Rate Your Habits

Many of us in Sikaman appear to be in the habit of losing certificates; no single group is more prone to this habit. It cuts across all age groups, tribes, professions and social status. Floods may contribute to lost certificates but till we all adopt the habit of scanning and saving important documents, we will continue to live with this very troubling habit. I also realized I can’t trace a certificate or two of mine but fortunately for me they happen to be ones that I earned before my twentieth birthday.

When we pick up a behaviour and repeat it so often that we do it without thinking then we have developed a habit. Brushing your teeth as soon as you get out of bed, wearing a seat belt as soon as you sit in a vehicle or when a child is sucking his thumb when tired, sick or just for comfort are typical examples. I agree that not everyone is in the habit of brushing their teeth and neither are we also in the habit of exercising for even ten minutes a day. Habit is said to be stronger than reason so for those of us who struggle to get some physical activity into our hectic schedule we should consider setting the next four weeks aside and exercise most days of the week. Hopefully we would have repeated this activity so often that we will continue to do it even without thinking about it.

Do habits have an impact on your health? Some habits such as skipping breakfast may, others such as checking your doors ten times before going to sleep may just be a nuisance till you are labeled with an illness. How do your habits compare to the ones below:

1. Picking of nose

a. One of my favourite past times while in traffic is to look into other vehicles to see those engaged in this vice. Some people actually dig into their nostrils with their fingers as if their very existence depends on the size of the mass they get out. Picking of one’s nose cannot possibly have any benefits but it certainly can cause you to bleed, it looks gross and imagine shaking hands with someone who just dug for gold from their nostrils. You will be exchanging viruses.

2. Skipping breakfast

a. This bad habit is no longer news. We are all aware that we need to fuel our body within two hours of waking up to help control our weight, increase our productivity, improve our memory and in general make us healthier. Skipping breakfast is a health hazard, drop this habit.

3. Eating without drinking water

a. Some things sound weird but they become ingrained in our life. It even gets to a point that some people think avoiding water while eating is the best thing that ever happened to them. Time to ditch this habit. The enzymes that breakdown food work best in a medium of water so once you drink sensibly while eating; you are on the path to good health.

4. Smoking

a. Few habits can challenge this demon. Smoking not only sets the stage for multiple cancers, it also causes blood vessel abnormalities and aggravates many lifestyle diseases. Recently sitting for over four hours without a break appears to be rubbing shoulders with smoking when it comes to heart and blood vessel related diseases. I will not wish smoking for my worst enemy. Whatever your reason for smoking; to relieve stress, an addiction or you find it fashionable to smoke, kindly get help now.

5. Excessive alcohol consumption

a. If you need to drink alcohol before meals, drink first thing in the morning or you are not functional without alcohol, then no matter what you may think I can bet you that you are walking a dangerous path. Stop it now.

6. Being a fast food tycoon

a. Many fast foods have two things in common; they are ready to eat in a short time and they send you to your grave via a shortcut.

b. If you are in the habit of sprinkling salt on your already cooked food then my advice to you is to stop courting high blood pressure.

7. Listening to loud music

a. Listening to loud music or any form of loud sound will not only harm your ear drums, it can also predispose you to conditions such as high blood pressure and anxiety conditions among several others.

8. TV addict

a. Well you know my take on TV and watching movies. If you are going to sit there for hours then forget about this habit. It will harm your health even if it spares your morals.

9. Eating “rich” salad

a. Many of us pat ourselves on the shoulder whenever we eat a salad. Do we ever consider the cream and salad that we add; the beans, eggs, meat and all the other cholesterol laden delicacies? If you really want to reap maximum benefits from your salad then keep the vegetables in focus.

10. Avoiding sports

a. Life follows predictable trends; just as we have people who are addicted to sports or exercises (even too much of a good thing is bad), so do we have others who are in the habit of avoiding sports like the pestilence. Sports/exercise is like an investment; you may not always see the benefits immediately especially when you are young but start today and make sports a habit, the opposite may be disastrous to your health.

It’s time to adopt habits that will improve our health and make life more enjoyable but if you belong to the group that is in the habit of digging for gold in their nostrils, I humbly plead with you to discard this habit.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

Moms’ Health Club

(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)

*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.

Thought for the week – “Laws are never as effective as habits”