Are You Naughty Or Nice?

Every year, people set New Year’s Resolutions and hoping to get things right especially on improving own health and wellness. Have you been eating right, sleeping well, drinking enough water and make continuous effort at incorporating fitness into your lifestyle?

As we start to countdown the final days of the year and the start of a new year approach, let's evaluate how we have been taking care of own health in the past year.... Naughty or Nice? Let's find out.

1. Have you been drinking up?

When we mention about "drinking up", we don't mean to consume sodas, bubble teas, alcohol, or coffee, but plain water. Our body consists of about 70% water, and we all lose body water everyday through sweat, urine, stool, tears and even breathing![1] It is commonly recommended for adults to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep your body hydrated. However, it is not a “one-size-fits-all” recommendations. The daily intake of water should also depend on how active you are and where you live (i.e. your weather climate)

We can’t over emphasize how crucial it is to drink enough of water. Water is essential for overall health and bodily functions such as flushing out waste from your body, regulating body temperature, improving blood oxygen circulation, maximizing physical performance, and maintaining good skin health. Our skin thrives for proper hydration. Adequate water intake will help brighten our skin and prevent premature aging, such as the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and an overall dull complexion! Apart from drinking water, you should also consume water-rich foods that promote moisture in the body, such as cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, broths, and soups. Alternatively, you may choose to super-quench your skin with supplement that specially formulated with key ingredient such as hyaluronic acid to better retain moisture in skin and promote softer and hydrated skin from within.

2. Hours spent on electronic devices

Are you predominantly glued to your mobile devices everyday even after working hours? If you are, it might be worthwhile to make a conscious effort to stay away from your phone and reconnect with family and friends. Besides social disruption, overuse of mobile devices can also result in certain negative consequences, such as constant distraction, forgetfulness, unnecessary spending, cause of accidents and health problems such as stress and digital eye strain. The prolonged exposure to blue light emitted from electronic devices are harmful to our eyes and has been shown to be a rising cause of macular degeneration.

After a long day at work, adults are suggested to limit screen time outside of work to less than 2 hours per day. If you are required to sit in front of a computer screen for long hours due to work, it is recommended to let your eyes rest every 20 minutes by looking 20 feet away in the distance for approximately 20 seconds. This 20³ tip helps to relieve eye strain and fatigue. Besides allowing your eyes to rest at regular intervals, for those who still experience eye fatigue, blurry vision, eye discomfort or eye dryness, you may consider taking eye health supplements to protect your eyes from UV damage, providing comfort and maintaining clear, sharp and healthy vision.

3. How many times do you exercise per week?

We understand that finding the motivation and time for workout is not always easy. Exercise is not just for those looking to drop kilos or to look slim, more importantly exercise promotes healthy cardiovascular circulation, maintain muscle strength and balance, and helps to boost energy levels. Besides, exercise also comes with additional benefits such as regulating your emotions and reducing feelings of anxiety and depression, maintaining healthy weight, and improving your quality of sleep.[2]

To achieve a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended to exercise at least 3 times per week or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on a weekly basis.[3] Be sure to stretch before and after exercise to warm up your muscles as it potentially helps to protect against injury. For stronger joints to go the extra miles, check out which joint supplement suits you best here.

4. Do you include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet?

According to the Health Promotion Board, we should be incorporating at least 2 servings of vegetables and fruits into our daily diet as they are a great source of vitamins and minerals that benefits to our health. For those who avoid fruits and vegetables or simply forget to consume them daily, these habits may lead to nutritional deficiencies and as a result, one could be more prone to digestive issues such as hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, and constipation. This is due to most of the fruits and vegetable contain cellulose (fibre) which help to alleviate constipation and eases the passage and reduces transit time for our poop.[4] However, excessive fibre intake may lead to constipation as it makes the bowel movements bigger and bulkier. Therefore, it is important to drink more water every day to stimulate the bowel movements.

If vegetables and fruits don’t seem appeal to you, try preparing them in different method, salads, stir-fried, juicing, etc. Alternatively, you may consider supplement that contains proprietary blend of few protective cruciferous vegetables which is ideal for those who have an insufficient daily intake of vegetables and fruits.

5. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

Living in a fast-paced and hectic society, it is no surprise that many of us have experienced insomnia or sleep deprivation. According to the sleep expert, it is recommended to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night for our body to function optimally. For those who like to stay up late at night or sleep in later in the morning, be warned that habitual late nights or sleep deprivation can be dangerous and may lead to higher risks of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.[5]

There are many factors that contribute to sleep deprivation including lifestyle choices, work obligations, stress, and poor sleep hygiene. However, it is crucial to try and develop a healthy sleep habit to boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, increase productivity, and make yourself to feel better. You may adopt these habits that encourage better night’s sleep, such as follow a sleep schedule, create a restful environment, limit daytime naps, include physical activity in your daily routine and avoid heavy or large meals before bedtime. Alternatively, you may try supplements that improve sleep quality and promote deeper sleep which is important for body cell renewal.

So, how did you fare for the Health Quiz? We hope you’ve been good in 2022, but just in case you found yourself in the naughty life in some of the above questions, it’s time to get things back on track and start being nice to yourself!

[1] https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-dehydration

[2] https://www.choosept.com/health-tips/10-benefits-physical-activity

[3] https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/how-often-should-i-exercise

[4] https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/8-things-that-happen-to-your-body-when-you-dont-eat-enough-fruits-and-veggies/

[5] https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20220920/night-owls-higher-risks-diabetes-heart-disease