Inflation is at an all-time high, and this doesn’t exclude common medications and prescription medicines.
The ever-rising cost of goods and services in Nigeria has made even treating a simple fever expensive, and staying healthy is more crucial than ever.
This rise in the cost of medications is influenced by inflation in general, foreign exchange, importation of drugs, removal of fuel subsidies, as well as the exit of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc after 51 years of operation in Nigeria.
Sanofi-Aventis Nigeria Limited, a French pharmaceutical company, also announced in November 2023, that it would adopt a third-party distribution model for its products in Nigeria, effective February 2024.
The cost of an antimalarial medication or antibiotic today would likely differ in a few days, or maybe tomorrow.
As these costs continue to increase, it is only wise to stay healthy to reduce your potential to need them one day.
For many, these medications are a necessity, and they have to spend more on their routine medications.
Others who cannot afford them have ditched them due to the high cost and currently battle with ill health.
Food is also expensive, but would you rather spend on good food than depend on medication that is ever-increasing in cost?
Read on to find out how you can stay healthy even with the current economic situation.
Eat a variety of foods
If you notice that your diet consists of only one type of food, say rice, bread, and beans, you should switch things up and include different groups of food.
Being particular about your nutrition means not just eating anything because it’s available. You’ll be interested in the benefits it can offer your body.
Add fruits to your diet, and eat greens as well. They all have vitamins, minerals and fibre that improve your health.
If you’ve been eating only meat, opt for fish sometimes, and don’t mull for too long over the cost because what would you rather spend on? Good food or medications.
Maintain proper hygiene
A lot of illnesses people deal with are due to germs that cannot be seen with the eyes, mostly from the hand.
COVID-19 made the world wash their hands more often, but most people have stopped.
They overlook the fact that handwashing is essential for removing harmful pathogens and germs that can cause illnesses, which they may have come into contact with through their hands.
In June 2024, the Lagos State government declared a cholera outbreak.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection characterised by severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration.
It is spread by eating or drinking food or water containing the cholera-causing bacteria, as well as poor hygiene practices.
To prevent cholera and similar infections, take these precautions:
– Wash your hands regularly, especially before eating, after using the restroom, and before cooking
– Use clean water for cooking
– Cook foods thoroughly
– Limit eating out
– Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before consumption
Eat out less
When you make your own food, you have control over the preparation mode and how well you cook the food.
A meal that can make you potentially ill and land you in the hospital can look yummy and make your taste buds happy, but you can still end up in the emergency room with a case of food poisoning from bacteria that got into the food during preparation or storage.
With the recent cholera outbreak, more people are weary of this.
To stay safe, many people in Nigeria are avoiding eating out at restaurants or buying food from street vendors.
Instead, they’re choosing to cook their meals at home where they can make sure everything is clean and safe.
Plus, cooking your own food could save you some money.
Know your numbers
Silent killers like hypertension usually do not give warning signs and symptoms before striking.
And contrary to common thinking, hypertension is not only for the elderly.
Now, more young people in their 20s have a high blood pressure that can pose serious threats to their health.
The only way to know your numbers: Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar level, and Body Mass Index (BMI) is to check.
Knowing your risk is critical to preventing cardiovascular disease, and you can’t know if you do not check.
Some pharmacies carry out these checks for free or for a little token. You can also take advantage of free health checks or outreaches to know your numbers.
Drink clean water regularly
Drinking clean water regularly helps to regulate your body temperature, lubricate your joints, and keep your brain active, among others.
Emphasis on clean water because if you drink contaminated water regularly, it can lead to stomach or intestinal infections like typhoid, diarrhoea, and cholera, to name a few.
Be sure of the source of the water you drink, and go for a different option if you’re skeptical.
Replacing soda or fizzy drinks with water will also help to cut down your spending, because water is always a better option.
When last did you deworm?
You most likely dewormed regularly when you were a child, but did you know that it is still necessary for adults to deworm?
Deworming helps to get rid of intestinal worms you might have gotten from eating foods that were not properly cooked, especially meat, seafood, contaminated food or water, and from unhygienic habits in general.
Experts recommend deworming twice a year, as going without deworming for a long while can lead to chronic worm infestation with signs like loss of appetite, anaemia, and weight loss, among others.
Exercise regularly
You probably saw this coming, and now you’re here. Yes, to stay healthy you need to carry out intentional physical activity, not just by the way.
You don’t have to be trying to shed some pounds before you do something that makes you sweat.
When you exercise, endorphins are produced in your brain, which help to reduce stress and make you sleep better. It also improves blood circulation to your body and improves how your skin looks.
One more benefit? It strengthens your heart.
You don’t have to go to the gym and do 500 sit-ups or reps to know that you’ve exercised.
Intentionally going out for a brisk (fast) walk is a full body workout, as it uses all your body’s muscles.
It’s also a cheap option, one of the easiest ways to stay active, and a surprisingly quick way to burn calories.
Walking briskly for 30 minutes every day or almost every day will significantly improve your health and fitness.
Get enough sleep
You can’t achieve optimal health if you’re regularly getting very little sleep. This is because when you sleep, your body’s cells repair themselves and replenish you.
Sleep deprivation happens after a while, which means a weakened immune system that can easily come down with an illness.
Takeaway
Despite the general rise in the cost of everything, the cost of staying healthy is less than the cost of treating an illness. A healthy you is a more productive, saner and richer you. And illnesses don’t care if you have money or not.
