My Running Anniversary - A Quest To Be Healthy & Heart Healthy

Today marks the 5th year I had started running. Well, the day I joined my first road race actually, which was a 10K at KLIUC Unity Run in 2011.
Me, 5 years ago
Truthfully, when I started running it wasn't so much about losing weight as most people would think but as an alternative to going to gym to keep fit and healthy.

I used to hate running but after I terminated my gym membership I need to find a way to be active and not turn into a couch potato so I gave running another shot.

Fast forward 5 years later and I am still running and hopefully will be for many more years to come and doing it together with my family.

An active lifestyle of course should be complimented with a balanced diet.
I admit, I love sinful food and like to indulge once in a while (or is it once too often?).
But even with a active lifestyle and being more aware about our diet, there is no guarantee that we are as healthy as we'd  like to think we are. There are a number of cases where seemingly healthy runners collapsing during a run due to heart failures which is shocking to say the least.

I guess that's where, apart from doing regular exercise and eating a healthy and balance diet; a regular medical checkup comes in.

For us old fogeys, the government (SOCSO to be exact) even provided us income earners medical checkup vouchers for us to do our medical checkups, if our company doesn't give this benefit to us - upon our 40th birthday.

It is alarming to note that 1 out of 2 Malaysian adults are suffering from high cholesterol and 42% of them are below the age of 40! @.@

Glad to note that my cholesterol level is normal (well, the last time I checked).

Also, heart diseases are no longer an old-people disease because adults as young as in their 20s are diagnosed with heart disease. And  half of the heart attack patients (45%) have three or more risk factors:

  • 77% being obese
  • 65% have high blood pressure
  • 46% have diabetes
  • 38% are smokers
  • 37% have abnormal cholesterol levels

Info taken from:

  1. National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2015 MOH
  2. Muzammil, B. (2014, October 8) Heart Disease: Shocking Facts The Younger Generation Should Know. Malaysia Digest.
  3. Tan, S.C (2016, August 7) Younger and Riskier, The Star, Health, pp 11.
So what I am aiming now; for me and for my family is to manage our heart health holistically by:

Physical activity
Be it running. Hiking. Walking (walking in the mall also OK ya). Cycling. Playing games - badminton, football, futsal. Heck, even Pokemon-Go encourages players to go out. Just play it safely and with consideration of others lah!
Start 'em young!

Balanced diet.
Ensure a healthy meals and avoid junk food.
Consume more vegetables and fruits. Drink milk. Eat nuts (I love snacking on nuts - they are a source of plant sterols).

Actually, drinking Nestle Omega Plus with added plant sterols is a good way to manage cholesterol level. Just two glasses a day as part of a healthy diet.

Medical check-up
And lastly, we must do regular medical check-ups even if we feel that we have no serious health issues because we wouldn't what time-bomb of a disease is lurking unnoticed by us unless we do them. 
Anyways, for the past few weeks I've been doing the #HeartHealthChallenge that I updated on Instagram and  Facebook that Nestle Omega Plus is organizing; since joining their Nestle Omega Plus Walk-A-Mile event in early September. 

It is a fun way to be part of a community and join the challenge to lead a healthy lifestyle.
And I've even been rewarded for joining it with a surprise gift from Nestle Omega Plus!

Isn't that cool.

It is certainly a good motivating factor to start!

Comments

  1. Time flies. Happy anniversary in your running quest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My main motive in exercise is to keep fit...

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  3. Very good advice there. Today I felt lazy and did not exercise :(

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  4. Love the healthy post, Lina! It's nice to see you so into running which is the complete opposite of me. If only I can be as diligent as you..... xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are other ways to keep fit.

      Going around attending events also is hard work
      Lol

      Delete
  5. Good to keep running, Lina! Keep your running spirits UP! Cos I for one, cannot run already since I have not been running for most of my life, but I can walk.. and walk... Even my right leg is not so original anymore, I still love walking though I puff and Huff nowadays... hahahaa... Seeing your post reminds me that I must do my annual check up again.. sigh...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy walking.

      Love seeing your posts about your walks too. :)

      Delete
  6. It is a nice post from your own real experience on keeping fit and be healthy. Not just some crappy talk by some health gurus who never ran or lifted a finger. LOL

    I like your son's photo. He posed like Bruce Lee and should wear the yellow outfit.

    ReplyDelete

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