By virtue of Proclamation No. 99 series of 1992, every 2nd week of December is celebrated as “Linggo ng Kabataan” in the Philippines to recognize the youth’s contribution for the development of the culture, festivals and arts, conducting awareness campaign that incorporates environment issues, as well as engaging themselves in volunteer work.
Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of young people in the world today, ensuring their health and well-being continue to be a challenge. Good health is important for them as it jumpstarts the stage for better welfare in later life and being healthy is not only about on the absence of any diseases. It has different categories to consider including the physical, mental, emotional and behavioral health to live a productive and satisfying life.
To achieve the overall health, here are some healthy tips that youths could follow:
1. Physical health: Taking care of your body
- Exercise regularly. Teens should be physically active at least 60 minutes daily.
- Eat a healthy diet. Healthy eating is an important part of your growth and development. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, a variety of protein foods, and eat less on fried, fatty and sugary foods.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Children and teenagers with obesity are more likely to have obesity as an adult. They are also at higher risk for other chronic illnesses, depression, and bullying.
- Get enough sleep. Youths need to have between 9 and 9 ½ hours of sleep every night. Sleep has a strong effect on your ability to concentrate and do well at school.
- Maintain good sanitation and oral hygiene. Take a bath regularly, brush and floss your teeth and wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer.
2. Mental health: Taking care of your mind
- Learn ways to manage stress. Stress is inevitable even at young age, so you need to learn how to manage it. This will help you stay calm, avoid panics and be able to function in stressful situations.
- Study and do your best in school. There is a strong link between health and academic success.
- Try to maintain a good relationship with your parents. Remember that they want what is best for you. Try to see where they are coming from when they set rules.
- Develop a good balance between school, work, and social life. Don’t try to take on too much. Limit your activities to the most important ones because overextending yourself can lead to stress, frustration, or exhaustion.
3. Emotional health: Taking care of your feelings
- Pay attention to your moods and feelings. Don’t assume your negative thoughts or feelings are just part of being a youth or teenager. If you’re worried about something, ask for help.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. If you can’t talk to your parents, talk to a favorite teacher or counselor at school. Find an adult you can trust. If you’re feeling really sad or are thinking about harming yourself, get help right away.
- Accept yourself. If you feel like you have low self-esteem or a poor body image, talk to someone about it. Even just talking to a friend can help.
4. Behavioral health: Taking care of your safety through your behaviors
- Avoid substance use or abuse. This includes alcohol, street drugs, other people’s prescription drugs, and any type of tobacco product.
- Avoid violence. Stay away from situations where violence or fighting may cause you to be physically injured.
- Be cautious on your choices in life. Weigh the negative and positive impacts when making life decisions.
Young people are on the exciting part of their life wherein diverse physical, emotional, social and intellectual changes are happening every day that could influence their overall health and well-being. Addressing health at an early age prevents bigger negative effects in the future and has higher chances for them to have greater contributions in the community. Normalizing healthy behaviors and self-care are life skills that the youth today should focus on for the well-being of their future.
NOI Angelica O. Pajulas
References:
1. Teenagers: How to stay healthy from https://familydoctor.org/teenagers-how-to-stay-healthy/
2. Why is focusing on young people’s health important? from https://www.youngpeopleshealth.org.uk/focusing-young-peoples-health-important-nhs-youth-forum-kath-evans
