The Cheap & Good Way To
A Healthy Life
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Healthy living doesn’t
necessarily have to be
costly. Here are
some ways in which you
can live a longer and
healthier life.
The best part is - they
are all easy on your
pockets.
I am what I eat
Did you know that some
of the most inexpensive
things you can buy could
actually be the best for
you? Healthy diets
do not have to come at a
price. Ms Nehal Kamdar,
Dietitian at
Raffles Internal
Medicine Centre,
tells us about five
foods you should pick up
during your next trip to
the supermarket.
Tofu
Tofu is an inexpensive
protein source. It
is high in B vitamins
and iron, but low in fat
and sodium.
Therefore, it is a
healthy addition to many
dishes.
Tofu’s primary health
benefits stem from its
soybean base.
Soybeans are very rich
in protein, minerals and
plant components called
isoflavones, which act
as a form of estrogen
hormones in the body.
Oats
Oats are a good source
of essential vitamins
such as thiamine, folic
acid, biotin,
pantothenic acid and
vitamin E. They
also conatin zinc,
selenium, copper, iron,
manganese and magnesium.
Consumption of whole
grain products and
dietary fibre, such as
oats, has been shown to
reduce the risk of high
blood pressure and heart
attack. Eating oats can
also spread the rise in
blood sugar over a
longer period, making it
beneficial for diabetic
patients.
Nuts
Despite the high fat
content, nuts are good
for you! This is
because they are packed
with healthy fats known
as unsaturated and
mono-unsaturated fats,
which are known to have
heart-protective
benefits.
They’re also good
sources of essential
fatty acids, vitamin E
and protein. With so
much nutrients contained
in every nut, you only
need to eat a little to
get the required
nutritional benefits.
Broccoli
Broccoli contains lots
of nutrients such as
calcium, vitamins A and
C, potassium, folate and
fibre. In addition,
broccoli is also packed
with phytonutrients,
compounds that may help
prevent heart disease,
diabetes and certain
cancers.
Brown Rice
Low in fat and high in
protein and fibre, brown
rice is a great source
of nutrients such as
riboflavin, folate, iron
and magnesium.
The health benefits of
high fibre content foods
are numerous. It
reduces the possibility
of heart diseases, helps
avoid abrupt spikes in
sugar levels, helps
digestion and reduces
constipation. It
is also beneficial for
stomach and intestinal
ulcers and for curing
the dreaded case of
diarrhoea.
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A healthy mind is part
of a healthy body
When you are in a good
state of mind, you make
good decisions about
your job, your lifestyle
and your health.
Here are some things you
can do to keep your mind
healthy:
Reduce stress in your
life
We are all familiar with
the feelings of stress.
“Stress is good when it
helps you stay focused,
and alert. But
when it is excessive,
incessant and
cumulative, it can turn
malignant as it reduces
your body resilience and
immunity and makes you
susceptible to mental
and physical illness,”
said
Dr Lim Yun Chin,
Specialist in Psychiatry
at Raffles Counselling
Centre.
Here are some great
anti-stress strategies
from Dr Lim:
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Connect with people
who love you or care
for you. Unburden
yourself to receive
affirmation and
emotional support
(Beware: not every
person is capable of
affirming or
supporting you).
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Have a good
self-care program,
that is regular
exercise, relaxation
sessions, balanced
nutrition etc.
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Learn to reframe
your problems
through self-talk or
cognitive
restructuring.
If all else fail,
seek professional
help.
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Make time in your
life for things that
are fun. Make
a list of activities
that you like to do
and allocate some
time each day for
doing something you
enjoy.
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Get enough sleep
Sleepiness reduces your
concentration, increases
mood swings and causes
accidents. “It is
believed that the
incidence of insomnia is
increasing in Singapore
and this is probably due
to the stressful
lifestyle and pressures
of daily living,” said
Dr Stephen Lee,
Specialist in ENT
Surgery at Raffles ENT
Centre.
If you are not getting
enough sleep, give these
good sleeping habits a
try:
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Establish a regular
sleep schedule and
bedtime routine with
a regular pattern of
activities to set
the mood for sleep
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Maintain a conducive
sleep environment,
e.g. comfortable
bedroom temperature,
keeping the bedroom
dark and quiet etc
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Exercise regularly
as this promotes
good sleep
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Use the bedroom
primarily as a place
for sleep
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Avoid caffeine and
alcohol before sleep
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Share your burdens with
others
Do not be afraid to seek
help if you are feeling
depressed or anxious.
When you keep to
yourself, you often end
up feeling worse than
ever. Sometimes,
all we need is a
listening ear.
Therefore, talk to a
friend whom you trust or
seek the help of
professionals, if
necessary.
