There are few risk
factors shared among all major chronic NCDs, namely smoking and tobacco use,
unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use and stress. Prevalence
of these risk factors at population level has a major influence on morbidity
and mortality due to NCDs.
01. SMOKING & TOBACCO USE
There is tobacco
related death in every 8 seconds.
Smoking is the most
important preventable cause of premature death in the world.
Long-term smoker, on
average life expectancy is about 10 years less than a non-smoker.
Many smoking-related
deaths are not 'quick deaths' and have to suffer several years of illness and
distressing symptoms before you die.
Smoking by itself
increases the risk of coronary heart disease, Lung cancer, cancers of the
mouth, nose, throat, larynx, gullet (oesophagus), pancreas,bladder, cervix,
blood (leukaemia), and kidney ,Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
hypertension, diabetes.
Chemicals in tobacco
can damage the lining of the blood vessels and affect the level of lipids
(fats) in the bloodstream. This increases the risk of atheroma forming.
Atheroma is the main cause of heart disease, strokes, peripheral vascular
disease (poor circulation of the legs), and aneurysms (swollen arteries which
can burst causing internal bleeding).
Other problems of
tobacco are marital problem, smokers look wasted and fertility will be less.
(There are many
condition caused by smoking those are leads to physiological and physical
problems)
Quitting smoking
lowers many health risks very quickly. If you quit here are only few of the
benefits.
Reduce the risk of
getting serious smoking-related diseases such as heart disease, cancers, COPD
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and peripheral vascular disease.
Reduce the risk of
getting various other conditions which, although not life threatening, can
cause unpleasant problems. For example: impotence (erection problems),
fertility problems, optic neuropathy, cataract, macular degeneration,
psoriasis, gum disease, tooth loss, osteoporosis and Raynaud's phenomenon.
Reduce the risk of
pregnancy complications if you are pregnant and smoking or you are in second
hand smoker.
Self image and
confidence will improve
Will be healthier,
role model parent tom your children and future of your children will be safe.
Will be financially stable
by reducing health cost and stopping expenses on buying smoking.
If you can stop
smoking you have the best personality.
Tips To Help You Stop Smoking
·
Write
a list of the reasons why you want to stop, and keep them with you. Refer to
them when tempted to light up.
·
Set
a date for stopping, and stop completely. (Some people prefer the idea of
cutting down gradually. However, research has shown that if you smoke less
cigarettes than usual, you are likely to smoke more of each cigarette, and
nicotine levels remain nearly the same. Therefore, it is usually best to stop
once and for all from a set date.)
·
Tell
everyone that you are giving up smoking. Friends and family often give support
and may help you. Smoking by others in the household makes giving up harder. If
appropriate, try to get other household members who smoke, or friends who
smoke, to stop smoking at the same time. A 'team' effort may be easier than
going it alone.
·
Be
prepared for some withdrawal symptoms. When you stop smoking, you are likely to
get symptoms which may include: nausea (feeling sick), headaches, anxiety,
irritability, craving, and just feeling awful. These symptoms are caused by the
lack of nicotine that your body has been used to. They tend to peak after 12-24
hours, and then gradually ease over 2-4 weeks.
·
Anticipate
a cough. It is normal for a 'smokers cough' to get worse when you stop smoking
(as the airways 'come back to life'). Many people say that this makes them feel
worse for a while after stopping smoking and makes them tempted to restart
smoking. Resist this temptation! The cough usually gradually eases.
·
Be
aware of situations in which you are most likely to want to smoke. In
particular, drinking alcohol is often associated with failing in an attempt to
stop smoking. You should consider not drinking much alcohol in the first few
weeks after stopping smoking. Try changing your routine for the first few
weeks. For example, don't go to the pub for a while if that is a tempting place
to smoke and drink alcohol. Also, if drinking tea and coffee are difficult
times, try drinking mainly fruit juice and plenty of water instead.
·
Take
one day at a time. Mark off each successful day on a calendar. Look at it when
you feel tempted to smoke, and tell yourself that you don't want to start all
over again.
·
Be
positive. You can tell people that you don't smoke. You will smell better.
After a few weeks you should feel better, taste your food more, and cough less.
You will have more money. Perhaps put away the money you would have spent on
cigarettes for treats.
·
Some
people worry about gaining weight when they give up smoking as the appetite may
improve. Anticipate an increase in appetite, and try not to increase fatty or
sugary foods as snacks. Try sugar-free gum and fruit and vegetables instead.
·
Don't
despair if you fail. Examine the reasons why you felt it was more difficult at
that particular time. It will make you stronger next time. On average, people
who eventually stop smoking have made 3 or 4 previous attempts.
02. Unhealthy Diet
Healthy eating doesn’t
have to be boring or avoiding all your favourite foods.
In fact, the first of
rule of healthy eating is to ENJOY your food!
Eating healthily is
all about getting the balance diet.
Unhealthy diet is an
important risk factor for all most all chronic diseases.
