Living Healthy Lifestyles

Adolescence is a special time for everyone, everywhere. It is also a challenging time. This is the time for big changes in your emotional and physical health and these take some time.

You’ll have to take a lot of decisions as you go through this period and some of the choices you make will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Adulthood is a big responsibility so you must prepare for it well during adolescence. It is unfortunate that many teenagers nowadays have adopted unhealthy lifestyles, such as engaging in premarital sex, having multiple sex partners, smoking, drinking, stealing, among other things.

All these acts can have adverse effects on your lives, if not now, surely later in life. Many of such behaviours that cause diseases such as diabetes, cancer and stroke begin at a young age.

For example, if you smoke tobacco as a teenager, you're more likely to get a terminal disease when you're an adult. Also, if you engage in premarital sex, you are likely to get pregnant and drop out from school, die from an abortion or expose yourself to sexually transmitted infections, including AIDS.

In view of these consequences, adopting a healthy lifestyle is very crucial during the adolescent period. You need to make wise decisions and stay safe as much as possible.

Here are some tips to guide you:
• Avoid using any type of tobacco product. Try not to breathe second-hand cigarette smoke as well.

• Get regular exercise.
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
• Don't drink and drive.
• Don't get into a car with a driver who has been drinking alcohol or using drugs.

• Always use your seat belt.
• Wear protective headgear, such as motorcycle or bike helmets, when riding even if you are the passenger.

• Never swim alone.
• Avoid situations where violence or fighting may cause you to be physically injured, such as engaging in demonstrations in school.

• Abstain from premarital sex.
• Avoid boy-girl relationships but do well to mix with others.

• Choose friends who are disciplined.
• Have a good relationship with your parents and discuss your problems with them.

• Respect those in authority and obey school rules.

• Take good care of your body and dress well — be descent at all times.