Good health; the foundation for a good life.

It feels great to participate in the unity and freedom contest again, HERE is the link to the contest for those who would love to participate.

Discussing health is something I love doing and I am happy @anttn chose a topic that has to do with health for this contest.

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I have always believed that good health is life, and the foundation of life is built on it. Everything a human will become in life is built on good health because it is only when you are healthy that you can study, graduate, and pursue your career.

There is no human that doesn't know the importance of good health but many of us turn a blind eye to it. I wouldn't want to waste time telling the importance of good health but I will say this, "investing in our health is like sowing a seed and it is whatever you sow you will reap".

Just like you can't plant a cactus and expect oranges, it is impossible to treat your health nonchalantly and expect to be healthy. Every human who want to be healthy must definitely work towards achieving it.

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Human health is not restricted to just our physical well-being, it has a lot to do with our mental well-being as well so when we are discussing health, it is important we cover both aspects because to reach our full functionality as humans, we need to be good on both sides.

Taking care of my health is paramount for me and after a little time in the world, I can tell between being healthy and the other side of it.

A few years ago, I stressed my legs to a point that I had worn out muscles and in the process of seeking medication attention, I discovered that my blood pressure had gotten out of hand.

"At your age, you shouldn't be having these issues", I remembered my doctor saying this, and I told her that the race for survival is what's driving me hard.

She laughed and asked me, "what's survival without good health?".

I was short of words and then I realized how important my health is. I was grounded because I couldn't walk properly and it took me over 5 months to recover since I couldn't afford surgery.

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Since that time, I have taken more measures towards maintaining good health. Staying healthy isn't expensive and it would interest you to know that it cost you more money to end up being unhealthy than to be healthy. A lot of people think staying healthy requires you to have money but we are wrong.

The things I do to stay healthy will give you an insight into how cheap it is to maintain good health.

Food

I have mentioned countless times on the platform that I am a foodie, I love to eat a lot but I make sure I do eat right. The things we take into our body whether solid or fluid have a great impact on our health.

• I try to make sure my food is properly prepared in a hygienic environment and this is one of the reasons I don't purchase cooked food, I don't trust many food vendors because of the things I see online.

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• I avoid junk food as much as I can even though I have a big weakness for cakes. Junk foods aren't just expensive, they are also one of the things that can deprive you of good health. Too much consumption of junk food will affect both our mental and physical health so I avoid it.

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• Processed foods aren't exempted as well because many of the preservatives used aren't healthy. I know it is impossible to completely abstain from processed foods in bags or cans but I ensure my intake is minimal.

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• I take vegetables a lot, and one of my meals in the day always has a good percentage of vegetables because I take swallow meals almost every day.

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• Herbs consumption.

I am addicted when it comes to taking herbs because I was raised with them. I stayed away from them for some time and I knew the difference.

_{Bitterleaf and Basil leaf soup}

I am allergic to aspirin and a few drugs so taking drugs is usually not an option, and even as an adult, I tremble at the sight of injections so I embrace my herbs.

My magical herbs consist of ginger, garlic, bitter leaf, clove, basil leaves, turmeric, and moringa. I add some of them to every meal and they have been very effective. There are times I just make soup or juice out of them for detoxification and they do the job appropriately.

The need for good foods can't be underrated for both our physical and mental well-being.

Rest & Fun

Not having adequate rest was what caused my leg muscles issue so I have always ensured that nothing prevents me from resting.

The effect isn't just on physical health, resting properly does help us mentally as well. My best form of rest is sleeping, I do feel strong both physically and mentally after having a proper sleep.

I am poor at having fun but I try as much as possible to take breaks from work or my busy schedule to have a chat, watch movies, and do other things. This prevents me from getting bored or into a terrible mental state.

Sometimes I attend social gatherings, but I don't this often though it helps as well.

Exercising

I used to take this very seriously before, I try to jog for about 30-45 minutes just to burn some calories but these days, I get too busy and even forget to jog.

I didn't know I was indirectly exercising with my farm work. Every day, I trek for over an hour walking to and fro the farm twice a day.

When I did know it was an exercise, I started swinging my hands and running sideways, especially in the morning just to stretch my muscles and prepare them for the day's task.

Meditation

I don't know if this is the right word to use but I try as much as possible to do things that would help me relax mentally.

Listening to some kind of music is at the top of the list because I do it often. Ordinary people by Cohbams Asuquo is one among many songs I love to listen to, it has a magical touch when I begin to doubt what the future holds for me.

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_{Hanging out with nature}

Taking time out with nature is another thing I do to meditate and it is very effective. I love to hang out with nature once in a while, the effect of nature is magical on me and you can tell from the smile.

If you haven't missed a point all through the article, you will discover I haven't mentioned anything that would require me to break the bank just to stay healthy. Health is indeed wealth and the earlier we realize that, the better for us.

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