Greet The Year Of The Rabbit With These Healthy, Holistic Habits You Can Start During CNY
People say health is wealth for a reason.
By Marion Fernando — 20 Jan 2023, 04:36 PM
Chinese New Year is just a few days away, which means we can expect an abundance of well wishes for a happy and prosperous year
From gong xi fa cai to nian nian you yu, it's customary to wish family and friends with these popular greetings — the former translates to 'wishing you prosperity in the coming year', while the latter means 'may you have abundance every year'.
As we usher in the festive season with longings for wealth and prosperity, let's also take a moment to put health in the spotlight.
Want to put your well-being at the forefront, and adopt good practices that eventually lead to a healthier lifestyle this Year of the Rabbit?
Here are four holistic habits you can start embracing to help kickstart your journey:
1. Eat good food for good health
It's no secret that Malaysians have a massive appreciation for food, which is often a uniting factor whenever the topic arises. While foodies can agree that we're blessed with delicious food, they're not always the best health-wise.
One way of making healthier food choices is by being more aware of what we eat, as well as looking out for things like cholesterol intake. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Malaysia, and high cholesterol is considered a major risk factor for it.
Other things you can do include keeping hydrated and swapping sugary drinks for water. If you find your diet lacking in variety, supplementing with multivitamins might be worth considering.
2. Make time for routine health screenings
Scheduling regular health screenings is recommended because you'll have the chance to detect potential health issues before they turn into serious complications, like high cholesterol levels, which can cause fatty deposits in your blood vessels to clog your arteries.
The risk for heart attacks or strokes increases when this happens, as these deposits may sometimes break suddenly and form a clot.
3. Aim for balance in your lifestyle
The 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey found that more than half of Malaysians were overweight, with close to 20% of them classified as obese. A study by a British medical journal has even classified Malaysia as "the most obese Asian country".
Health is about the 'yin' finding its 'yang'. If you find yourself sitting down for long periods of time, try adding more movement into your day. Taking the stairs when you can, parking further away, and going for walks are great ways to get your steps in and start moving.
4. Don't neglect mental and emotional well-being
Remember to take care of your emotional, psychological, and social health, in addition to the physical aspects.
Limiting your screen time and getting the recommended hours of sleep at night, as well as taking frequent breaks to reflect and recharge can help you restore balance in energy levels and capacity.
To maintain well-being, keep toxic people at arm's length, and spend more time with those who make you happy instead.
This Lunar New Year 2023 is expected to be a year filled with healing and hope. Let's all look forward to a prosperous year that also brings us health!
