Suggestions on how to live a Healthy and Productive Lifestyle

by: Mark Dixon
Smoking Kills - TThe average person in this day and age should have some idea that smoking can be very harmful to their health and that it is one of the leading causes of respiratory illnesses and cancer of the lung. If you are a smoker that is seriously considering to get help, my best advice to you is to make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible and ask him the explain various methods and programs that could be used to help you kick the habit. Also, I would encourage you to spend a few hours searching the internet for online support groups and free programs that are convenient to where you live. It would be impossible to expect someone who has been smoking for years to quit in just a few months, but one thing I would like such an individual to keep in mind is that quitting is like a gift to your heart and lungs.

Use Credit Cards responsibly – The convenience of having a credit card saves you the fear and discomfort of having to walk with a lot of cash. However, having a credit card and failing to use it responsibly could be your ticket into bankruptcy as a result of accumulating dept due to your carefree spending habits. In addition, putting yourself in a deep financial strain will ultimately leave a negative impression on your credit and your ability to purchase big ticket items in the future. So before you fill out that application you got in the mail promising you hundreds in spending limit; stop for a second and ask yourself these four simple questions:

1. Am I responsible enough to have a Credit Card?
2. Can I afford to pay more than just the minimum payment?
3. Do I need a Credit Card?
4. Does the Credit Card provider have a lot of credibility or is it just a plain old scam?

If your answer to the above questions is no it would be a wise decision wait until you are financially able to handle the responsibility that comes along with owning and using a credit card.

Drug use – Never let anyone fool you into believing that’s its ok to use illegal drugs. Whether it is natural or lab made, excessive drug use can be very harmful to your health or kill you. To reduce your changes of getting caught up in drug related activities I would recommend that you get yourself involved in drug awareness groups, volunteer work or any organization that encourages youths to not use drugs. The more educated you are about the negative effects of drug use is the unlikelihood that you will abuse it to the point where severely breaks down your ability to function normally in society. Drug use impairs your judgment, ability to think logically, damages vital internal organs and significantly reduce your life expectancy.

Get In The Habit Of Exercising – Sitting in front of your television set switching from channel to channel, eating microwave popcorn with extra butter isn’t considered to be a form of exercise. If you are one that enjoys watching television – try doing a few crunches or stretches between commercials. Exercising isn’t only something reserved for people with weight problems; everyone should exercise their way into feeling fitter, healthier and living longer.

Protect Yourself When Having Sexual Intercourse – Sexual intercourse can open the doors to various sexually transmitted diseases. Some of which can be cured with just a couple of pills while others can cause you your life. The most talked about sexually transmitted disease is the HIV/Aids virus. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens the body’s immune defenses and makes you more susceptible to many different types’ infections that have an opportunity to invade the body because its immune defenses are weak. There is no known cure for the HIV/Aids virus. Your best option is to abstain from sexual intercourse, practice safe sex, refrain from having more that one sexual partner, never share needles, and get your self tested.

Mark Dixon is the Founder and Senior webmaster of WeJamaicans.com. In addition, he is also a web design and online marketing consultant, poet, and freelance writer. Visit his website at www.WeJamaicans.com. Email: markd9[at]gmail[dot]com