The first wealth is health - Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is easy to be slacking throughout this self-quarantine period. This is the period where you can sleep without looking at the time or care about how many hours you sleep. However, you must take care of your health during this chaotic time. You do not want to fall sick and worry your loved ones, not especially during the outbreak of Covid-19.
As the famous American essayist, Ralph Waldo Emmerson once said, health is your first wealth. You do not want to take your body for granted because of your young age but to value your health and start taking care of your body. During this Covid-19 period, there are things that we can do to make sure our body is in the healthiest state.
1. Workout at Home
No more excuses saying “I’m busy” or “I have no time”. You have the time in the world to move that body because of this quarantine period. It is essential for you to sweat it out, not just because you will lose weight but also for the benefits of your important organs such as the heart and brain. Your heart will benefit the most because working out will stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and thus, lowering blood pressure. Not just that, your brain releases neurotransmitters such as serotonin and endorphins, making you feel good after the workout. There are 4 types of exercise to strengthen your health.
Flexibility
This exercise stretches your muscles and helps your body to be flexible. Examples of this exercise are yoga and pilates. Check out Blogilates website where Cassey Ho provides a FREE workout calendar every month and you can follow the workout on her Youtube channel.
Strength
Strength exercises make your muscles stronger and allow you to carry out daily heavy activities. Normally, you can use dumbbells or resistance bands during the workout. If you are a complete beginner, your body weight would be sufficient enough to help you kick-start strength exercises. Go and do strength exercise with the help of these amazing coaches from Hasfit for free!
Balance
This exercise helps prevent falls which is a common problem for clumsy people and older adults. You can definitely improve your balance by doing the famous Tai Chi exercises so go ahead and follow Dr. Peter Chen’s website and follow his youtube videos.
Endurance
Usually known as aerobic or cardio exercise, it can improve your breathing and heart rate. If you love dancing, this is the perfect exercise for you. Follow the Live Love Party’s youtube to maximize your dancing experience because they will teach you how to zumba.
2. Get Enough Sleep
As cliche as it sounds, you must get enough sleep in a day. Experts from John Hopkins Medicine said lack of sleep at night time risks your health because it will increase symptoms of depression, migraines and high blood pressure. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended sleeping hours are:
- teenagers (14-17 years) 8-10 hours of sleep
- adults (18-64 years) 7-9 hours of sleep.
So do not binge on Netflix so much so you lose your night time sleep.
3. Eat Healthy
It is easy to get lazy and eat instant noodles during this quarantine period. But please drop that crips, soda and slow down on the fried food. Like the famous saying goes, “You are what you eat”. Increasing your daily intake on veggies and fruits will help to strengthen your immune system. This is crucial as there are no vaccines yet for Covid-19. Check out some of the list of fruits and vegetables to replenish each vitamin deficiency. If you are lacking any of the vitamins below, start adding more on the listed fruits and vegetables on your plate today!
Vitamin Deficiency | Fruits & Vegetables |
Vitamin A | Carrots, Spinach, Kale, Apricots, Red Pepper |
Vitamin B1 | Kale, Cauliflower, Oranges, Potatoes |
Vitamin B2 | Kidney Beans, Tomatoes, Spinach, Asparagus |
Vitamin B3 | Avocados, Mangoes, Bananas, Guavas |
Vitamin B5 | Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Broccoli, |
Vitamin B6 | Chickpeas, Banana, Squash, Tofu |
Vitamin B7 | Walnuts, Peanuts, Cauliflower, Raspberries |
Vitamin B9 | Oranges, Lemon, Lettuce, Asparagus |
Vitamin B12 | Eggs, Yogurt |
Vitamin C | Broccoli, Papaya, Strawberries, Orange |
Vitamin D | Maitake Mushrooms, Portobello Mushrooms |
Vitamin E | Almonds, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Asparagus |
Vitamin K | Parsley, Romaine Lettuce, Kale |
If you are interested to know more about nutrition that our body needs, you might want to pursue your education in food nutrition course. Here are the 2 best universities in Malaysia to study Nutrition’s degree for you:
Top Universities to Study Nutrition or Food Science in Malaysia
The University of Nottingham Malaysia
Program | Bachelor of Nutrition |
Intake | September |
Duration | 3 Years |
Entry Requirements | English: IELTS 6.0 A-Level: BBC (including Biology & Chemistry) STPM: BBB (including Biology & Chemistry) UEC: 1A, 4 B3s (including Biology & Chemistry) |
Annual Indicative Fees | Malaysian students: RM 41,500 International students: RM 45,590 |
For enquiries on other equivalent entry requirements that are not listed above, contact us 😃
Taylor’s University
Program | Bachelor of Science (Hons) (Food Science) |
Intake | March & August |
Duration | 3 Years |
Entry Requirements | English: IELTS 5.5 A-Level: DD (any 2 subjects in Biology, Chemistry or Physics/Mathematics) STPM: 2.33 (any 2 subjects in Biology, Chemistry or Physics/Mathematics) UEC: 5Bs (any 2 subjects in Biology, Chemistry or Physics/Mathematics) |
Annual Indicative Fees | Malaysian students: RM 32,500 International students: USD$ 9,539 |
For enquiries on other equivalent entry requirements that are not listed above, contact us 😃
4. Video Call Your Loved Ones
It is time to reach out to your old friends and relatives that you lost contact with due to your busy schedule. Call your long lost friends or call your grandparents, ask them how they are coping up during this pandemic moment. Be sincere and be kind to one other even during social distancing.
So start checking your phone and see who are the people you have lost contact with. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Institute of Mental Health found out that video call can reduce anxiety level significantly. You will never know, your call can bring great relief to your friends and family. So make an impact and spread love during this difficult time.
Be safe and stay healthy. Spread kindness and love 😃
To stay productive during quarantine, read:
Best Indoor Activity Ideas During Self Quarantine
Tips To Study Online Effectively
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Stephanie Calamba
Part time ACCA student, part time content writer but full time child of God.