MANILA, Philippines — YouTuber Wil Dasovich talked about some health tips on the last episode of his Spotify podcast "Superhuman."
In the last episode of "Superhuman," a podcast on Spotify hosted by Dasovich, registered nutritionist and lifestyle medicine physician Dr. Dex Macalintal joined the host to talk about the nuances of our immunity and how to best double down on our health.
Here are the best takeaways from the episode that may help you stay in your best of health during the pandemic:
Healthy, natural food is your best friend
As they say, the best way to address sickness is to prevent it, so you do not have to cure it. While there are many medicines created to help us cure and prevent illnesses, healthy and nutritious food is still your best tool to strengthen your immune system and health.
The risks related to the top noncommunicable diseases in the Philippines, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, can be greatly be prevented by reducing salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats in our meals.
Keep it simple
Read the labels when choosing what food to buy for your weekly grocery run. The shorter the ingredient list, the better.
If you can go for the non-processed food item, even better. Going natural is still the best and easiest way to prepare your food. Go for veggies and fruits, and even unprocessed meat. If you are unsure about the ideal mix of food on your plate, you can always consult a nutritionist, even online. There are even apps specially made to help you figure out what your meal is made of in terms of ingredients and calories.
Burn unhealthy fat
Begin the day with exercise. There’s still no way to burn fats than to move – be it through a quick dance session, or a brisk walk in the park.
Apart from sweating unhealthy fats and toxins, exercising helps you raise your heart rate that releases endorphins. Endorphins are natural chemicals in our body responsible for making you feel happy.
Moreover, moving your butt can improve your metabolism, which allows your body to burn more calories in its resting state and process nutrients better.
If you can’t get your sweat on earlier in the day, exercise at a time most sustainable for you. What matters is not the time of day, but the long-term viability of your lifestyle change.
Love your tribe
One of the effective ways to stay on track to a healthy lifestyle is to do it with your buddies and loved ones. There’s nothing more fun and more inspiring than starting your journey to fitness and healthy diet than doing it with your BFFs or even siblings.
Create a fun community for yourself. Be in group chats, or regular calls, it’s nice to align your loved one with your health goals. So as to also let them know that you’re not into pig-out food trips these days.
Apart from your fitness and diet goals, it is best to inform your tribe of your mental health issues. Mental stress and anguish caused by long periods of isolation can impact your immunity, so feel free to open up to your loved ones about your mental and emotional struggles.
The pandemic limited many of our in-person interactions. But physical distancing does not have to mean social distancing. Community and meaningful interactions with other people are crucial to our mental and physical health.
A medical consult is just a button away
Given the constraints of mobility and the recommendation to avoid risky areas, people have been visiting the doctor’s office online. Telemedicine and the applications that enable it are now available to many. With more healthcare professionals joining networks, the medical expert you need can easily be recommended by the one you initially consulted.
One of the best online places is Total Health Solution, an ecosystem accessible through a single touchpoint platform that can help you live better so you are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It was developed by AIA Philippines premier life insurance company. With Total Health Solution, you have the support you need anytime, anywhere. Healthcare needs such as teleconsulting, medicine purchase via delivery, vaccine administration, and discounted laboratory procedures are easily accessible.