CARIBBEAN WELLNESS DAY MESSAGE: Dr. Holly Alexander, Chair: Presidential National Non Communicable Disease Commission – Guyana (PNNCDC-G)

As we observe Caribbean Wellness day 2019 with the theme ‘Healthy Aging Starts Now’ we as individuals owe it to ourselves to ensure that we live a healthy life by adopting a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits.

Studies have shown a high mortality rate from non-communicable diseases in Guyana, the Caribbean and even worldwide.

The Presidential National Non-Communicable Disease Commission – Guyana (PNNCDC-G) was established to help in reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases in our dear land of Guyana.

There is no doubt that the lifestyle we choose has an impact on our health and whether we develop diabetes, high blood pressure, heart issues or other non-communicable diseases.

Children, senior citizens, students, women, men, everyone has to be concerned about their health. We all should adopt best practices and healthy habits for ourselves and our near and dear ones.

A healthy diet and regular exercise routine is the best combination anyone can adhere to, in order to lead a healthy and good life.

Good nutritional habits should be adopted from birth.  We know of the phrase ‘Breast is Best’ and so exclusive breastfeeding is what we should do.

Children would eat what we provide and so it is our responsibility as adults to give them what is good for their bodies. Encourage them to eat their vegetables.

The fast-food crave is real but we have to teach our children about making healthy choices. Let them see us make that choice, have a fruit or vegetable salad instead.

As adults most of us are faced with the consequences, having adopted bad eating habits.  Let us make the switch to healthy eating and exercising today, before it is too late.

Wellness Day provides us all with an opportunity to reflect and focus on actions that can improve the health of all of us.

Why not do a nightly audit?

Think about the habits that you opted for that day:

• How much water did you drink?
• Did you exercise?
• Were you able to have a balanced diet?
• Was your food fatty?
• Did your food have too much salt and you ate it anyway?
• How much sweet sugary beverage did you drink?
• Did you have your portion of fruits and or vegetables?
• Did you make a healthy choice when you bought fast food?
• Finally did you build your immune system, or did you break it?

When you have answered the Questions plan for a better day a healthier tomorrow.

Remember: Life is about choices: Choose to be Healthy.

Now let’s get started, let us recognize our improvement areas and focus on how we can better our health and lead a healthy and productive life for ourselves and our near and dear ones.

Remember ‘HEALTHY AGING STARTS NOW’