Top 4 Behaviors that make you sick.

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The idea that knowledge of risk does not necessarily translate into changed behavior has made the goal of achieving optimal health for all often insurmountable especially in the African context. Most people have the knowledge but do they actually practice them? The afromentioned statements are often true with regard to health behavior which are actions that can directly affect health outcomes. Healthy behaviors lower the risk of illness while unhealthy behaviors increase risk of illness. Top 4 unhealthy behaviors include:

Physical inactivity.

This is when you do not move your body for long periods of time. If you are not active enough the energy produced by the food you consume is stored by the body as fat. This means fewer calorie burned leading to weight gain, slowed metabolism, poor blood circulation, restlessness, anxiety and depression. Inactivity is a silent killer because it's effects may go undetected for years before a disease that would otherwise be averted develops. These dieses include heart diseases such as stroke, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. These non-communicable dieses are the leading causes of death world wide and can be prevented if you regularly engage in physical activities such as walking, running, dancing, swimming and hitting the gym. I acknowledge the fact that maintaining a consistent work out regimen may not be easy for some but by having workout buddies you can be motivated to go for regular workouts.

Poor Diet.

Just like physical inactivity, poor eating habits lead to an array of non-communicable disease such as heart disease, obesity, 13 different cancers and diabetes. Consuming foods rich in cholesterol/high fat, highly processed foods and food having too much added sugars are some foods that should be avoided in order to live healthier lives. All of us have control over our health with regard to what we eat. Walking past your favorite fast food joint may be so annoying especially when you see those rotating succulent and shiny chicken drumsticks staring back at you looking all delicious. But it's a necessary step we need to take to stay healthy. The lethal combination of physical inactivity and poor diet crates a situation where more fat is stored and little is burned. A well balanced diet provides energy and nutrients needed for growth and repair. Healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, free fat food, whole grain and plenty of water. 

Risky Sexual Behaviors.

There are many drivers that provide avenues for individuals to engage in risky sexual behaviors. They could be desire to experiment, peer pressure, rape, need of money or cultural factors depending on every individuals context. Risky sexual behaviors include having multiple sex partners, unprotected sex, early sexual debut and sex under the influence of drugs. Having multiple sex partners puts you at risk of being infected with multiple or drug resistant strains of the HIV virus which may prove to be harder to control and treat. Condom use has been widely preached but how many actually use them regularly ? This has been hard to achieve due to behavioral factors such as placing importance on "flesh to flesh" sex as it is deemed more pleasurable than use of condoms. Sex under the influence of drugs and alcohol may impair your judgement and inevitably lead to sexual behavior you would otherwise not engage in. The LGBTQ community, and those that engage in anal sex are at more risk because anal sex is more riskier than vaginal sex in transmission of HIV and STIs. Sexual activities from high risk to low risk in a chronological order are anal sex, vaginal sex and oral sex. Fingering, dry humps and acts that don't involve body fluids have no risk of transmission. The best way to avoid high risk sexual behaviors is to get tested, know your partner, avoid drugs and alcohol and use protection.

Substance Abuse.

People involve themselves in substance use for various reasons such as peer pressure, recreation, stress, trauma, poverty and depression. Substances such as alcohol and tobacco lead to health conditions such as lung cancer, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, stroke, pneumonia and digestive problems. Substance use increase likelihood of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction and dependence. It lowers quality of people's lives and prevents them from realizing their full potential. It also causes social issues such as academic difficulties for students, low self esteem, poor social skills crimes and violence such as Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). You can prevent yourself from substance abuse by resisting peer pressure, fostering health friendships, storng family relationships and develop coping skills such as exercises. 

Every individual is the controller of his/her own destiny, health included. I implore you to adopt healthy behaviors so that you can achieve your full potential and improve your quality of life. I welcome you to share your thoughts in the comment section.