teens ask the experts about staying healthy?
teens ask: What can I do to
stay healthy?
There are many things you can do to stay healthy. They include:
- Exercise or do some other kind of active physical
activity at least 30 minutes every day
- Get involved! Team sports keep you active with
both your body and mind. It's also a great way to meet all kinds of people. Life
is all about dedication and discipline, and with team sports you can develop skills
that will never let you down while working with other people.
- Don't stress it! Learn to avoid and control things,
including people you know that are affecting you in a bad way. It really helps to
believe in yourself, and have courage to be firm about what you believe in.
- Just say no to alcohol and drugs, they are not
the way to fit into society. Avoid drugs, live long and have fun.
- Don't smoke, and stay away from passive smoking
(inhaling other people's smoke, which is also known as second-hand smoke)
- Chill out with the violence, and try to end such
situations peacefully.
- Bags of chips and a Slice are not the way to go.
If you want to look good, eat healthy and still enjoy food, just follow these tips:
- Have a banana or an apple every day, and 1 or 2 other pieces of fruit. Eating at
least 5 fruits and vegetables each day helps you look good and feel good. Don't
forget to keep track of whether you ate your 5 fruits and vegetables every day.
- Got milk? Two servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese will keep you strong
and ready to move on.
- Eat at least 2 servings of meat (but limit the red meat), fish, nuts, eggs or dry
beans, which all have a lot of protein. If you're a vegetarian, be sure to substitute
two additional servings of vegetable protein to decrease the chance of nutritional
problems.
- Eat at least 6 servings of bread (whole grain), cereal (whole grain), rice (brown),
or pasta (brown) every day.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
- Limit the amount of fat, salt and sugar you take in.
- Practice good dental hygiene (brush and floss after
each meal if possible. If not, brush and floss at least twice a day, and rinse with
an antibacterial mouth wash.
- Practice good body hygiene, which includes at least
one bath daily. Also, use deodorant every day.
- Sleep at least 8 hours a day.
- Find a balance between school, work, friends and everything
else.
- Avoid making quick or careless decisions because of pressure
from others, whether it's pressure from one person or pressure from a group
of people. It doesn't matter whether they're supposed to be good friends or not.
Good friends will respect your right to take your time in making important decisions.
- Don't mess around with sex until you're absolutely, positively ready to deal with
it, and to deal with the complications that may result.
Remember that:
- Sexually active teens often get involved with teen pregnancy.
- Sexually active teens have an increased risk of getting
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus infection), which, often leads to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)
- If you're feeling as if you're alone and often find yourself
unhappy, try to talk with someone close to you, whether they are a trusted
friend or family member, or even your school counselor. There's always someone willing
to listen to your problems and help you find a solution to them. In most cases,
holding in all of your anger and frustration can lead to a situation where you end
up doing things that might hurt you, your family and friends, or others around you.
Teen Power's Bottom Line:
- Respect yourself…Protect yourself!.
- Live healthy for yourself, and for those you love.
- When you live healthy, you'll feel good and look better.
Remember what Teen Power says: "Better Safe than Sorry!"
Finally, also remember the Health Power motto:
Action's The Way 4 Health Power!