AS the New Year is still in its infant stage, with the last one perhaps, caused you in some ways, for most of us, the ball is in your court to live a healthy life.

Day after another,the year had blessed us with challenges, defeats, triumphs and sorrows as we pursued our dreams and accomplished our responsibilities. For that matter, time has now come for us to analyze our strides, in the passing year, and mostly importantly set new goals and strategies in this year.

As our thoughts ponder on financial resolutions, in these times of financial uncertainty, I would love to humbly present a different card on the table; health resolutions for 2018.

The following are the five New Year’s health resolutions that would improve our health in the coming year. Renew or acquire new health insurance card The cost of living, especially in big cities like Dares- Salaam, is increasingly expensive year after another.

Likewise, the charges for medical consultations and treatment are skyrocketing. In private hospitals for instance,it costs between 20,000/- to 50,000/- for a routine specialist consultation, not to mention the costs for lab investigations and medications.

Things are worse among patients with chronic diseases who require long-term intervention. Regular dialysis appointments for patients with chronic kidney failure patients is around 300,000/- to 500,000/- per section and studies have reported higher numbers of defaulters among patients lacking insurance coverage due to financial constraints. Luckily,we have affordable prepaid schemes that assure accessibility of health services even in times of financial difficulty.

Further, the Tanzanian Government encourages this idea that will ensure Universal Health Coverage within the nation. Currently we have many insurance modes, including NHIF, AAR, and Jubilee. All of us should enroll in prepaid health services in 2018 and make it your first grand health goal for the year. Attain recommendable BMI Body Mass Index (BMI) is a value derived from one’s body weight and height that is used to categorize a person as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. It is calculated as weight (in kilogram) divide by height (in meters square).

The normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25; a person is categorized as underweight if it is below 18.5, overweight if between 25 and 30 and obese if over 30. Obese and overweight individuals are at increased risks of heart diseases, stroke, diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea and gall bladder diseases. Cutting off some weight to attain perfect BMI should be one of the top goals in 2018.

It will not only decrease the risk for mentioned ailments but also improve your body vigour in daily activities. Drink more fluids, eat more vegetables, fruits and proteins; decrease starch food from daily meals. We are further advised to take light meals during evenings.

Kindly be reminded of an old saying, “Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a pauper.” Incorporate exercise into a weekly schedule We live in a very busy world that necessitates waking up early and sleeping very late as work consumes most of our day’s hours. Regardless, we should set aside at least thirty minutes every day for strenuous body exercises.

No one can stress enough the importance of exercises than former American president John F. Kennedy: “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” Some people find it pleasuring to run or walk, during the evening or very early in the morning, whilst others prefer to go to gyms.

I personally do rope skipping exercises as they are easy to do and I can do them virtually anywhere even at the work place. Adhere to the prescribed medicine’s schedule People living with chronic diseases that require daily medications, the likes of Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and HIV, to name few, should make a conscious decision to adhere to daily medications as directed by their respective clinicians. They should never stop the medication unless directed by their doctors. On the other hand, we should stop purchasing over counter drugs especially antibiotics without being prescribed.

Check your health regularly Our health should be an asset in 2018 as we stride towards our dreams and those of the motherland. Have a regular check up of especially blood pressure and random blood sugar; make sure you have received all vaccinations for those travelling abroad. The dreams of a thriving nation are in the hands of healthy citizens.

Let’s make 2018, still in its infant stage, a year to be proud of because your health is your asset.