At 44 yearS old, a mother of two children heading to university, and in middle management at the distribution company where she works, Catherine seems heading to the top. Recently, though, she has taken up an activity that challenges her from head to toe.
She has become, if not a gym buff, then certainly an enthusiast.
It is the first time in her life that she is lifting weights, although she used to jog and walk as a teenager and in her early 20s. These days, though, the exercise is not geared towards her keeping her curves, but staying healthy.
"It is an investment in yourself," she said. "I am getting to a stage where I can see the end of child-rearing in sight and I really want to enjoy my life. If you are sick you just can't, because you will be spending a lot of money and you will be worried about your illness too," she said.
Catherine saw her father die from a stroke, brought on by long-term hypertension, as well as her mother almost lose a leg to diabetes. "These are what they call lifestyle diseases. When I was a child I used to hear my relatives say that sugar runs in the family or high blood pressure runs in the family and all that and I used to think I had to get one of them or both. I know different now," she said. "If you keep active and avoid smoking and lots of drinking, chances are you will stay in good health for a very long time."
It was also good health, coupled with good looks, that was on 39-year-old Ricardo's mind when he adjusted his diet, starting eight years ago. He started by cutting out red meat and has now reached the stage where he is almost a total raw food vegetarian, in that he eats mostly fruit and vegetable and hardly eats anything that is cooked.
'Me lose over 20 pounds in the first year, keep going down and hold a steady 180 now,' the six-footer said. 'Obesity is a thing that bring on from diabetes to high blood pressure to low self-esteem and if you don't think low self-esteem can sick you, check out a ting call depression,' Ricardo said.
'Especially when you going up in age, you have to take care of yusself differently. Health is wealth, y'know,' he said. In addition to the diet, he cycles regularly and also has total check-ups every six months.
'Nuff man sey dem no like go doctor, den en' up go straight a hospital or cemetery. Me waan know wha wrong in time fi do wha me can bout it,' he said.
With health care costs taking a healthy chunk out of many people's savings at an age when they are no longer earning, maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as getting checked regularly are healthy investments. Ones that should keep the bank account, as well as the account holder, in very good shape.
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