How to Stay Healthy

Staying healthy is the key to survive in everyday living, especially within the aspects of physical, mental and social well-being of a teenager. We should take good care of our bodies, and be aware of what we are eating while also doing physical activities.

Path to Improved Health

Physical Health

Teenagers should pay attention to stay healthy. Good health includes physical, mental, emotional, and behavioural health. This will be the way to ensure their healthy future.

Teens should take good care of their physical health by being active at least 60 minutes every day.

You become what you eat. If you eat healthy foods, you can get nutrients that will make you a healthy person. As for teenagers, eating a healthy diet is important for their growth and development. Fruits and vegetables are the major foods where you can get proper nutrients. You can also consume whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

Children and teenagers should maintain a healthy weight. If they are already obese when they are still young they are more likely to be obese as an adult. When children and teenagers are obese, they will be at risk for different diseases as well as bullying.

Teens should have enough sleep for 9 and 9 ½ hours every night. Lack of sleep may affect their concentration at school.

Make sure your teens can get regular vaccinations. Get a flu shot every year. This prevents them from getting HPV and some kinds of cancers, including cervical cancer. Ask your parents and doctors about having HPV vaccines.

To prevent tooth and gum problems, you have to brush and floss your teeth.

If as a child or teenager you had frequent sunburns, you have a risk for skin cancer as an adult. To avoid this type of cancer, you should wear sunscreen when exposed to too much direct sunlight.

Loud music could damage your hearing especially when you are using headphones.

Mental Health

Teenagers are prone to stress, so there are always ways to avoid and manage stress. These tips will help you encounter stressful situations without affecting your mental state.

Do your school projects and homework ahead of time to avoid the rush. Also, you should balance your activities from school to home. Maintain a good relationship with your parents as they are the best persons to share your problems with.

Emotional Health

Know the signs of mental illness. These include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Excessive tiredness
• Loss of self-esteem
• Loss of interest in things you used to like
• Loss of appetite
• Weight gain or loss
• Out-of-character personality changes

It's natural to have negative feelings when you are a teenager. You should pay attention to your mood swings and sudden change of feelings.

If you are confused about something that brings you stress, seek for help. It's better to share what you feel with your parents. When you can't talk with them, share it with your favourite teacher or with your school counsellor.

When you feel like you have low self-esteem or a poor body image, just accept yourself and find ways to improve it! You can also talk with your friends about your concerns.

Don't bully someone in your school: try to be friendly with your classmates and schoolmates.

Behavioral Health

Try to avoid being with your peers who use tobacco products, alcohol and street drugs. These things will just destroy your future.

Wear safety gear when driving a motor vehicle as many teenagers nowadays are involved in motor accidents. Avoid drinking alcoholic drinks when driving to avoid accidents.