“Health is wealth!” This short but witty maxim provides justification for human wellbeing. The United Nation considers health as an essential element of life hence its inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to protect the earth’s environment and climate, end poverty, and promote universal peace and prosperity. The UN’S SDG #3 specifically seeks to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages by 2030.” The entire humanity have a collective obligation for the attainment of the SDGS comprising 17 Goals and 169 targets. Essentially, governments need to provide conditions for citizens to enjoy optimum health while individuals themselves have unique responsibilities to the global goals in general.
Exercise
Exercise refers to any movement that make one’s muscles work and requires the body to burn calories. Exercise includes swimming, jogging, walking as well as dancing. Exercise provides many benefits to the body; it helps to manage weight, keep the bones and muscles strong and lower the risk of diseases.
Healthy Eating Habit!
The importance of food to the body finds expression in the quote “eat your food like your medicine”. “Eat your food like your medicine” is also a metaphor for the absolute benefits of food and the consequences of adopting improper eating habits or skipping meals. Healthy eating means following an eating pattern that dwells on variety. Including variety of nutritious foods and drinks enables the body to obtain calories in their right quantities. Fruits and vegetables particularly strengthen the bones, boosts immunity and keep the skin, teeth and eyes healthy.
The pressures of working life sometimes requires some people to skip meals, especially breakfast which is arguably the most important meal of the day. The value of breakfast is emphasized by the popular adage that admonishes individuals to “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”. Skipping meals, especially breakfast is absolutely the greatest sin one could commit against oneself.
Work-life Balance
The demands of modern labour create lots of pressure on employees leading to alienation, stress and the development of unhealthy habits. Most people tend to pay more attention to their jobs than they do their personal and family lives. They leave home early for work — in some cases at dawn — in order to beat vehicular traffic which is a major cause of workers’ lateness in cities, and return late in the evening. The routine continues every day. They show up for work sometimes even when they are not well. Attending work while unfit is not only inappropriate and risky, it also has negative consequences for productivity.
Lots of Water
The human body is said to be composed of 60 % water while blood is over 83 percent water. Water helps to lubricate and cushion joints, facilitate excretion, perspiration and bowel movement and aid the body to keep normal temperature.
Good Sleep
Adults are supposed to have an average of eight hours sleep every day. Sleep rejuvenates the body, reduce stress and improve one’s mood. It also lowers the risk of serious health problems.
Wellbeing
The Meriam Webster Dictionary defines “wellbeing” as “the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous”. The World Health Organization maintains wellbeing “encompasses quality of life and the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose.
Conclusion.
There’s joy in labour. By all means, find (or establish) a job. Do your work. Give it your best shot. But never ever sacrifice your life to get it done.
PS:
A year ago (on Monday, March 28, 2022), I had a blackout! A sudden spurt of sweat over my body, followed immediately by a moment of darkness and ‘bam’, everything went blank. Regaining consciousness later, I noticed blood trickling from a cut on my forehead; I had hit my head against the arm of a chair as I fell. The accident occurred while I was at work. The purpose of this article is, first to appreciate my colleagues who protected and kept me out of danger, and second, to provide some basic education on the subject of wellbeing. I owe this to humanity.
Photo Credit: Google