How to become healthy and fit in Japan?

Health is wealth. I think a healthy person can earn money and maintain their life. In Japan, the Japanese people might be seen as an example of a healthy nation -- for example, it is very rare to find obese people in Japan.

Here are some tips on how to be healthy and avoid the hospitals in Japan:

1. Maintain a good routine in life. Just after you have reached Japan you may have great jet lag. It could disrupt your daily life and especially your sleep at night. Try to overcome it as soon as possible by maintaining a good routine. 

2. Eat healthy food. In Japan, food culture is different. It is not only sushi and sashimi. So, try to find food in the supermarket and start to cook/prepare for yourself.

3. Take plenty of water. It is easy to find vending machines in different parts of Japan. You can find water even you do not know the language, it will help you to stay hydrated during the summer months in Japan which can be very hot and humid.

4. Do physical exercise. It is generally safe outside in Japan, so don't worry about going outdoors and doing some physical exercise every day. You can go to the gym nearby and do some exercise there, also.

5. Be active all the time. Don't be lazy, especially during the winter. Do some activities.

6. Take at least 6/7 hours of good sleep. Work culture can be intense in Japan but don't forget to take rest properly.

7. Try to do sports to release stress. Due to the change in culture, you will be stressed for the first time after coming and working in Japan and you may find very few people to talk / communicate with to share those issues which will affect you initially. 

8. Don't think much about future uncertainties, which often come with being an expat. It is always good to stay positive in Japan. Make friends who thinks positively about Japan and who are fans of culture and lifestyle over here.

9. How about a bit of gardening?  It may help you to stay in good condition both physically and mentally.  And, yes, despite the small living spaces in Japan, gardening is very easy to do on your terrace or balcony. 

10. Do not use so much screen time. You can watch NHK TV news at 7 pm and 9 pm. You can hear in English or Japanese as you wish.

11. Eat less carbohydrates.

12. Try to eat green vegetables every day. There are very good quality vegetables in Japan. Eat those regularly!

13. Go outing during the holidays with family members and friends.  Don't let expat life make you isolated.

14. Communicate with others who can help you in English. But try to learn Japanese! You will find life is easy after you can communicate with the locals.

a) Following the above suggestions to stay healthy and fit in Japan will hopefully enable you to be more confident about your health. But try not to over think it. If you have medical insurance, Japan, in my opinion, presents a much better situation compared to even other developed nations. You will get the best treatment in the hospitals here. There are hospital staff in Japan who can communicate in English, too.

b) It is always good to have some emergency phone numbers to hand here in Japan for the nearest hospitals and clinics. You can call the ambulance in Japan and they will come so quickly to your door. If you call the ambulance then ALWAYS keep open the door/main gate.

c) Try to buy the required medicines from the nearest dispensary. The hospitals in Japan will give you a choice / ask you from which place you will collect the medicine? Staying close to home will save you time and money on the commute.

d) One important thing is that don't forget to make a hospital appointment in advance. It will save a lot of waiting time. If there is an option then my recommendation is that you should make an appointment at the bigger hospitals in Japan. To make an appointment you have to call them directly and then ask them for a suitable time. You have to know some Japanese terms in order to do this, for example which department you want to go to. For example, "sho ni ka"is child specialist department, "naika" internal medicine, etc.

e) If you try to visit some prominent hospitals in Japan after having already been to a local clinic, then try to take a referral letter ("shokaijo" in Japanese) from the doctor at the clinic. It will save some money and the new doctor will understand your past treatment. Normally, it will cost not more than 1,000 yen to get the referral letter. So My suggestion is that try to collect the "shokaijo" from the clinic and then visit the big hospital.

f) For those expats in Japan who have children under 15 years old, you must have the telephone and address of the nearby emergency hospitals which are open during the holidays and after hours.

Do you have any other tips on how to stay healthy and fit in Japan?