Safeguard Your Health

At the beginning of every year many individuals make resolutions, some of them are kept while others do not materialize. Our health is so important to us, yet many persons fail to include anything about preventative health in their New Year resolutions. The beginning of a New Year is a good time to make some resolutions to safeguard your health.

Healthy lifestyles
Most people know that a healthy lifestyle can prevent many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and strokes but many neglect simple measures that will lead to a healthy lifestyle.

Diet and exercise
Diets low in saturated fat and trans fats and high in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 20 to 80 percent. Moderate exercise, such as walking briskly or swimming for three hours each week, can reduce your risk by 30 to 40 percent. Diabetes and obesity are now affecting large numbers of Anguillans. Unless we pay more attention to our diet and exercise regularly we will suffer tremendously from these two disorders in the very near future.

Smoking
Cigarette smoke contains over 200 poisons that can threaten your health. It is estimated that on a global scale smoking claims three million lives every year. In addition to an increased risk of cancer and heart disease, smokers suffer more frequently from gastric ulcers and high blood pressure. Giving up smoking is one of the most important preventative measures an individual can do for him or her self. Second hand cigarette smoke is also very dangerous.

Drug abuse
Drug abuse is taking an enormous toll on human life worldwide and here in Anguilla we are beginning to see some of the dangerous effects of drug abuse. Abusing drugs not only seriously affects your health. It also affects others as, in order to finance their habit, many addicts turn to violence and a life of crime. While drugs like cocaine and marijuana capture the news headlines, abuse of alcohol can also affect your health adversely.

This is a good time to give up your drug abuse habit. There are many individuals that can provide help. Alcohol Anonymous is now up and running in Anguilla. Various health professionals are available to give advice and information, and personnel at the Health Education Unit are always willing to give support and education.

Regular medical examinations
Many individuals only go to their doctor when they have symptoms and signs of a disease. Many often seek an instant cure and then return to their daily high-stress, high- pace rat race and then expect to stay healthy. We have to take some time and money to invest in preventative health care. Preventive care will not give you a 100 percent guarantee that you will not get ill, but it will prevent unwanted breakdowns and knowledge gained will be valuable in decreasing fear of various disorders.

Blood tests and screening tests
Many individuals avoid various screening blood tests. Many individuals engage in unsafe sex and are reluctant to have an HIV test. This is ludicrous and very dangerous. If you are engaging in risky sexual behaviour you owe it to yourself and others to have an HIV test and see your doctor at regular intervals in addition to changing your risky sexual behaviour. Others tests that individuals should have include a blood test for diabetes, cholesterol levels and many others that your doctor may identify.
This is a good time for women who are sexually active, and those who never had a Pap smear, to have their Pap smear. Having a Pap smear can prevent cancer of the Cervix (mouth of the womb) which is still killing many people in the Caribbean everyday.

Conclusion
As we begin a New Year this is a good time to reflect on our health and to take steps to safeguard our health. We cannot continue to neglect our health and expect to stay healthy.

We must adopt healthy lifestyles and have regular medical check-ups if we are going to be successful in promoting good health. I encourage everyone to undertake steps to safeguard their health as part of their New Year resolutions.

Dr Brett Hodge is a Family Physician and Specialist Obstetrician/Gynaecologist with a Medical Practice in the JOHNSON BUILDING in THE VALLEY.