Tips to Start Forming Healthy Habits

Dr Fakie says that forming positive health habits early on can make a major difference in warding off lifestyle diseases. Here are her recommendations for young people to prioritise their wellbeing.

• Eat that apple a day: The World Health Organisation has said that non-communicable diseases (NCD) – also known as lifestyle diseases, like cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes – account for 74% of all deaths worldwide. Locally, 1 in 5 South Africans over 15 years old live with multimorbidity – more than one disease. Multimorbidity starts in adolescence and women are more prone to it. The nation faces an NCD epidemic, according to UNICEF, as over 31% of 15 to 19-year-old women are overweight or obese, making them vulnerable to NCDs.
  The risk of contracting many of these may be reduced by living a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep and avoid smoking and substances.
• Look after your mental health: UNICEF reported that 65% of young South Africans said they have a mental health issue but have not sought help; 20% didn’t know where to get help and another 18% were worried about what people would think. Mental wellbeing has a massive impact on physical wellbeing. It’s imperative to prioritise it and ask for help when you need it.
• Find experts you trust: Transitioning from child to adult medical and behavioural healthcare can be a massive adjustment. The adult healthcare environment is often perceived as less nurturing, which may be very off-putting and isolating to a young person used to a different kind of care. This could result in medical non-compliance and poor health outcomes down the line. It’s important to find doctors and specialists who you feel comfortable with, trust, and can talk to.
• Start the screenings: It’s advisable for young people to undergo an annual screening for their BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol and mental wellness, to detect any issues early on. Women should start having pap smears as soon as they are sexually active. Family history also plays a big role. If you have a family history of breast cancer, for example, an annual breast examination may be a good idea.
• Use smart solutions: There are a plethora of wearables available, such as smart watches to measure wellness parameters like physical activity, sleep, and diet. Consider setting positive health goals and using wearables to ‘gamify’ these. There are also multiple innovations when it comes to chronic disease management, including diabetes wearable tech, for example. It's critical to control these conditions from the get-go.
• Consider cover: A survey Sanlam hosted in 2021 found 36% of all participants had no medical aid; 59% of these respondents were younger than 40. It’s important to consider the cost of having no cover. In a scenario where you can’t work, who takes care of the bills? What toll does this take on your family? A basic hospital plan without any extras could be a good option to investigate, along with gap cover.

Sanlam has recently re-entered the health space through its acquisition of Afrocentric. Dr Fakie says, “Our focus is on making healthcare fair and accessible, enabling Africans to live confidently. A big part of this comes from prioritising one’s wellbeing.”