SNAP INTO GOOD HEALTH

BY Dr. Sanjiva Wijesinha

Preventing our bodies from breaking down is far better than looking for the best specialist to restore us when disease strikes and our bodies have been affected. The best way to remember what we need to do to prevent common prime time diseases is to think of the acronym SNAP.

SNAP means ‘S’ for smoking, ‘N’ for nutrition, ‘A’ for alcohol and ‘P’ for physical exercise.

Smoking is arguably the greatest preventable cause of ill health in the world. Not only lung and bladder cancers, but high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and osteoporosis (or weak bones) are also more common in smokers.

The main problem with inhaling cigarette smoke is that it narrows the blood vessels. With blood flow to various parts of the body being reduced, these organs are damaged and can’t function properly.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy but there are various methods such as nicotine patches, chewing gum, hypnotherapy, tablets that suppress the craving for cigarettes and so on.

Arresting the habit is the single most important step smokers can take to improve their health and quality of life – and of course, live longer!

In the case of nutrition, it’s a well-known fact that slim people live longer than those who are overweight; and those who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Waist circumference is a good measure of how fat you are. By losing weight, you can normalise high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, and reduce the need



for medication.

It isn’t only how much we eat that matters; we should also control what we eat. Consuming fruits, vegetables and dairy products is important, as is minimising sugary snacks and fried food.

Aim for regular meals (i.e. three or four small healthy meals) instead of snacking all day and then consuming a mountain of rice accompanied by an ocean of curries in the evening.

Alcohol is a controversial topic. If you consume alcohol, limit yourself to no more than two units a day. A unit of alcohol (10g) is equal to half a pint of beer, 120 millilitres of wine or a 30 millilitre tot of spirits. Averaging more than four units a day increases your risk of heart attack and adds calories to your weight.

Physical exercise undoubtedly improves health. Regular exercise prevents heart disease and reduces the risk of developing diabetes, arthritis and osteoporosis as you grow older. If you already have diabetes or high blood pressure (the most common causes of premature deaths in Sri Lanka), daily aerobic exercise helps burn sugar, reduce blood glucose levels and control high blood pressure.

While swimming and cycling are fine, for both fitness and heart health, weight bearing exercises such as walking and gym workouts are essential for building muscles, as well as strengthening bones.

It is unfortunate that common diseases, which can kill you before you grow old, don’t reveal any symptoms in the early stages. You can have elevated blood pressure or early diabetes and literally not feel a thing. That’s why prevention is much more important than cure.

People may survive and recover from a heart attack but
it leaves them with a damaged organ. Wouldn’t it be so much better if you could prevent a heart attack occurring in the first place?

And isn’t it time to ‘SNAP’ out of your unhealthy lifestyle?