Look after your teeth
Consistently monitoring and maintaining your teeth is essential.
Nutritious Food
It's impressive how a good and steady meal schedule could remodel how you feel on a daily basis.
Physical Activity
Being active often will help immensely towards the consistent betterment of your health.
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The old proverb says that health is wealth.

 

Health includes physical health, basic hygiene and cleanliness, dental hygiene, and psychological wellbeing. As a youngster, you may be quite concerned about your appearance, which at your age is absolutely understandable, having a second glance at different protocols you do on a daily basis can really open up your mind to new choices to make yourself feel better entirely. 

Maintaining health is easy enough. Just remember these nine golden rules:

nutrition

Maintaining a steady diet. Find information on nutrition here

Physical activity. Find information on getting active and consistent here

rest

Adequate rest. Find out how crucial rest can be towards a good tomorrow here

mentalhealth

How important is mental health to you? Find out here

teeth

Dental Care. Discover how important it is to maintain your teeth here

hygiene

Maintain a good personal hygiene. Find further information on hygiene and it's importance here

checkup

How important is it to constantly remain aware of your health? Find out here

safety

Follow personal safety rules

Nutrition
Your body needs food to grow and to go about your daily activities. The body uses calories from food and drink as energy. You will find that every few hours you need to eat to keep the energy up.

How many calories do you need?

Different people need different amounts of calories based on their age, gender, and the amount of physical activity they get.

Generally, a moderately active young boy between the ages of 14 to 18 years requires 2400-2800 calories.

A moderately active young girl between the ages of 14 to 18 years requires around 2000 calories.

The table for calorie levels can be found here

How to get these calories?

Your body receives calories from foods and drinks you consume. Not all foods and drinks are good for the body. Some may include empty calories, which will give no nutrients, but may cause weight gain.

Your body needs proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Good sources of protein are meats, eggs, and fish. Vegetarians can get their protein intake from beans, legumes, nuts, cheeses, and soya.

Good sources of carbohydrates are whole grain breads, rotis, fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and beans.

Good sources of fats are cooking oils such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and peanut butter.

Good sources of vitamins are fruits and vegetables.

Good sources of minerals are nuts and seeds, shellfish like oysters, meats, vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli.

Vegetarians may not receive adequate quantities of minerals such as calcium, zinc and iron and the vitamin B12. In that case, they can take supplements after consulting with their doctors.

More information on essential nutrients can be found here

Water

Let us not forget about water. In fact, scientists believe that human can survive without food for far longer than without water. It is believed that humans can go without food for 3 weeks but cannot go 3 days without water. More information about the study can be found here.

An average male requires 3.7 liters of fluids and an average female requires 2.7 liters of fluids. Recommendations on intake of fluids can be found here.

What should your plate look like?

The ideal dietary intake will be different for different individuals. However, on an average, 10 to 35% calories should come from proteins, 45 to 65% should come from carbohydrates, and 20 to 25% should come from fats.

Do not go beyond 10 tablespoons of sugar every day. And be aware of hidden sugars found in foods like breads, cereals, sauces etc.

Eat a fiber-rich diet.

Stay away from fried foods, soda and sugary breakfast cereals and cold drinks

Natural colors of different foods mean you are getting a variety of nutrients. For example, the red of tomatoes, the orange of carrot, green of spinach, and the purple color of blueberries mean that you are getting lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin C and K, and anthocyanin. Try to include as many natural colors on your plate as possible. A dinner plate containing a rainbow of colors is not just good looking, it also provides a variety of nutrients.

More information can be found here.

Physical activity

A lack of physical activity leads to obesity.

Obesity is linked to many diseases like diabetes, heart trouble, high blood pressure and others.

It is simple arithmetic. If your body consumes more calories than it spends, it will store the remaining calories in your body as body fat.  You need to have a balance between what you eat and how much you spend in activity.

A study revealed that 19% of children in India were obese in 2016, compared to 16.3% obese children in 2005. More about the study can be found here.

High-calorie foods and an inactive lifestyle are the causes.

How to prevent obesity

An average teenager needs 60 minutes or more of physical activity.

It is easy to get enough physical activity by walking, running, jumping, climbing, or playing your favorite sport. 

More information of easy physical activities can be found here.

Body Mass index

Body Mass index shows the proportion of body fat to your height.

An ideal BMI is between 18.5 to 24.9

You can calculate your BMI here by entering your height and weight here.

Adequate rest

You are still growing as a teenager. You require 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Sleep lets you restore your body and helps it grow. It also helps your learning ability and lets you concentrate more.

With so many entertainment options and distractions at hand, an average teenager has been getting only 6 hours of sleep. So much sleep deprivation will result in weight gain, poor grades, lack of concentration and depression.  

Make sure you go to bed early. Finish your last meal of the day at least 2 hours before your bedtime. Switch off all gadgets at least 30 minutes before bedtime, as the blue screen and LED displays may interfere with sleep. Make the sleeping area as comfortable as possible, as noise and light can disturb your sleep.

Mental Wellbeing

Being a teenager is the toughest job in the world. Your body and mind are still growing. Hormones are wreaking havoc and you have to deal with academic anxiety and peer pressure.

All of the above lead to stress and a poor mental health.

Mental wellbeing is required for you to maintain your physical health and happiness. Secure and mentally healthy teenagers feel good about themselves. Good mental health also leads to better academic performance.

You can achieve good mental health by eating a healthy diet and getting enough rest and physical activity.

