Monthly Archives - April 2022

Mentally well people are positive, self-assured and happy. They are in control of their thoughts, emotions and behavior. This enables them to handle challenges, build strong relationships and enjoy life. Achieving good mental health will enable you to: • Realize your own abilities, • Cope with the stress and challenges of life, • Engage in productive work, • Contribute to your community. Sustaining mental health requires time and effort. The more you invest in your mental health, the stronger it will become. • Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. • Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental health. • Mental health is determined by a range of socioeconomic, biological and environmental factors. • Cost-effective public health and intersectoral strategies and interventions exist to promote, protect and restore mental health.

Aim for Fitness • Maintain or work toward a healthy weight. • Be physically active every day—return fun and play to your life. Get moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. • Healthy eating provides the sustained energy you need to be physically active. • Learn to manage your stress with exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and good coping skills. Build Healthy Eating Habits Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green, red, and orange vegetables (3 or more servings a day). • Eat a variety of fruits (2 or more servings a day). • Eat whole-grain, high-fiber breads and cereals (3 to 6 servings a day). Reduce or eliminate refined or processed carbohydrates; most of the grains in your diet should be whole grains. • Drink fat-free or low-fat milk and eat low-fat dairy products. • Choose from a variety of low-fat sources of protein — including eggs, beans, poultry without skin, seafood, lean meats, unsalted nuts, seeds, and soy products. If you eat meat, eat white meat at least four times more often than red meat. • Reduce intake of saturated fats and trans-fats (such as partially hydrogenated oil) as much as possible. • Use vegetable oils (like olive or canola oil) instead of solid fats. • Reduce daily intake of salt or sodium. Reduce to less than 1,500 mg. per day if you are older than 50, or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. • Restrict or eliminate "junk food" — foods that contain refined white flour, solid fats or trans fats, added sugars, and are high in sodium. • Restrict or eliminate sodas and other sugar-added drinks that are high in calories and contain few or no nutrients. • If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation. Drink only when it doesn't put you or anyone else at risk.