Tips for a sustainable healthy lifestyle- The Nigerian way…

Faaji Desk
Sep 8, 2018 · 3 min read
Efe Jerry-Esigie living a healthy lifestyle.

When people think of a healthy lifestyle sometimes they feel it’s going to be as hard as the Avengers coming together to defeat Thanos lol, but it’s not. A healthy lifestyle change is not as complicated as we think and it’s also not as easy. Our lifestyle is formed by habits we have picked up over time and breaking them, might require us some physical and mental work and then a tad bit less work to form new ones (Forming habits is sure easier than breaking them so chose your habits wisely).

For all you busy people out there, i’d like to chronicle what it means to be healthy in Nigeria. First of all, we wake up at the crack of dawn, contemplating what manner of traffic we’ll meet on the road. Those taking public transportation are mystified and perplexed by the thought of the bus conductor not having change for the bigger denomination notes in your purse or also by how drenched you’ll be in sweat because of the ghastly bus with windows welded shut and a certain noise reminding you that it could die any moment. So how can I begin to think of being healthy and keeping fit when a million ways my hour long commute could go wrong occupy my mind all day?

Being healthy means you have a sound mind and body, it has nothing to do with your size as healthy comes in different shapes and sizes. The goal is to neither be underweight nor overweight, and this is attainable if you stick to these 5 simple tips.

1. Eat clean ( eat a balanced diet )

2. Drink 2–3 litres of water a day ( this is 6 sachets and 300cl bottle)

3. Eat less processed food and cut down on sugar

4. Sleep at least 8hrs at night

5. Stay active (do lite exercise daily, take out 15mins 2–3 times a week )

Due to the hustle and bustle lifestyle in the country, we tend to overlook key things like exercise and sleep but these are important components of staying healthy. For example lack of sleep can cause you to gain weight, and puts one at risk for heart diseases and high blood pressure among others. Exercise doesn’t mean you need to hit the gym, it’s simply saying stay active. So a few simple moves like taking walks, skipping, jogging, stretching and a very unavoidable fear of using elevators for fear of being trapped in one during a power outage can help one stay active.

In order to maintain your sanity, it is important to take on activities that are therapeutic. For example, exercise became my therapy. Some people would take dancing or boxing classes, for some, it’s singing or listening to songs that uplift your soul. Others like to meditate and do yoga. It’s all about finding what works for you, what helps you escape the craziness that is your environment, and find peace in the moment.

So you see, it’s not as complicated as you thought.

This article was written by Efe Jerry-Esigie

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