Take this advice if you want to look after yourself.

You have a healthy estimate of yourself. You think you are in good health as long as you are not suffering from any illness. However, there is more to the term “health” than that.

Before you answer this question, ask yourself if your quality of life is the best you could have. Are you an active person, capable of setting yourself challenges and fulfilling them? Do you keep the proper weight? Are you exhausted at the end of the day? Do you have medical check-ups? Do you have unhealthy habits? Your lifestyle could cause problems for your health in the future.

We would like to help you so that your lifestyle today is insurance for your health tomorrow.

Heed these words of advice:

• Avoid harmful habits, such as smoking and too much alcohol.
• Try to reach your ideal weight. Be realistic, take your height and build into consideration and ask a nutritionist what your proper weight would be.
• Eat five times a day and five servings of fruit and vegetables. Have lunch and a mid-afternoon snack, based on fruit or dairy products. You will not be so anxious for your main meals and you will balance your intake. If you have fruit at breakfast, lunch and in the afternoon, plus a vegetable dish at lunch and supper, you will be getting the necessary vitamins, water and fibre.
• Take fast food in small doses. It can be very tasty but it raises your cholesterol and weight.
• Do some exercise. Alone or in company. On your own or in a class. Outside or at the gym. At least twice a week. You will release endorphins, you will be happier and it will help improve your coordination, attention, posture, muscle tone, flexibility and resistance.
• Visit the doctor from time to time. Get some tests done, go to the dentist, gynaecologist or urologist. Prevention is better than cure.
• Sleep 7 or 8 hours a day. The exercise will help you sleep better but remember to sleep in darkness and in silence, at 20 degrees and in a relaxed atmosphere. It will help you recharge your batteries and you will wake up full of vitality.
• Go out. Sunlight (with precaution) is comforting because it regulates your body temperature, it cheers you up, helps segregate serotonin and affords vitamin D, which is indispensable to help calcium attach to your bones.
• Enjoy yourself. Foster your relationships with your family. Spend more time with your children, parents, brothers and sisters and friends. Plan leisure time and enjoy it. It is as healthy as a light meal or some exercise time. Laughing will help you get rid of stress, and, what’s more, you will burn calories!

Looking after yourself now has its reward in the future but you will notice it from today.