Stay Healthy and Active All Year Round

Here are some tips to help you stay active all year round.

Make getting fit enjoyable.

Pick an activity (or range of activities) that appeals to you, since you’re more likely to keep to an exercise plan if you like it.

Choose activities that suit your lifestyle.

Consider your budget, physical abilities and amount of free time.

Check out local exercise options.

Opportunities to be active in your neighbourhood may include leisure centres, sports clubs, parks, walking trails, swimming pools or exercise classes.

Make exercise a social event.

Find a friend or family member to be active with so you can motivate and reward each other, or make some new friends through a class or club.

Plan ahead for bad weather.

Head to your local swimming pool or gym to exercise indoors.

Keep some exercise equipment at home.

Options include exercise DVDs, a stationary bike, skipping rope or fitness ball.

Have fun getting physical.

Go dancing, fly a kite, throw a frisbee or swim in the sea – you’re not limited to sports and structured exercise programs.

Get active around the house.

Housework, washing the dog and gardening are all physical activities that burn calories and help keep you fit.

Look for incidental ways to move your body every day.

For example, walk or cycle to the local shops, instead of driving the car. Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator.

Involve the whole family in keeping fit.

Arrange for outings that are physically active, such as walking the dog, rowing or hiking. 

To be a part of H-connect, Get registered at  http://www.hconnect.co.in

Know Your Medicine Through H-Connect

 Here are some tips to help you become ‘medicinewise’.

Know it’s a medicine.

Medicines don’t just come on prescription – they can also be bought over the counter from the pharmacy, supermarket or other store, or online. Your medicines may include conventional medications as well as herbal remedies, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements. They may come in many forms such as tablets, creams, lotions, drops and inhalers.

Find the active ingredient in your medicine.

Most medicines have two names: the active ingredient and the brand name. Knowing the active ingredient will help you avoid confusing your medicines and making mistakes. It is easy to accidentally double dose if you use different brands containing the same active ingredient.

Ask the right questions.

It is important to get the information you need to make good decisions about your health and medicines. Get your answers from a reliable source – when searching the Internet, look for the HealthInsite and HONcode logos. You can always ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure about anything.

Read the consumer medicine information.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet. This is a good starting point for learning more about a medicine.

Check the label.

Read the packaging for instructions on taking the medicine and for the expiry date. Dispose of expired or unused medicines safely by returning them to any pharmacy.

Tell your doctor, pharmacist or other health professional about all of the medicines you are taking.

All medicines have possible risks or unwanted side effects, regardless of where you get them or what form they are in. Make sure you let everyone involved in your healthcare know what you are taking, including complementary and alternative treatments.

Plan your medicines routine.

Know what to take when and refill your prescriptions before they run out.

Use aids to help you remember.

Ask your pharmacist about aids like Webster-paks or Dosette boxes if you have trouble remembering how to take your medicines.

Keep a list of all of your medicines.

This will help you keep track of your medicines. Take the list whenever you visit your doctor or other health professional, when you go on holidays or if you go to hospital.

Don’t share medicines.

It is important not to give other people your medicine or to use someone else’s. What’s right for you may not be right for someone else and vice versa.

To be a part of H-connect, Get registered at  http://www.hconnect.co.in