Tips on how to stay healthy as OFW while abroad

They say “Health is Wealth.” That’s true. If you are healthy, then you would be able to do the things you need and love to do such as working for your family and enjoying the good things life has to offer. Once you start neglecting your health, everything else will crumble.

One thing a lot of people take for granted is their health. Oftentimes, you only ever notice its value when you get sick and, by then, it may be too late to recover it completely. Working abroad as an OFW has its own challenges with respect to health.

Some OFWs have long or odd working hours. Others work multiple jobs at the same time, leaving no room to catch one’s breath in between jobs. Under such conditions, OFWs may be forced to forego basic needs like eating at appropriate times of the day, sleeping the right number of hours, or having an overall good quality of life.

This kind of situation poses high risk to the health of OFWs, especially if this goes on for a long time. And if an OFW does get sick, then how will he/she be able to work? How will he/she be able to earn and make a living?

So checkout this tips to keep you healthy every day:

1. Drop the vicesIf you are a practical person – the type who looks at the pros and cons of things before doing something, then you should know by now that nothing comes good out of living with a vice. Besides its impracticality, considering that the prices of daily necessities are constantly on the rise, having to live with a vice is like signing up for an advanced slot for your death bed at the expense of the years you live away from your family and loved ones. Sounds horrible? Well, it should be… because the reality of it could only be far much worse.
2. Make effort to include exercise in your daily routineHave you ever heard of the millennial phrase: “Sitting is the new smoking”? Well, that is the case today. Such a simple phrase could capture the perfect image of how work-life imbalance could take a toll on our health even through our younger years. But if you’re all bent up on building a great career, what can be your compromise? Sure, office work never ends because you’re running a company, or at least the processes which sustain your company, for that matter.

   But would you believe me if I tell you that you don’t have to go to the gym to stay fit and healthy? It’s all about self-discipline and mindful habits. Start doing small things and reap big dividends. For example: allot some time to walk your way to work or to take the stairs instead of the elevator to get to your floor. When you maximize the health benefits of doing these simple things, you are doing yourself a big favour health-wise.

3. Watch what you eatThe scenarios may play differently for every OFW. While some would rather skip meals in order to save up the money they spend on food, others (particularly those working in hotels or cruise ships) get to indulge for their own good.

   While your circumstances may be entirely different from someone else’s, it’s important to realize that quality is always more important than quantity. Eating the right kinds of food (balanced meals) in appropriate portions is key to a healthy diet.

4. Deal with stress properlyThis is actually a bonus tip. Why? Because the only way to deal with stress is to do something that makes you feel good. And we don’t mean for you to make eating out with your friends a regular habit. Rather, choose a fun, physical activity to unload some of the tension or stress which you may have collected at work. You can go for a nice massage or play sports with your pals during the weekend to detoxify your body and warm up your muscles from the lack of physical activity at work. But most importantly, make sure to have fun when you go out and ply with your friends. Our body has a natural way of eliminating stress through the release of dopamine, also known as the happy hormone. You get this when you exercise or do a fun physical activity such as playing sports or go dancing.