Here are some health tips for 2021

New years bring new resolutions for improving one’s life and a healthier lifestyle. These are some health tips that will help you get started on a healthy lifestyle in 2021.

Eat a healthy diet

You can eat a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts, as well as whole grains. Adults should consume at least five portions (400g), of fruits and vegetables each day. You can increase your fruits and vegetable intake by including vegetables in every meal, eating fresh fruits and veggies as snacks, and eating a wide variety of fruits. You can reduce your risk of developing malnutrition or other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as stroke, heart disease, and cancer, by eating well.

Reduce salt and sugar intake

The recommended sodium intake for Filipinos is twice that of the recommended. This puts them at risk of high bloodpressure, which can lead to stroke and heart disease. Salt is the most common way that people obtain their sodium. Limit your salt intake to five grams per day. That’s about one teaspoon. This is easier than you might think. Reduce salt intake by limiting salt, soy sauce and fish sauce in your meals, removing salt seasonings and condiments, and avoiding salty snacks.

Reduce your intake of unhealthy fats

Your total energy intake should not exceed 30%. This will prevent NCDs and unhealthy weight gain. There are many types of fats. However, unsaturated fats are preferred over trans-fats and saturated fats. WHO recommends reducing saturated fats by less than 10% of total calories intake, reducing trans fats by less than 1% of total energie intake, and replacing saturated fats with trans fats with unsaturated fats.

Avoid alcohol abuse

There is no safe limit to the amount of alcohol you can drink. Drinking alcohol can cause health problems, such as alcohol dependence, mental and behavioural disorders, and major NCDs like liver cirrhosis and other cancers.

Don’t smoke

Tobacco smoking can cause NCDs like stroke, heart disease, and lung disease. Second-hand tobacco exposure can cause death in non-smokers as well as direct smokers. There are approximately 15.9 million Filipino adults who currently smoke tobacco, but 7 percent of them are either interested in quitting or intend to quit.