Some short tips to long life

Did you know that April 7 was World Health Day (to celebrate the founding of the World Health Organization in 1948)? Frankly, I was too sick because of the oppressive heat to bother. I wasn’t really feeling healthy on World Health Day.

Each year, World Health Day zeroes in on a priority health concern. This year, it’s high blood pressure. Did you know that worldwide, some 40 percent of adults, aged 25 years old and up, had raised blood pressure in 2008? Were you part of the alarming statistic that year?

In case you didn’t know, the normal adult blood pressure is 120 mm Hg when the heart beats (systolic) over 80 mm Hg when the heart relaxes (diastolic). But the new US guidelines take a stronger stance and reclassify 120/80 and 139/89 as pre-hypertension. A high or raised blood pressure is equal to or above 140 mm Hg over 90 mm Hg.

Doctors say that most people with high blood pressure may have no symptoms at all. But they warn that some symptoms to watch out for are: headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations of the heart and nose bleeds.

Why is high blood pressure dangerous? WHO doctors say the higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk of damage to the heart and blood vessels in major organs such as the brain and kidneys.

The WHO advisory says: “If left uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to a heart attack, an enlargement of the heart and eventually heart failure. Blood vessels may develop bulges (aneurysms) and weak spots that make them more likely to clog and burst. The pressure in the blood vessels can cause blood to leak out into the brain and cause a stroke. Hypertension can also lead to kidney failure, blindness, and cognitive impairment.”
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Likewise included in the World Health Statistics 2012 are data on people with raised blood glucose levels. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to cardiovascular disease, blindness, and kidney failure, so WHO authorities warn.

Quite a big issue on the world health front today is obesity. Fact is, Dr. Ties Boerma, director of the Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems at WHO, reports, “In every region of the world, obesity doubled between 1980 and 2008. Today, half a billion people (12% of the world’s population) are considered obese.”

The highest incidence of obesity can be found in the WHO Region of the Americas (26% of adults) while the lowest is in the WHO South-East Asia Region (3% obese). The WHO report adds that in all parts of the world — women take double note! — women are more likely to be obese than men, and thus at greater risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.

Who doesn’t like to live long — and healthy? Of course, we can’t live forever, but who’s to stop us from trying?

The National Institute on Aging (yes, there’s such an institute), lists the following guidelines on how to slow down the cruel hands of time or age kindly:

• Stop smoking. Now, here’s a sure-fire reason for women smokers to kick this habit: Smoking causes wrinkles. According to Dr. Lowell Dale of the Mayo Clinic, the nicotine in cigarettes causes the narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin, thus depriving the skin of the oxygen and important nutrients it needs.

• Get regular exercise. And we don’t mean stretching your imagination or jumping to conclusions. Go get a good sweat.

• Have routine “wellness” exams to nip any disease or malfunction in the bud. So, when was the last time you had a general checkup?

• Stay involved with family and friends. And don’t retire any earlier than necessary.

• Maintain an active social life and an ongoing search for new friends. I guess that’s what friends are for: to keep you up and about.

• Get lots of sleep, rest, and relaxation. Harvard Women’s Health Watch reports that chronic loss of sleep can lead to health problems such as weight gain (surely a hefty reason not to scrimp on sleep), high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Now, you know why getting enough zzzs is as important as taking your vitamin C.

• Eat and drink in moderation. So you’ve tried all sorts of diets and still haven’t lost an ounce of those stubborn, unwanted pounds? Why not try eating — and drinking — in moderation? Experts say it’s the way to maintaining a healthy weight without having to diet.

• Avoid exposure to sun, heat, and cold. The American Cancer Society has time and again warned against the dangers of sun exposure — sunburn, heat stroke, even cancer of the skin.

• Practice good safety habits at home, work, and play. And that includes wearing a seat belt in the car.

• Plan for financial security so that you don’t have to worry where your next meal is coming from. And so you can afford a vacation when you need or want one.

• Maintain a positive outlook in life. The Bible says, “A cheery heart doeth good like a medicine.” A positive attitude helps the body to heal faster from an illness.

• Do what makes you happy at work or at play. Now, this is probably the shortest, most important secret to long life. –Ching M. Alano (The Philippine Star)