Waves Health and well-beingHealth and well-beingHealth and well-being

  • Issue: February 1994
  • Designer: R. Avrahami
  • Stamp size: 30.8 x 30.8 mm
  • Plate no.: 215 - 217
  • Sheet of 15 stamps Tabs: 5
  • Printers: E. Lewin-Epstein Ltd.
  • Method of printing: Offset

In the last few years it has come to light that the serious diseases prevalent at the end of the twentieth century (heart and blood diseases, cancer, those caused by accidents, from alcohol and drugs, etc) are a result of man's behaviour.

Smoking and dangerous addictions, diets high in calories, oil and cholesterol, sugar, salt and food colourings, and the lack of physical exercise, are all factors in bringing on the above-mentioned diseases. These factors are mainly functions of human behaviour, whether individual behaviour or social behavioural patterns.

Therefore, in order to reduce the effect of these major causes of disease and death throughout the developed world, it is very important for people to adopt healthy lifestyles. This is the subject of the present series of stamps on health.

Eat sensibly!

It is important for us to inspect our food and to know what we are eating. This can be done through a food tag/label which gives information on packaged products and indicates their ingredients. It is desirable to eat less of foods rich in calories, in fats -particularly high fat products, and in cholesterol.

Excessive quantities of sugar and salt should also be avoided, and foods rich in edible fibres, such as vegetables and fruit, whole wheat, and whole rice, should be preferred.

In hot countries, such as ours, we need to drink a lot of water, particularly in the summer.

Don't smoke!

Reduction of smoking is today the most important factor in the prevention of disease, of heart cancer, etc.

At the moment concentration is not only on the smokers themselves, but on passive smokers - those who live in a smoking environment. Passive smokers can be embryos in the wombs of smoking mothers (or even if the mother does not smoke herself, but lives in a smoking environment), babies of parents who smoke, workers who share a place of work with colleagues who smoke and people frequenting public places where others are smoking.

The damage caused to people who are subject to living in smoking environments has recently become clearer and it is now known that damage is caused to embryos (low birth weight, lung problems, dangers of miscarriage, premature births, abnormalities and cancer), to babies (asthma and other respiratory diseases, more ear infections and danger of lung cancer at a later age) and to the adult - more heart and blood disease, and more lung cancer.

It is therefore very strongly recommended not to smoke and to avoid, as far as possible, being in the company of those who do.

Exercise regularly!

Aerobic exercise such as slow running, fast walking, cycling, swimming, aerobic dancing, etc., is moderate activity but regular exercise. This type of activity helps to prevent heart disease, keeps you fit, and makes you feel good.

Today, when we use cars to get everywhere and climb multi-storey buildings only by elevator, the Ministry of Health recommends that we all do some physical exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, so as to feel good and to help prevent disease.

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Health and well-being