We entered the 21st century with such maladies as heart and vascular system diseases, environmental diseases, cancer, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). The risk factors causing these diseases are poor environment (especially after Chernobyl disaster), constant stress and bad habits. We witness more and more cases when people suffer from such environmental diseases as food allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, thyroid gland. They all have a huge impact on the quality of life, darken our prospects for future. Alcohol, drugs, smoking, AIDS have also become the reality of our life, especially among young and middle-aged people.
Are people becoming more health-conscious?
Health-consious - describing an attitude in which one has an awareness of the healthiness of one's diet and lifestyle. People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be. They understand that good health is above wealth. Healthy lifestyle enables you to maintain a youthful look and live longer. People have started to eat right and exercise more and that is one of the most important things to keep in mind if one wants to stay healthy and live long. More often you can see people eating fresh fruits and vegetables rather than fast food. They are high in fibre and they provide essential nutrients that the body needs for normal functioning. There are also many exercises that people get engaged in depending on their age and health status. Jogging, taking a walk and yoga are some of them. During the exercise their body burns excessive fats and gets rid of toxins. They relax and get some good rest, try to avoid stressful situations as they lead to many lifestyle conditions.
Have your own attitudes to health care changed at all?
I wouldn’t say so. Despite my terrible habbit of smoking, I’ve always tried to keep fit. I avoid eating products that contain too much fat and food additives, enjoy eating vegetables and fruit. I also avoid harmful medicine if possible even though my therapist likes to prescribe antibiotics from any disease one may have. Not long ago I’ve started a series of exercises to keep myself in good shape. A year ago I went in for horse-back riding which made me healthy in body and mind. I wish I could have more fresh air than I do now, but my job often requires me to stay indoors for weeks. On the whole, I must say that I’ve learnt nothing new about staying healthy in the recent years if that what you mean by your question. I’ve always known what was good and bad for one’s health and my attitude towards health care hasn’t changed.
What are the rules for staying healthy and keeping fit?
Regular exercise is an important element in developing and maintaining overall physical health. There is mounting evidence that it reduces the risk of contracting many diseases, including heart disease. The physical benefits of regular exercise are: they improve cardiovascular fitness, reduce blood fat, help to resist stress, reduce body fat, improve strength and muscular endurance, improve flexibility, extend life, help to recover after hard work, improve the ability to meet emergencies. The psychological health benefits of regular exercise are: they reduce mental tension, improve sleep habits, give opportunity for social interaction, help to resist fatigue, give opportunity for successful experience, improve sense of well-being, improve self concept and improve appearance. A well-balanced diet is also very important. It is a diet that contains daily servings from each of the basic food groups: meat, vegetable and fruit, milk, bread and cereals. An incredible statistic is that between 30 and 50% of all the calories eaten each day are consumed in the form of between-meal snacks.Unfortunately, the usual between-meal foods are low in nutritive valueand too high in calories and refined sugar. Some excellent snacks that should always be available are plain-yogurt, carrots, pieces of apple, cheese and natural fruit juice. Eating yogurt as a snack food is far healthier and more nutritionally soundthan eating so-called "junk" food, which is less nutritious and too high in sugar and calories. Being aware and keeping a balanced ratio of what you eat will get you on the right track. A diet of 48% complex carbohydrate, no more than 30% fat, (10% saturated) decreasing sugar to 10% and protein at 12% should help the average person to stay healthy. Fresh air, rest and good sleep are also very important in keeping fit and staying healthy.