Lead a healthy lifestyle

TS,Wednesday 30 November 2011 

People can spend, keep, give away or invest their money. Those who play safe go for low-risk investments and get low returns. 

Those who are more confident place their money on higher yield investments and fortunes can be made or lost through speculation. 

Astronomical sums are paid to those highly successful in careers such as business, sports and entertainment. 

Then there are exploiters who amass their wealth through corruption, fraud or theft until they are exposed or caught. 

The overwhelming obsession with wealth tends to make people forget that our most precious resource is time and the most important assets are our health and feelings. 

Those behind bars or terminally ill can vouch that there is nothing more frustrating than having all the money but without the time and health to enjoy it. 

Rich or poor, everyone has 24 hours a day and most of us were healthier then than now. 

Time and health cannot be stolen but it is commonly lost through wastage and neglect. 

Those who choose to enjoy life to the hilt will later suffer just as much, as time is the great equalizer. We had better be wise to invest in a long and healthy life. 

Food at popular eateries may be delicious but eating too much of our favourite food will eventually take a heavy toll on our health. 

We are what we eat but our health is affected by what we do not eat. 

Eating too much of the same food will deprive us the nutrition found in other foods that our body needs. 

Although many prefer to enjoy now than live to a ripe old age, they have not taken into account that ill health can cause them much suffering before they succumb to it. 

This is a serious problem as the majority of Malaysian adults are overweight or obese. 

It is an indication of how spoiled and undisciplined our society has become. 

Lack of sleep or water will trigger our body to store fat for survival. Hence, we can lose fat by getting enough sleep and drinking more water. 

To regain, maintain or improve on our health and fitness, we must schedule time for daily exercise equivalent to 10,000 steps a day. 

Physical exercises should work on both the aerobic and musculoskeletal system. 

If we don’t use it, we lose it. As such, we must also be engaged in mental and spiritual activities. 

Spending time to grow and cook some of our food can be too much of a chore for many people but it pays rich dividends in later life. 

We should at least try to consume a wide variety of food prepared with little or no oil, salt, sugar, preservative, colouring and processing. 

The best investments in life are to develop good habits and lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. We should be kind to ourselves and show kindness to others. 

We should be generous with our smiles, not only to strangers and colleagues, but also to our loved ones. 

Anyone can be successful in life by being happy and make others happy, with courtesy leading the way. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur