Key to health: Monitor, measure, master what matters

In this time of the pandemic, a person has to be concerned about personal indicators of health such as one’s blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, sleep patterns, and stress level.

These indicators contribute to the health of a person. If blood pressure is too high, a person can get a stroke or heart attack. I had a friend who had a blood pressure of 180 over 100 and was COVID-19-asymptomatic. He had to take a leave from work. I had another friend who had to rush to the hospital after he had his blood pressure checked, and he stayed in the hospital for two months. Now, he is well.

If the blood sugar level is also bad, a person can have diabetes. My friends who died last year in this pandemic had blood sugar level problems. Some were diabetic. Some had cancer.

This year, my cousin who died from COVID-19 was overweight. Aside from blood sugar and blood pressure, a person has to monitor, measure, and master his or her weight. By master, I mean to stay within the ideal weight and not be overweight. If a person is in his or her ideal weight, the probability of survival from COVID-19 is better. My other relatives and friends who died last year and this year were all overweight.

I was once overweight, and later became obese. But I am now in my ideal weight. I realized that the key to health is to monitor, measure, and master what matters. I had high blood pressure before. Now my blood pressure is 110 over 70. To improve my blood pressure, I changed what I ate. I know it may sound difficult, but I did it.

According to Aristotle, excellence is not an act but a habit. We are what we habitually do.

EMMANUEL DE LEON
Quezon City