start off towards healthy living include:

Manage your stress

Check your blood

 pressure regularly

Don’t smoke

Avoid harmful use of alcohol

The benefits of being healthy cannot be overemphasized and include:

Being healthier

Increased chances of living longer/ fewer health problem

Reducing the chances of depression

Feeling better mentally

Saving money

Taking control of your life

Conclusively, as much as there’s the need to make wealth, let your health be first as it is the best form of wealth.

Okoronkwo Chibueze John

 OS/20B/1992

 Industrial Chemistry