You should also follow these simple tips:

  1. Stay connected with friends and family
  2. Do not isolate yourself
  3. If you are facing difficulty, seek help. Talk to parents, friends, and teachers
  4. Do not get influenced by social media. You do not need “likes” on your posts. Do not pay attention to trolls
  5. Life is to be lived and experienced, not “Instagrammed”
  6. Pick up a hobby or two. Spend time on activities that you enjoy
  7. Be friendly and polite to everyone. Do not get disheartened by mean comments. You are not defined by what others call you
  8. Do not take stress about your grades. Remember failure does not mean end of the world. Failure is a vital life lesson Bullying

Most teenagers experience bullying in some form or the other. 

Bullying takes many forms such as name-calling, teasing, physically harming, spreading rumors and gossip, or leaving someone out on purpose.

Actually, bullying is power play. Whenever one kid feels that they have more physical power, popularity, better style, or some embarrassing information, they may try to use it to cause harm to another kid. Bullying can cause severe negative impact on the kid that was bullied. It also causes severe adverse impact on the kid who is bullying.

Most schools have a zero-tolerance policy on bullying. If you experience bullying, do report it to your teachers or parents.

Learn more about what is bullying and how to prevent it here.

Dental Hygiene

I am sure you enjoy delicious foods. Your teeth and chompers let you enjoy the treats. It is very important to take care of your dental hygiene to prevent cavities, gum disease and loss of teeth.

Nature knows all about human beings. It knows we can be lazy about teeth brushing.It gives us two chances. We are born with milk teeth, which later fal out and we acquire our permanent teeth. We do not get a third chance.

You can take care of your set of teeth by:

  1. Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Each time please brush for at elat 2 minutes
  2. Use dental floss to clean between the teeth at least once a day
  3. After every snack or dessert, brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth
  4. Go the dentist’s office for regular cleanings. Ideally twice a year
  5. Stay away from too much caffeine, chocolates sweet candies
  6. If you have irregular teeth, consider getting braces. Do not care about what your classmates will say. Best to get it done while you are still in high school
  7. Do not, do not, do not chew tobacco or smoke cigarettes

Do not ignore toothache. Visit a dentist immediately

Personal Hygiene

As I write this from my house, under a COVID-19 lockdown, I realize that personal hygiene is of utmost importance. If most people follow basic hygiene rules, we can protect ourselves, our families, and communities from many diseases.

As the highly contagious coronavirus has shown, while everyone waits for medicines or vaccines, maintaining a good personal hygiene can help in a big way. Follow these simple rules for your health and for the health of those around you:

  1. Wash your hands frequently. Make sure you wash them for a minimum of 20 seconds (sing the happy birthday song twice 😊) each time.
  2. In the absence of water and soap, you can use an alcohol-based sanitizer
  3. Take a shower or bath or bucket bath, at least once a day. A 10-minute washing will give you a thorough cleaning.
  4. Shampoo your hair at least once a week
  5. Wear fresh and clean clothes every day
  6. Keep your uniform clean and change into home clothes as soon as you reach home
  7. Stay home if you have a cold, cough, or fever
  8. Do not sneeze into your palms. Sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your elbow. Wash your hands immediately afterwards
  9. Keep your food covered. Do not eat while out on the road
  10. Always wash your hands before eating
  11. Do not eat stale or rancid food
  12. Never spit. You will cause harm to others
  13. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap after using the bathroom
  14. Keep your nails clean and cut short
  15. Take a shower before entering a public swimming pool
  16. If you go to the gym, make sure you wipe down the exercise equipment before and after the use
  17. Do not share toothbrush, underwear, or earphones with anyone
  18. If you are not sure of the water quality in your home, please use water purifying or boiling technique
  19. Avoid crowding
  20. Keep your room, house, and neighborhood clean. Do not litter. Remember to clean highly used places like doorknobs, switches and buttons

Special tips for COVID times

  1. Always wear a face mask in public places. Make sure the mask covers your nose and mouth
  2. Maintain social distancing. Always stand at least 6 feet away from others
  3. Disinfect all household surfaces regularly
  4. Thoroughly wash fruits, vegetables, and other goods, before consuming or storing in the house
  5. Avoid going out, unless it is for essential purposes
  6. Follow all rules and public health guidelines issued by the government

Regular Health check-up

You may go to a doctor when you are ill. But if you want to stay healthy, do go for regular health check-ups.

A wellness check lets you find any health-related issue early, so that you can start treatment. It helps you to monitor your weight and get regular advice on diet and exercising habits. You can get an eye-check and hearing test done. Visit the doctor for a wellness check at least once a year.

Immunizations are important to prevent many diseases. You must have been immunized when you were a child. If you are not sure, a simple blood test will let you know which immunizations you still haven’t received or if you need a booster shot. You should take a tetanus shot once every 10 years.

Regular visits to the dentist will help prevent dental issues, including cavities, loose teeth, and gum diseases. Get your teeth cleaned at the dentist office at least twice a year.

If you are feeling stressed, talk to your parents. If required, you can get therapy and treatment. Mental illness is just like physical illness. There shouldn’t be any stigma about it. You just need to treat it, just like you would treat any physical illness.

Personal safety

You might have heard the motto “Safety First”. Truly there is nothing more important than keeping your self and those around you, safe.

You can follow these rules to maintain safety:

  1. Always use a helmet while riding a bicycle or motorcycle
  2. Always follow traffic rules
  3. Participate in fire drills. Learn where the refuge area is in your building or school
  4. Learn first aid techniques
  5. Have a list of ambulances, hospitals ready with you
  6. Be alert and mindful in public places and while walking on the road
  7. Never use your phones, headphones or other gadgets while driving or walking
  8. Doing dangerous and unnecessary stunts and dares is simply foolish
  9. Always help others in distress

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