A lifestyle refers to a way of living life by a person, group, or culture that differs from another’s. This includes patterns of behavior, social interaction, consumption, attire, work, activity, and interest that describe how a person spends his or her time. Culture, social values, demographics, family, and reference groups often influence the lifestyle of an individual. It is the outcome of needs, wants, desires, and motivation. Apart from hereditary factors, lifestyle determines the overall health of an individual. Following a healthy lifestyle leads to a long, happy, and prosperous life, whereas an unhealthy lifestyle gives birth to many deadly illnesses.
According to health experts, an unhealthy lifestyle is the prime cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 41 million deaths occur globally each year due to NCDs, which is equal to 74%. 17 million people pass away each year from NCDs before reaching the age of 70. In low- and middle-income countries, 86% of these premature deaths take place. The number of deceased from low and middle-income countries is massive, i.e., 77% of all NCD deaths. With modernization and urbanization, unhealthy lifestyles among Nepalese people are rising at an alarming rate, which has escalated the possibility of getting caught by noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, strokes, cancer, obesity, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD), depression, anxiety, etc. Doctors as well as nutrition scientists alert the public that an unhealthy lifestyle can terribly affect their health if it is not modified.
Nowadays, people in Nepal are being negligent about their health. This tendency is mostly found in the urban population. People run tirelessly to acquire more wealth by overlooking their health. The hectic time schedule has become an excuse for the public to not spend adequate time with their family members. Similarly, people have forgotten to eat, rest, and sleep on time. Priority to consuming a healthy balanced diet such as seasonal fruits, green leafy vegetables, dry fruits, etc. is barely given. The rate of consumption of junk, fast, and processed foods such as noodles, chow mein, sugary drinks, confectionaries, etc. is surging. In addition, the number of people using alcohol and tobacco (smoke and smokeless) is soaring. The tendency among the public to eat outside in hotels and restaurants has increased. Emphasis on practicing yoga and meditation is rarely given. A large portion of their time is spent sitting in an office or inside the house, hanging out with gadgets.
Vehicles have become indispensable for the public, even to travel a short distance; this reveals how idle they are. Moreover, mental stress, jealousy of the progress of others, unhealthy competition to be ahead, etc. are widely prevalent in our society. Even the kids have learned unhealthy lifestyles from their parents. They hardly go outside to play with their friends; they spend most of their leisure time with gadgets. Parents feed junk food and fast food to their kids due to their laziness in preparing a meal at home. Kids are seldom motivated to do exercises, which will be beneficial for overall health. As an outcome of this unhealthy lifestyle, adults as well as younger populations are becoming victims of non-communicable diseases. This is a serious issue for the least developed country like Nepal, as healthy human resources are the main weapon to accelerate the pace of development of any nation.
With technical assistance from WHO, the Nepal Health Research Council of Nepal conducted a survey. The major findings of the survey are
The use of tobacco among men in Nepal is horrible, as 50% of men in the age group of 15–59 years use smoked and smokeless tobacco.
Only 3% of Nepalese people consume sufficient fruits and vegetables, i.e., 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily as recommended by the WHO.
WHO recommends using a maximum of 5 grams of salt per day, but the public consumes double the requirement.
Hypertension, which is a prime risk factor for heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure, has made 25% of the total population its victims.
In addition to this, a recent study of selected NCDs in Nepal among the population aged 20 years and older shows that 12% suffer from COPD, 8.5% from diabetes, 6% from chronic kidney diseases, and 3% from coronary artery diseases. As health professionals, we can prevent 95% of non-communicable diseases by following healthy lifestyles. Those offspring who have inherited non-communicable diseases from their parents can live a normal life by managing their condition through a healthy lifestyle. Following are some of the healthy lifestyles that one should follow:
going to bed early and rising early; getting adequate sleep of 6–8 hours.
Starting the morning with a glass of lukewarm water on an empty stomach and drinking eight glasses of water during the day, taking sweet fruits in raw form is an excellent breakfast for the morning.
reduction of junk food, processed food, and fast food consumption in favor of a balanced diet.
The consumption of white sugar, which is called “sweet poison,” has to be avoided if possible; if not, its consumption has to be reduced. It increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, cancer, depression, dementia, etc. Moreover, the intake of salt has to be no more than 5 grams per day (i.e., one full teaspoon).
Overeating habits have to be avoided. Foods should be consumed frequently in small quantities with a gap of 3–4 hours.
Exposure to sunlight in the morning for half an hour to an hour is beneficial to overall health.
The practice of yoga and meditation helps promote sound physical and mental health.
No use of a smartphone for an hour after waking up and before going to bed.
Doing whole-body checkups at least once a year helps us know our existing health status. It helps to prevent lethal illnesses, and if someone suffers from one, their condition does not get worse.
To sum up, health is something that you cannot completely restore once it is lost, no matter whether you are a billionaire or a trillionaire. For example, the world’s richest person, Mr. Ellen Musk, becomes incapable of completely curing chronic diseases like diabetes, strokes, or arthritis if he suffers. Therefore, health is the greatest asset of human beings and is unparalleled. We must replace unhealthy lifestyles with healthy lifestyles; otherwise, we will be the victims of life-threatening illnesses.
This article is written by Laxman Raila
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