Promote your health this Spring

Just as Spring is painting everything in a fresh coat of colour, you, too, can start afresh by placing a renewed focus on your health. Fresh ideas for the new season are indulging in the pleasure of seeing your own vegetables grow and seeing how you’re attaining your health goals by creating a health record.

Grow some fresh veggies

Planting your own vegetable garden is not only fun, but also therapeutic and a great way to save money and live healthily. Now’s the time to put on your gardening gloves and start growing your own vegetables.

Where do I begin?

• Plan ahead. Think about how much available space you have and for how many people you’ll need to provide.
• Prepare the soil. Make sure the soil is suitable for the type of vegetables you want to grow. Your local nursery should be able to give you good advice on the types of plants that will grow well in your garden. Remember that compost can help to alter the pH of soil and increase the nutrients in the soil, so don’t forget to purchase a bag or two!
• Pick the right container. If you decide to grow veggies in containers, make sure these have holes in the bottom to allow the water to drain. If the containers will be placed indoors, put them on a plate or inside a larger pot. Also remember to place rocks at the bottom to keep smaller pots upright and allow the water to drain.
• Pick the right vegetables. Ideally, you should choose vegetables that can withstand those last lingering shots of cold air. Popular vegetables to plant in early spring include carrots, beets, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplant and cauliflower. Pick a few of your favourites and plant a sensible amount of seeds, taking care not to overcrowd the container.

Start keeping a personal health record

Want to lower your blood pressure or cholesterol levels? A personal health record can help you to record and manage your progress in achieving these and other health goals. Diarising preventive health services such as annual screening tests and vaccinations, as well as appointments with doctors, dentists and other healthcare providers can help you to actively maintain and improve your health.

HealthPrint’s complete health record

When you register for Medihelp medical aid’s free online wellness programme, HealthPrint, you already have an automated system available which does most of the work for you. HealthPrint allows you to collect and track information about your health – including your biometric data – and keeps record of all your screening tests, doctors’ visits, medication and more. This data is then captured as a digital record which you can view, download and share with your healthcare providers in order for them to view your comprehensive health profile.

Your HealthPrint health record contains the following:

• Medihelp membership details
• Biometric data (such as your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels and activity level)
• List of latest diagnosed medical conditions and healthcare providers visited
• Clinical data (including your acute, chronic and PMB medicine)

To find out more about HealthPrint and the benefits it offers, click here. Are you a Medihelp member? Join HealthPrint free of charge today!

Interested in joining Medihelp? Speak to an adviser to assist you in choosing a medical aid plan that suits your healthcare needs.