Lay witness to my so-called fundamental existence.

I ran 5K today in celebration of the World Heart Day.

The event was organized by the Philippine Heart Association – Cebu Chapter in cooperation with the Philippine Heart Center – Medical Alumni Society. Since it’s for the HEART, the singlets were in white and red.

It was a good Sunday run. About 1,600 running enthusiasts came for the event. The number may be small since there were also other fun runs scheduled at the same time. One run is organized by the University of San Carlos and the other one took place in Balamban, Cebu. There was also an Alay Lakad (Walk for a Cause) at the city center.

In celebration, let me just post here the article from a pamphlet of PHA.

HOW YOU CAN LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE

1. Ensure a healthy food intake – Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid saturated fat. Be wary of processed foods, which often contain high levels of salt.

2. Get active & take control of your heart health – Even 30 minutes of activity can help to prevent attacks and strokes.

3. Say no to tobacco - your risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and will return to a normal level over time.

4. Maintain a healthy weight – Weight loss, especially together with lowered salt intake, leads to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major factor for approximately half of all heart disease and stroke.

5. Know your numbers – Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (bmi). Once you know your overall risk, you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health.

6. Limit your alcohol intake - Restrict the amount of alcoholic drinks that you consume. Excessive alcohol intake can cause your blood pressure to rise and your weight to increase.

7. Insist on a smoke-free environment – Demand an tobacco ban and ensure your workplace is 100% smoke-free. Support the adoption of smoking-cessation services as these would encourage your employer to provide help to those wanting to quit tobacco.

8. Bring exercise to the workplace – Include physical activity in your working schedule – cycle to work if this is possible, take the stairs, exercise or go for a walk during your lunch breaks, and encourage others to do so.

9. Choose healthy food options – Ask for healthy food at your work canteen, or find nearby cafes or restaurants that serve healthy meals.

10. Encourage stress-free moments – while stress has not been shown to be direct risk factor for heart disease and stroke, it is related to smoking, excessive drinking and unhealthy eating, which are risk factors for heart disease. Take time for lunch away from your workplace to get some fresh air and have regular breaks during the day – try stretching or exercising for 5 minutes twice a day.

Well these are just 10 suggestions. 10 Ways to be healthy. It’s entirely up to you if you want to achieve a healthy life.

Then try running.