Remember it’s not what you eat today or tomorrow that matters, rather what you eat overtime, that affects your health, says Gerald Ruzindana, a health consultant and chairperson of Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, Kigali. Ruzindana takes us through what it means to find a lifestyle that fits into your lifestyle. Below are the excerpts; What do you mean by finding a lifestyle changes that fit into your lifestyle? Lifestyle is simply the way in which a person lives. Under normal circumstances, everyone was created with the ability to think, plan and take action. Your lifestyle includes any choice or action you take that influences your life in some way or another, positively or negatively. However, our attitude determines our altitude; a group of different attitudes makes up a set of a mind-set. In health and wellness, we believe that your decisions in food choices have a huge impact on how your body will function and altogether reflect health outcomes. Healthy habits require practice and routine and it is estimated approximately after 21 days, engaging in a new behaviour begins to feel natural. And how does this come about? It is your regular routines that determine your long-term health. There are several dietary choices that affect our overall health, for example, indulging more in plant-based foods since our body’s natural receptors interact well with plants than any other type of food. Understanding the role of proper nutrition vis-à-vis risk factors that come with a poor diet like; consuming unprocessed foods in place of processed foods, consuming whole foods/grains in place of refined foods, and limiting trans fats, salt, and sugar all are adjustments that promote behaviour changes. What should be done to ensure this is achieved? There are three main categories of lifestyle changes, the first one being psychological changes, this involves changes to your attitude, your mood, and the way you manage stress. On many occasions, your perception of certain things influences your body’s ability to cope with trying times and all this has a direct impact on your health. After your inner person controls and cultivates positive energy, you will live healthier and avoid the most common ailments. Also, behavioural changes is another aspect, living with high craving rates for snack and processed foods you’re having a cautiousness about their effect, in the long run, should be the ability to make you limit their consumption because living healthy is a choice. Number three is dietary changes, here, we refer to health choices that can help someone lose/maintain, and manage changes including portion sizes, hydrating and other physical activity levels, sleeping patterns, and all other aspects of good health and wellness. Any more advice? It’s possible that all these adjustments could look familiar but their effects on our bodies are huge. Considering the current health trends, the public needs to be more cautious and increase vigilance when it comes to body wellness, disease prevention, and management of both chronic and infectious diseases.
