Accra, Dec. 25, GNA- Dr Elias Sory, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, on Tuesday urged Ghanaians to adopt healthy lifestyles, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities. He explained that good eating habit, continuous exercising of the body, drinking of more water and eating of fruits and vegetables could keep people healthy.

In a Christmas message to Ghanaians copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr. Sory advised persons above 40 years to reduce the consumption of meat and fats and increase the intake of vegetables and fruits to ensure healthy lifestyle.

He urged Ghanaians to strive to change their lifestyle and influence members of their communities to regenerate their lives despite the difficulties they might encounter in such innovations. Dr Sory observed that if Ghanaians maintained healthy lifestyles in a clean environment diseases would be prevented. He noted that government was spending much money on the treatment of diseases that could have been prevented. "We act in ignorance, adopting lifestyles and making choices everyday that cause degeneration of our health, our bodies and ultimately leading to disability and death," Dr. Sory said. He said the health status of the population of any country determined its productivity level. The Ministry of Health has formulated a new policy that emphasises on the intake of balanced diet and the prevention of diseases to ensure healthy lifestyles.

It is also to ensure the physical and mental development of the people towards national development.