The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
| Posted: 05 Oct 2011 03:59 AM PDT Are you willing to make the effort to pursue true health? PERHAPS, this is the final chorus of the song that has been playing on alternate Wednesdays. As the curtains come down, there will be no standing ovation. Very soon, much of the lyrics would have been forgotten, and for many, life goes on as before. The few brave souls who stopped at that crucial intersection, and decided to make a right turn towards true health, will never regret making that choice ... provided they do not make a U-turn. Along every journey, we do make many stops. At each junction, one has to decide on which way to turn. We move along the well-trodden path of familiarity, but on one less travelled, the voice of doubt and resistance ushers us back on to the old route, precluding possibilities of change. Such transformations need not be dramatically life-changing, but presents itself as little choices we make everyday. In the refrigerator, chocolates beckons over the lettuce; after a hard day's work, happy hours over exercise; in the mall, taking the escalator over the stairs; and so on. "Hardcore" patient education materials serve as great medical literature, but spread beneath the veneers of preventive health measures lie the omnipotent message of change. Conventional wisdom dictates that no one can alter another's behaviour as any modification comes from the individual's own desire. However, only the key of discovery (of the whys and hows) can start the engine on the journey towards optimal health. Which way to go? Let us picture a few images – the wreckage of an air disaster, the destruction by an earthquake, the aftermath of a tsunami, a mangled body from a shark attack ... These scenarios make dramatic headlines. For the guy on the street, in the city of Kuala Lumpur, the chances of such causes of mortality is probably close to zero. To be more realistic, the chances of sudden untimely demise due to road traffic accidents and infections of sorts is one in 20. What about the other 19 out of 20? They succumb predictably to one or more chronic degenerative diseases, which are directly or indirectly linked to nutrition and lifestyle. A WHO report in 2002 stated that the lifetime risk of dying of heart disease in the United States as one in two, with cancer, one in three. Right here in our own backyard, the lifetime risk for getting cancer is one in five. Twenty years ago, hypertension was considered a disease of the elderly. A young executive with raised blood pressure then would have triggered alarm bells, commencing a search for an underlying cause, but over the years, the alarm bell has rung once too often. Today, the incidence of hypertension and diabetes have doubled and is encroaching upon our youth. Therein lies the bad news, as the statistics can only get worse! Despite the continuous emergence of newer drugs and ever advancing medical technology, there are just as many heart attacks and renal failure occurring. The reason lies in the logic that almost all of these chronic diseases have a common root cause, the casualty of modern living. Treating the symptoms and not the source will bear barren results. But the good news is, these chronic diseases can be prevented. The health reality Our health reality falls under one of the following four categories. Where do you stand? 1. True health: a state that is totally free from disease. 2. False health: seemingly healthy externally, but dark clouds of imminent trouble rumble within. 3. Poor health: a situation of sickness, where signs and symptoms of disease become apparent and medical treatment is necessary. 4. No health: late stage disease, with its accompanying complications and debilitation where supportive care is the only option. On a scale of zero (being dead) to 10, true health ranks full marks. How many of us dare to declare a 10 on our current health status? No matter what number is on call, we can actually swim towards true health via another platform called optimal health (the ideal level that can be best achieved) by doing a few things right. Embark on a health plan The stark reality is that we are losing the life in our years as the clock ticks on. Going by statistics, it is indeed more than a worry as the rapid currents sweep us downstream, away from true health. Modern lifestyle makes us "rust" prematurely. Just like the apple turning brown, the increased oxidative burden (stress, obesity, pollution, lifestyle habits such as smoking and alcohol addiction, bad food choices, etc) exert a rapid ageing effect. To retard this trend requires a strong conviction and the setting of goals, to lead a full life in health and happiness, the caveat being, adopting a balanced health plan and working on it. For example, to tackle obesity, one can aim for a 10% weight loss as the immediate target. The get-fat formula has to be replaced by a new lifestyle recipe. If there is a reversal at any point, the pounds just pile back on again, with a vengeance. A balanced lifestyle towards optimal health does not demand us to "burn bridges" with our fancies. One can still enjoy their favourite morsel, laze on a Sunday afternoon, celebrate with a glass or two during that special occasion. Arbitrarily, doing the right things 80% of the time brings back law and order in our bodies instead of doing the wrong stuff all the time. A good example is spending 20 minutes a day five times a week doing suitable exercises. This is one of the four pillars, the rest being managing stress and personal habits, balanced food choices, and taking high quality nutritional supplements. Take a set of identical twins of similar health status at the age of 30 (the age when biological rust starts to build up), and place one on a health plan by design (exercise and balanced nutrition), and the other by default (no exercise and eating as the palate desires). For the first five years, there will not be much significant difference, but the deviation will show in the next five. Half a decade of neglect, leading to poor health, cannot be reversed when the damage has been done. The recipe to optimal health is no secret, but needs to be adhered to indefinitely, not just for a month or so after the new year resolution. Living dangerously We live in a hazardous world, being exposed to a variety of known and unknown insults every day, which has cumulative effects on cellular wear and tear. We might be told that those permitted colouring, taste enhancers, preservatives, electromagnetic waves, tooth fillings, mercury in vaccines, parabens in cosmetics, etc are all safe for human consumption. The jury is not unanimous on all, but it certainly does not demand great wisdom to practise awareness and conservative avoidance. Even if electromagnetic waves are remotely linked to cancer, one might not want to jostle the handphone with the family jewels, by placing it in the trouser pocket. A worrying trend is the curiosity of many youngsters, leading them to dabble in drugs. One of the greatest fears of a parent is their children experimenting and being hooked on such substances. It is not okay that a president of a great nation has done some experimenting in his college days. It is not "cool" to down the club drug (a.k.a. ecstacy) to the beat of trance music all night long, killing the brain cells in the process. It is downright dangerous to self-inject anabolic steroids just to beef up those muscles. The wellness revolution has caused many health spas and "gyms" to sprout around the neighbourhood block. It is sad to note that not all "gyms" promote healthy practices. Health is a precious gift. It is bad enough that it is often taken for granted – but some literally flush it away. The body cries silently as it tries to cope with the overwhelming demands that we and the environment place on it. When it finally begins to complain, it is often too late as disease has reared its ugly head. Once we lose true health, we may not get a second chance. I was lucky. At a certain intersection, look to the left and right. If the destination is clear, make the right turn towards true health and stay on course to a fulfilled, happy, and healthy life, one of no regrets. Till we meet at another junction, stay well and live well. n Dr C.S. Foo is a medical practitioner. For more information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. |
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