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Keep Moving
Regular physical
activity helps you:
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Live longer and feel
better
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Build strong bones
and fight
osteoporosis
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Increase your body’s
resistance against
illness
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Maintain a healthy
weight
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“It is best to get at
least 30 minutes of
exercise three times a
week. However, any
amount of exercise is
better than none!” said
Mr Lim Hun Teck,
Principal
Physiotherapist at
Raffles Physiotherapy
Centre. Here are
some exercises you can
easily do at home, no
gym membership required.
Normal Press Up
The first exercise you
ever did may be the best
you'll ever do.
The classic pushup
trains your chest,
shoulders, triceps,
abdominals, lower back,
and gluteus.
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Assume the classic
pushup position.
Keep your body rigid,
lower your chest down to
no lower than two inches
from the floor.
Push back up until your
arms are extended.
Bridging
Bridging not only works
your abdominals, but
also the deep lying core
muscles that support
your back.
Start flat on the floor
with hands at rest by
your sides.
Position your feet flat
on the floor, shoulder
width apart, knees bent.
Contract your
abdominals, lower back
and gluteus.
Slowly lift your torso
to form a straight line
from your knees, through
your hips to your
shoulders.
Hold for a few seconds
before lowering slowly.
The whole cycle should
take at least ten
seconds. |
Side Lunge
A good exercise for
working the inner thighs
and buttock muscles and
especially suited for
those playing lateral
sports such as tennis.
Stand tall with your
hands by your sides.
Smoothly lunge one foot
out to the side, keeping
the other foot firmly on
the ground. Avoid
extending the knee
beyond your foot.
Once you have placed the
foot down, pause
briefly, then use your
inner thigh and buttock
muscles to bring the
foot back to the
starting position. |
Front Lunge
Stand tall with your
feet shoulder-wide
apart, with hands by
your sides, or extended
horizontally for better
balance.
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Photos courtesy of
Raffles Medical Group. |
Lunge forward with one leg, thigh parallel to the floor, knee over toes, keeping your back straight and head up throughout. Your rear heel should naturally rise off, with that knee resting close to the floor when you extend forward.
Keeping your abdominal
muscle contracted, push
down on your front foot
in order to push
yourself back to your
starting position.
Repeat the exercise,
working either the same
leg (harder) or
alternate your legs.
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Keep Free of Harmful
Habits
Drugs, tobacco and
alcohol are costly
habits that are
detrimental to your
health. Vices like
gambling can also
destroy what could have
been a happy life with
our loved ones, as it
often brings along
heartaches and betrayal
of trust. Stay
away from these harmful
habits today, and what
you will gain is beyond
what money can measure.
Stop smoking today
Nicotine is deemed to be
as addictive as heroin
and cocaine. “To quit
smoking is a
motivational issue.
People are more likely
to quit if the
motivational factors
come from within.
This is because they
will need to deal with
stress, coping skills,
concomittent illnesses
such as depression and
address issues of social
support,” said
Dr Chng Shih Kiat,
Consultant at Raffles
Executive Medical
Centre.
Nicotine replacement
therapy seeks to
temporarily provide
smokers with an
alternative nicotine
dose to alleviate
nicotine withdrawal
symptoms. This could be
in the form of a
nicotine patch, gum or
nasal spray and can only
be started after total
smoking cessation.
For smokers with high
cravings, doctors can
also prescribe them with
medications such as
Buproprion. This is an
antidepressant that has
been found to reduce
cravings for cigarettes.
“At the end of the day,
you should recognise
that you and your loved
ones stand to benefit
when you decide to quit
smoking. It is not
an easy decision, but if
you face any
difficulties, help is at
hand. Consulting a
doctor and joining a
smoking cessation
programme may be all
that is required for you
to succeed,” said Dr
Chng.
Drink to your health
Though alcohol intake in
mild to moderate
quantities can actually
protect against heart
disease, excessive
intake is linked with
heart disease,
hypertension and raised
blood triglyceride
levels. Alcohol
can cause gastritis,
hepatitis and, in the
long term, irreversible
liver damage. It
has also been associated
with cancers especially
of the lip, tongue and
throat. Heavy episodic
drinking has been linked
with adverse effects on
the heart and is known
to lead to coma and even
sudden death. In
addition, nerve damage,
psychoses and
malnutrition are some of
the other ill effects of
excess alcohol intake.
“With so much at stake
on one’s health, it is
of utmost importance to
educate people on the
health hazards of
alcohol intake,
including binge
drinking. Studies
have shown that up to
35% of adults with an
alcohol problem had
started as binge
drinkers by the age of
19 years,” said Dr Bina
Kurup, Consultant
Family Physician at
Raffles Medical.
Cutting down on your
drinking can be
difficult at times.
If you have a problem
controlling your alcohol
intake, ask your family
and friends for support
to help you reach your
goal.
Alternatively, consult
your doctor, as there
are medications
available to help make
cutting down easier.
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Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: July 2011
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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