A Healthy Lifestyle A Healthy Lifestyle means practising good, healthy habits and giving up harmful ones. A Healthy Lifestyle includes : Balanced diet and healthy eating Adequate rest and sleep Regular exercise Stress Control No substance abuse No Smoking Balanced Diet and Healthy Eating Eat right for your level of activities Eat right for your age Have three main meals; don't skip breakfast Do not overeat Avoid fast food and junk food Include 6 - 8 glasses of fluid in your daily diet Eat a variety of food Choose food from 3 basic food groups : * fruit and vegetables * rice, bread and others * meat, fish and others Follow the "Food Pyramid" for the right food proportion Take : * more food with starch and fibre   * adequate fruit and vegetables   * moderate amount of meat, fish, eggs and dairy products   * little fat or oil, salt and sugar e.g. cured and smoked food Rest and Sleep Sleeping about 7 to 8 hours every night refreshes you and provides you with energy for the next day Exercise Benefits for exercise * strengthens the heart and lungs * burns off excess calories, hence controls weight * builds up good figure and muscle tone * helps relaxing and reduces stress * improves circulation * prevents osteoporosis Safety tips when doing exercises * choose exercises suitable for your age, health status, fitness level, abilities and schedule * do not exercise when you're unwell * stop exercising immediately if you feel pain, breathless, dizzy or tired * always warm-up before you exercise and cool down afterwards by doing some stretching exercises * pay attention to the environment and weather conditions when exercising outdoors Examples of good exercises : * aerobic dancing * badminton * skipping * swimming * cycling * jogging * brisk walking Stress Control Pressures, demands and worries are facts of life and sources of stress. Too much stress can overwhelm you and give rise to mental and physical problems. So keep stress to small doses within your control Tips to control stress * be realistic choose work according to your ability and interest set achievable goals plan your workload in ways that you can manage * limit changes don't make several big changes in your life at one time keep a time interval between changes * share your problems discuss problems with people involved or with a close relative or friend * learn to relax take short breaks, weekend getaways and relaxing holidays start a hobby and exercise regularly * cultivate a happy family spend time to foster love and trust in your family No Substance Abuse Smoking, alcohol drinking and drug abuse pose serious threats to the health and well-being of individuals and the community Substance abuse not only alters behaviours, but also creates physical and psychological dependence to various degrees. Drug-dependence may lead to personal, family and social disintegration Remember to say "No" to these substances when being offered