Despite the belief that we are in a health conscious society, with super foods, and the latest diet trends, the UAE is currently facing an epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases. In 2017, the International Diabetes Federation stated the rate of diabetes in the UAE was at 15.6 percent, while the USA and UK prevalence rates were at 9.6 percent and 6 percent respectively. Recent statistics have shown that 25 to 48 percent of women in the GCC are obese, and 98 percent of these are due to physical inactivity.
What do we do about this?
90 percent of chronic diseases have been shown to be preventable with lifestyle change. While we all know the importance of lifestyle, studies have shown that more than 70 percent of our food is processed, exercise recommendations are not met by a large portion of the population, sleep quality is negatively affected in individuals, and we are not as great at dealing with stress as we think.
What’s the solution?
Get professional help Studies have shown that having a multi-disciplinary team to support intensive lifestyle change in clients have shown to prove more successful. Find a program and team that will allow customization of your needs and develop a program that is specifically meant for you, and your schedule.
Determine your personal goals
Introspect to see what your personal goals are. What may work on the nutrition front for one person, may not work for the next. We are constantly surrounded by new diets, new health fads, and new ways of eating which all may seem tempting to follow when we’ve seen how it’s positively affected someone else. However, everyone’s body, functions, and mechanisms are different and unique to each individual, so working out what works best for your body is what’s most important. Similarly, not everyone’s exercise personality is the same, so try and work out a program that is suited to you.
Educate and empower yourself
Instead of simply swallowing the information that is provided, study and analyze it so that you can empower yourself to make more informed health decisions.
Love yourself no matter what
Often times, when we set goals for the future, we become dissatisfied with the body we currently live in. Remember to always love yourself in the present day, and remember that the long term goals are there to become a better version of yourself.
About Sustain
Sustain Health was launched out of a passion to educate and empower clients to make more informed health decisions. Sustain Health uses five principles of Lifestyle Medicine which include nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management and connectedness. It works around three core concepts, which include education, customization, and sustainability to create changes that will develop into long-term habits.
