disease, diabetes and respiratory illness. It may look painful
and awkward, but with practice and a commitment to
doing it every day, the floss kit will soon be the first thing on
subsequent shopping lists in no time.
4. Add one additional veggie to your meal
Vegetables are one food source that will never fall out of
fashion. They supply you with energy, nourish your body
with nutrients, help kick start other healthy eating habits
and help you eat less as they are very filling while being
naturally low in calories. If you are more of a meat and
carbohydrates person, pick one meal every day this week,
and think of how you can up your intake of vegetables.
Adding vegetables to your diet doesn’t have to be arduous
– it can be as simple as add two tomatoes to your omelette
or having steamer ugwu with your rice.
5. Drink water
Drinking about 2 litres of water a day is an awesome habit to
start and maintain. Water fires up your metabolism, hydrates
you, flushes out toxins, gives your brain a boost all while
helping you eat less. In addition, experts say water can
increase your life expectancy.
6. Stretch during the day
We’re not asking you to roll out a yoga mat in the middle
of the office floor but simple stretches done throughout the
day can go a long way in terms of loosening muscles. Arm
lifting, waist stretching, neck rotations and walking to your
colleague’s desk instead of sending an email are all help.
Stretching increases your blood flow, mobilises your joints
and daily freshen up your mind. It’s to this effect that we
have our weekly Deskercise videos to help you with light
stretches by your desk
*Dr Kazeem Akano manages the Client Quality Assurance
and Provider Education & Engagement at Avon HMO.
7. Get enough sleep.
A good night’s sleep is healing in so many ways. Not only do
you feel rested, but a full night’s sleep also helps maintain
a healthy weight size, lightens your mood, and significantly
reduces your chances of having health issues.
If you’re not getting enough sleep and find yourself fatigued
during the day, you need to move up your bedtime even if
it means leaving a project undone. You’ll have more energy
the next day and the project will be done in no time.
There you have it folks! Inculcate these routines into your
daily living and you’re well on your way to a healthier, fuller
life.
January - March 2017 •
The Lion King
• 49
Health