Eat enough calories
but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie
expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body uses.
Eat a wide variety of
foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by
trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't
normally eat.
Eat plenty of fruits,
vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber,
vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh
and local products.
Drink more water. Our
bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps
flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and
toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.
Limit sugary foods,
salt, and refined-grain products. Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a
year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your
weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole
grains for refined grains.
A healthy diet
improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of
many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any
healthy eating plan work even better.
One step at a time.
Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on
one food group or food fact at a time.
03. Physical Inactivity
Exercise:
Makes you feel better,
increase your personality and reduce the stress.
Improves the ability
to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.
Keeps weight under
control.
Boosts energy level.
Prevents joints
problem in the future.
Improves blood
cholesterol levels.
It prevents diabetes.
Reduces the risk of
heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body.
Prevents and manages
high blood pressure
Prevents bone loss and
osteoporosis.
Counters anxiety and
depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism
Increases muscle
strength, increasing the ability to do other physical activities
Provides a way to
share an activity with family and friends
04. Psychological Stress
Psychological stress
is difficult to define or measure.
Following features
will help to identify.
Not being able to
sleep properly with worries going through your mind.
Being impatient or
irritable at minor problems.
Not being able to
concentrate due to many things going through your mind.
Being unable to make
decisions.
Not enjoying food so
much.
Being unable to relax,
and always feeling that something needs to be done.
Feeling tense.
Sometimes this includes a 'knot' in the stomach, or feeling sweaty with a dry
mouth or a thumping heart.
Ongoing stress is thought
to be bad for health, although this is difficult to prove. For example, stress
is thought to be bad for the heart and is possibly a 'risk factor' for
developing heart problems in later life. Stress may also contribute to other
physical illnesses in ways little understood. For example, it is thought that
irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, migraine, tension headaches, and other
conditions are made worse by an increased level of stress.
Tips to overcome stress in daily life
·
Stress
list You can try making a 'stress list'. Try to identify which are regularly
cause you stress. Once you have identified any typical or regular causes of stress,
two things may then help.
•
If
you discuss this with a close friend or family member, it may help them and you
to be aware of the reasons why you are feeling stressed. Simply talking it
through may help.
•
These
situations can be used as 'cues' to relax. You can use simple relaxation
techniques when a stressful situation occurs or is anticipated. For example,
try doing neck stretching exercises when you are in that traffic jam rather than
getting tense and stressed.
·
Try
simple relaxation techniques
·
Deep
breathing. This means taking a long, slow breath in, and very slowly breath
out. If you do this a few times, and concentrate fully on breathing, you may
find it quite relaxing.
·
Muscular
tensing and stretching. Try twisting your neck around each way as far as it is
comfortable, and then relax. Try fully tensing your shoulder and back muscles
for several seconds, and then relax completely. Try practising these simple
techniques when you are relaxed, and then use them routinely when you come
across any stressful situation.
·
Positive
relaxation Set specific times aside to positively relax. Don't just let
relaxation happen, or not happen, at the mercy of work, family, etc. Plan it,
and look forward to it. Different people prefer different things. A long bath,
a quiet stroll, sitting and just listening to a piece of music, etc. These
times are not wasteful, and you should not feel guilty about not 'getting on
with things'. They can be times of reflection and putting life back in
perspective. Some people find it useful to set time aside for a relaxation
programme such as meditation or muscular exercises. You can also buy relaxation
tapes to help you learn to relax.
·
Time
out Try to allow several times a day to 'stop' and take some time out. For
example, getting up 15-20 minutes earlier than you need to be a good start. You
can use this time to think about and plan the coming day, and to prepare for
the day's events unrushed. Take a regular and proper lunch break, preferably
away from work. Don't work over lunch. If work is busy, if possible try and
take 5 or 10 minutes away every few hours to relax. Once or twice a week, try
to plan some time just to be alone and 'unobtainable'. For example, a gentle
stroll or a sit in the park often helps to break out of life's hustle and
bustle.
·
Exercise
Many people claim that regular exercise reduces their level of stress. (It also
keeps you fit and helps to prevent heart disease.) Any exercise is good, but
try to plan at least 30 minutes of exercise on at least 5 days a week. A brisk
walk on most days is a good start if you are not used to exercise. In addition,
if you have difficulty in sleeping this may improve if you exercise regularly.
·
Smoking
and alcohol Don't be fooled that smoking and drinking can help with stress. In
the long run, they don't. Drinking alcohol to 'calm nerves' is often a slippery
slope to heavier and problem drinking.
·
Hobbies
Many people find that a hobby which has no deadlines, no pressures, and which
can be picked up or left easily takes the mind off stresses. For example:
sports, knitting, music, model-making, puzzles, and reading for pleasure.
·
Treatment
Some people find they have times in their life when stress or anxiety becomes
severe or difficult to cope with. See a doctor if stress or anxiety becomes
worse. Further treatments such as anxiety management counseling, other
therapies, or medication may be appropriate.
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